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Building Conservation Associates

Connecticut State Capitol

Location: Hartford, Connecticut 
Year Built: 1871-1878 
Original Architect: Richard Upjohn 

The Connecticut State Capitol was designed by Richard Upjohn in the Eastlake style with French and Gothic Revival elements and constructed from 1871-78. Located in Hartford, it is the third capitol building for the State of Connecticut since the American Revolution. A National Historic Landmark designated by the National Park Service and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Connecticut State Capitol is constructed of marble quarried in East Canaan, Connecticut, and granite from Rhode Island. The building's ornately decorated marble facades include numerous statues, medallions, and carved tympana in high relief. The capitol building has a central tower with a gilded dome that sits on a marble drum. Twelve free-standing carved marbles statues representing Agriculture, Commerce, Education/Law, Force/War, Science/Justice, and Music encircle the exterior base of the dome. The dome originally had a large statue on top, named The Genius of Connecticut, which was taken down in 1938 after being damaged in the great hurricane of that year.

BCA was the restoration consultant for the exterior restoration from 2006-2007. BCA performed a hands-on existing conditions survey, cleaning tests, and materials analysis to develop treatment recommendations, and prepared construction documents for the exterior restoration. However, the exterior rehabilitation project did not move forward at that time. In 2022, BCA was retained to return to the Connecticut State Capitol to verify and update the findings of the previous assessment. BCA conducted a hands-on conditions assessment of the exterior masonry facades, the gold leaf dome and its drum and cupola, and all the wood and stained glass windows. BCA is currently performing investigative probes. The findings of BCA’s field investigation will inform our treatment recommendations and the preparation of construction documents for the entire restoration scope.

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