Massachusetts State House Dome - Boston, MA
Posted by: Metro2
N 42° 21.496 W 071° 03.816
19T E 330056 N 4691617
The Massachusetts State House was built 1795-1798.
Waymark Code: WMNR0B
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 04/22/2015
Views: 13
Wikipedia's article on the building (
visit link) informs us about the exterior of the dome:
"The original wood dome, which leaked, was covered with copper in 1802 by Paul Revere's Revere Copper Company. Revere was the first American to roll copper successfully into sheets (for copper sheathing) in a commercially viable manner.
The dome was first painted gray and then light yellow before being gilded with gold leaf in 1874. During World War II, the dome was painted once again, this time black or gray (depending on the source), to prevent reflection during blackouts and to protect the city and building from bombing attacks. In 1997, at a cost of more than $300,000, the dome was re-gilded, in 23k gold.
The dome is topped with a pine cone, symbolizing both the importance of Boston's lumber industry during early colonial times and of the state of Maine, which was a district of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts when the Bulfinch section of the building was completed."
Unfortunately no information could be found about the underside of the dome which features many stained-glass panels. The underside is surrounded by an octagonal structure that features depictions of the American eagle.