Dome Mural

When President Abraham Lincoln took office in 1861, the Capitol dome was partially completed, braced by ropes of steel. On the lawn below, the inaugural crowd could see the model of the statue destined for the top. The finished piece reached the pinnacle on December 2, 1863.

During the Civil War construction costs for the new dome and other parts of the building drew unfavorable remarks. Lincoln, however, stressed the work's importance, reportedly saying, "If people see the Capitol going on, it is a sign we intend the Union shall go on." In 1974 Allyn Cox painted this ceiling mural of Lincoln and the dome in the House Wing.

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