The Genius of Connecticut - Hartford, CT
Posted by: 
hykesj
N 41° 45.850 W 072° 40.939
18T E 692657 N 4626187
Exact replica of the three-and-a-half-ton bronze statue that once stood atop the dome of the Connecticut State Capitol.
Waymark Code: WM16ZE2
Location: Connecticut, United States
Date Posted: 11/05/2022
Views: 0
The current Connecticut State Capitol building in Hartford was completed in 1878. As a final embellishment, a large bronze statue of an allegorical figure representing the “Genius of Connecticut” was placed atop the dome. The statue was designed by noted sculptor Randolph Rogers and included such symbols as the white oak and the mountain laurel, the state tree and state flower of Connecticut.
Because the statue was somewhat of an afterthought, the proper structural elements were not present in 1878. The statue showed signs of instability and, in 1903, had to be removed/reinstalled in order to make structural improvements. A hurricane in 1938 further destabilized the statue and it was permanently removed, being cut into pieces in the process. The pieces were subsequently melted down to contribute to metal drives during World War II.
In 2009, a new bronze casting of this statue was made using the original plaster model. The plan is to reinstall the replica atop the dome where the original once stood, but that hasn’t happened yet. Currently, the replica casting sits inside the capitol directly under the dome. The original plaster version is also on display inside the building. It has been painted to resemble the bronze original.
Where is original located?: Melted down in 1942
Where is this replica located?: State Capitol, Hartford, CT
Who created the original?: Randolph Rogers
Internet Link about Original: https://www.cga.ct.gov/cprc/genius.asp
Year Original was Created (approx. ok): 1878
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