My Corner Online

Missouri State Capitol Grounds and Nearby

Behind the Missouri State Capitol on the grounds and nearby, there are many things to see.

First there is the Lewis and Clark Monument which gives tribute to their encamping near this area on June 4, 1804. This consists of statues of Captain Meriwether Lewis and Captain William Clark, as expedition leaders, and York who was Clark's man-servant, and George Drouillard who was a French-Canadian-Shawnee guide and translater, and Seaman, who was Meriwether Lewis's Newfoundland dog. Together they were pat of the Corpos of Discover who traveled the Missouri River looking for where it begins in hopes that they would find a way to the Pacific Ocean. They eventually found the beginning of the Missouri River and had to abandoned the boat and travel on ground to make it to the Pacific Ocean.

Next is the Missouri Veterans Memorial which was dedicated in 1991. We began our walk with the five branches of the armed forces, being Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard, and continue through the granite posts representing the wars, being Mexican-American, Civil War, Spanish-American, World War I, World War II, Korean, Vietnan, and Persian Gulf.

I loved the area of the fountain. The jets of water symbolize the turmoil of war and a single jet of water represents peace. There are 24 steps along the waterfall honoring Missouri's entrance into the Union as the 24th state. In the reflecting pool it says "Missouri Veterans - Guardians of Liberty."

Next we visited the Fountain of the Centaurs, which is a beautiful fountain and lovely water, but I found the use of mythologogy odd as there was so much of it it around and in the Capitol. Centaurs are half animal-half human creatures.

The statues are wresling with serpents and a giant fish to reprsent the wildness of the West. The small boyish statues are sea urchins that spray water on the centaurs, and their fish represent playfulness of the small animals of the West. Beautiful, but odd.

Next to the Fountain is the Ten Commandments on stone. I was so glad to see it there! Someone was sitting at the bench next to it and I did not want to bother her.

Behind the Fountain is the Signing of the Treaty sculpture which was designed for the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. Robert Livingston is standing on the left, James Monroe is seated, and Frocois Barbe-Mrabois is signing the treaty. This depicts the moment the United States acquired the Louisiana Territory from France in 1803, known as the Louisiana Purchase. Robert Livingstone and James Monroe were sent by Thomas Jefferson (hence why this is in Jefferson City) to France. Marbois signed on behalf of France as Napolean's treasurer.

Continuing on there is the Liberty Bell reproduction which rang in 1776 declaring our nation's independence. The bell is one of 53 cast in France in 1950 and give to the United States government by patriotic donors.

Continuing on is the Missouri Law Enforcement Memorial.

This memorial is a tribute to all Missouri law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty and was dedicated on June 17, 1994. The names of the officers are on plaques, including position, city or town, and date of death.