The New York State Office of General Services have unveiled the new carvings of “Bronx” and “Nassau” on the Capitol’s Great Western Staircase.
The Bronx and Nassau were not incorporated as counties when construction of the staircase was completed in 1898. With their inclusion, the staircase now includes the names of all of the state’s 62 counties.
The new carvings were created by David Ross at North Albany’s historic Adam Ross Cut Stone.
That ornate four-story, 444-step staircase was carved in place from massive blocks of red Corsehill sandstone from Scotland from 1884 to 1898; the State Capitol was completed the following year.
Stone carvers have worked periodically on the Capitol since construction began in 1867.
The portraits, motifs, capitals, corbels and work representing a variety subjects and stylings along the ornate staircase were carved in place, by hand. The number of total carvings is unknown, but they include many medieval and classical scenes, including dragons, griffens, gargoyles, animals and people.
There are 77 famous people carved into the Capitol’s three major staircases. They included no women until six were added following public criticism:
- Molly Pitcher, Revolutionary War soldier
- Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin
- Susan B. Anthony, women’s suffrage leader
- Clara Barton, Civil War nurse
- Elmina P. Spencer, Civil War nurse
- Frances E. Willard, temperance movement leader
Until recently the only modern carvings on the staircase occurred in 2019 to correct a 100-year-old misspelling. Abolitionist Frederick Douglass was erroneously identified as “Fred. Douglas.”
In 2023 a carving of native New Yorker Ruth Bader Ginsberg was the first portrait added since the original six women were completed.
The building is a National Historic Landmark mostly constructed of Chazy limestone quarried at the Clark Quarry in Essex County, NY.
A massive fire at the Capitol in 1911 twisted framing in a skylight above Great Western Staircase and melted their sandstone filigree. (It also destroyed the State Library including almost all of its collection, at the time 800,000 items.)
The building exterior underwent restoration from 2000 through most of 2014, and significant historical details were restored inside, including the previously covered skylight over the Great Western Staircase, which also went through a major renovation in 2013.
The New York State Capitol is open to the public Monday through Friday from 7 am until 7 pm. 45-minute tours can include the legislative chambers, Hall of Governors, Governor’s Reception Room, Hall of New York, historic staircases.
All tours begin at the Information Desk in the Capitol’s State Street Lobby and are free of charge. See tour options here.
Illustrations: New York State Capitol Great Western Staircase (provided by OGS); the corrected Frederick Douglass portrait (OGS); and the staircase skylight, 2018 (Mike Groll, OGS).
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