Talk:Tennessee State Capitol

Oregon's capitol

"It is one of only eleven state capitols (along with those of Delaware, Hawaii, Louisiana, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Alaska and Virginia) that does not have a dome."

Oregon's capitol does not have a dome? The article on the Oregon State Capitol says otherwise:

The building was erected at a cost of $2.5 million for the central portion of the building, which includes a dome of 166 feet (51 m).

64.85.240.22 (talk) 06:27, 29 April 2011 (UTC)

Indeed, the Oregon Capitol apparently has no (exterior) dome; just a superstructure (in the form of a pedestal). — Preceding unsigned comment added by 137.198.76.69 (talk) 14:17, 24 January 2013 (UTC)

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"Carving the cellar"? NO.

Under the heading "Design and construction" the third paragraph contains this claim: "Fifteen enslaved Black men worked on carving the Capitol's limestone cellar..."(emphasis added). This is false. The source cited makes it seem otherwise, with its provocative title "The Slaves Who Built the Tennessee State Capitol", but the body of that article says otherwise: "In the spring of 1846, fifteen slaves, all men, were loaned to the state government by A.G. Payne, a Nashville stone mason. For nearly a year they carved out the Capitol’s cellar...These slaves broke through tons of limestone rock, carting it away after digging (emphases added)."
There is a significant difference between someone "working on carving a cellar" and them digging-out a cellar, and even more of a difference between digging-out a cellar and "building the Capitol". The former is both unlikely, as most stone cellars are not "carved" (which implies decoration), but rather they are "dug out" or "excavated". It was in these unskilled roles that the source admits the enslaved labor was used: digging-out and carting away. The latter -- "building the Capitol" is a gross overstatement. In a house being constructed today, the digging-out of a cellar is accomplished by a backhoe operator, typically over the course of a day or two, before construction begins. This work requires no licenture, whereas the building of the house requires a contractor's license. For constructing a mid-19th century capital building, the division of labor was no less strictly enforced. To excavate a building site is essential, but it happens before building takes place.
To be clear, it is not my intention to negate the contributions of the enslaved black men to the project of the Capitol, nor to excuse their exploitation. And their descendents should take pride in their ancestors having contributed to the building project. But they did not "build the Capitol" any more than enslaved black men "built" the US Capitol or White House (both of which are frequently claimed and equally false). Let's hew to the facts, not to emotionally-justified exaggerations.
Bricology (talk) 20:32, 21 July 2025 (UTC)

Old World Architecture

This structure may have been constructed before our current civilization. Interestingly, there are generally no construction photographs, construction companies, methods, processes, or even mistakes,

regarding the multiple state capital buildings across the US.  They are described as being “founded”, meaning they were found, not constructed. 129.222.87.210 (talk) 14:02, 31 July 2025 (UTC)

GA review

This review is transcluded from Talk:Tennessee State Capitol/GA1. The edit link for this section can be used to add comments to the review.

Nominator: Bneu2013 (talk · contribs) 09:34, 18 April 2026 (UTC)

Promoted. Good luck on the FA nomination! EmergentAnarchy (talk) 18:04, 3 August 2026 (UTC)

Reviewer: EmergentAnarchy (talk · contribs) 14:54, 3 August 2026 (UTC)

GA review – see WP:WIAGA for criteria

1. Is it well written?

   A. The prose is clear, concise and understandable to an appropriately broad audience, and the spelling and grammar are correct:

   Not American but i find it understandable, which i think is a good sign

   B. It complies with the manual of style guidelines for lead sections, layout, words to watch, fiction, and list incorporation:

   Lead, layout, wording look good. There's no fiction or lists.

2. Is it verifiable with no original research, as shown by a source spot-check?

   A. It contains a list of all references (sources of information), presented in accordance with the layout style guideline:

   B. Reliable sources are cited inline. All content that could reasonably be challenged, except for plot summaries and that which summarizes cited content elsewhere in the article, must be cited no later than the end of the paragraph (or line if the content is not in prose):

   Spotchecks below

   C. It contains no original research:

   D. It contains no copyright violations nor plagiarism:

   Earwig only brings up sentence fragments and organisation names

3. Is it broad in its coverage?

   A. It addresses the main aspects of the topic:

   Covers everything i would expect

   B. It stays focused on the topic without going into unnecessary detail (see summary style):

   Looks good

4. Is it neutral?

   It represents viewpoints fairly and without editorial bias, giving due weight to each:

   No concerns

5. Is it stable?

   It does not change significantly from day to day because of an ongoing edit war or content dispute:

   Only recent edits are the nominator

6. Is it illustrated, if possible, by images?

   A. Images are tagged with their copyright status, and valid non-free use rationales are provided for non-free content:

   Most are creative commons or public domain. There's possibly a glitch loading image details. Can't load details for the following:
   The second image (captioned "Closeup of one of the wrought iron trusses supporting the roof in 1970. The capitol was one of the first buildings in the United States to use structural iron.").
   The one at the bottom of the interior and layout section (captioned "From left to right: Historic American Buildings Survey schematics of the basement, first floor, second floor, and side of the Tennessee State Capitol.")
   One under Earlier 20th century (captioned "The main staircase in 1940.")
   Image captioned "The west façade and parking area in 1970."

   All of those are .tif images. I haven't had any issue with them loading on my end, but I'm no expert on images here, so you might want to check with someone else. It would be better if they were jpgs or jpegs. Bneu2013 (talk) 15:41, 3 August 2026 (UTC)

I've searched them on commons and they all show up as freely licensed, and link back to the article. The link from wikipedia to commons just doesn't work the other way I guess. EmergentAnarchy (talk) 15:53, 3 August 2026 (UTC)

1. B. Images are relevant to the topic, and have suitable captions:

   Not sure if the gallery is needed. most of those images are used elsewhere on the page.

   Good catch. I had meant to switch out some of these, which I have done. I think a gallery serves as a good overview of a structure with so many architectural and artistic features. This is common in articles like this. Bneu2013 (talk) 16:09, 3 August 2026 (UTC)

   Thanks. It's still re-using the image of the James K polk tomb, the andrew jackson equestrian statue, and the one of the second floor corridor. EmergentAnarchy (talk) 16:17, 3 August 2026 (UTC)

   Not anymore. I cut those in this diff. Bneu2013 (talk) 17:00, 3 August 2026 (UTC)

2. Overall:

   Pass or Fail:

   Article looks really well researched. A few things in the spotchecks need doing before this passes. Possibly address comments on images too.

Spotchecks:

• Source 2: Designated NHL November 11, 1971
• Source 4/5: "The Tennessee State Capitol is overseen by the State Capitol Commission, which governs maintenance policies and historical preservation, and approves modifications. This agency is under the jurisdiction of the Office of the State Architect, and consists of seven members appointed by the governor and speakers of the house and senate; and seven ex officio members from the governor's cabinet"
• Source 6: "The State of Tennessee Real Estate Asset Management division of the Tennessee Department of General Services handles regular maintenance and upkeep"
• Source 7: "The Tennessee State Capitol is one of the oldest working statehouses in the United States, having been used continuously by the Tennessee General Assembly since 1853. It sits atop Capitol Hill, the highest point in Downtown Nashville" - N Doesn't mention continuous use since 1853, or Capitol hill.

  Fixed. Bneu2013 (talk) 15:54, 3 August 2026 (UTC)

• Source 8: "This hill rises approximately 200 feet (61 m) above the nearby Cumberland River. In 1854, capitol porter George Dardis compared the structure's placement to that of the ancient city of Rome on seven hills, the Acropolis of Athens, and Capo Colonna"
• Source 13: "The Nashville District Energy System provides heating and cooling to the capitol and other nearby buildings" - Are these not two distinct sources?

  I've bundled them to reduce clutter. Bneu2013 (talk) 16:10, 3 August 2026 (UTC)

• Source 15 (footnote B) "These stars represent the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee"
• Source 16/17: " James Robertson Parkway separates the north grounds from Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, a large public park that traces the state's history and geographic features. This park is considered an extension of the grounds." - 17 should be tagged as dead, unless this is a regional block and not a standard dead link

   Done - Bneu2013 (talk) 16:12, 3 August 2026 (UTC)

• Source 19: "The capitol building is decoratively illuminated at night, and is frequently lit with colors chosen to match seasonal events and holidays, with organizations allowed to make request"
• 31/32: "The American flag and Tennessee flag are permanently flown here, with the flag of the Tennessee General Assembly displayed when the legislature is in session. These flags measure 5 by 8 feet (1.5 by 2.4 m)" - 32 says the "United States flag, the Tennessee state flag and the flag of the General Assembly" are required to fly when the legislature is in session. I think this is subtly different, and all the flags are legally treated the same? N Unless I've misunderstood it.

  That is technically correct; however the American and Tennessee flags fly all the time, not just when the legislature is in session. I don't know if this is required by law. Bneu2013 (talk) 17:05, 3 August 2026 (UTC)

• 45/46: "The Tennessee State Capitol is extensively adorned with artwork, monuments, and memorials on the grounds and interior. Capitol architect William Strickland and capitol commission chairman Samuel Morgan are entombed in the building's exterior walls on the ground level"
• 50/51: "Their remains were reinterred here in 1893 from their Polk Place home in Nashville"
• 52/53: "President Andrew Johnson is represented with a statue by sculptor Jim Gray"
• 63/64: "The Tennessee Holocaust Memorial on the southeast corner consists of a stone marker and six native Tennessee cedars that memorialize the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust"
• 66: "A monument to unborn children, including those lost to abortion, is on the southeastern grounds"
• 69/70: "The governor's reception room features 11 realist-style murals depicting major events from early Tennessee history, painted by Armenian American artist Jirayr Zorthian."
• 82/83 - Can't access any more newspapers.com, and 83 is broken. Is that just my end?
• 86: "The Brownlow portrait was moved throughout various state buildings before returning to the library room in April 1987 during the room's restoration. This immediately drew fire from several legislators, including state senator and Sons of Confederate Veterans member Douglas Henry, who objected because Brownlow disenfranchised Confederates. Henry later iterated he was not against its presence in the capitol, but did not want it displayed in "a place of prominence""
• 92/93: "The Edward W. Carmack statue by Nancy Cox-McCormack was unveiled on June 6, 1925, honoring a Tennessee journalist and U.S. Senator murdered nearby in 1908" - assuming sculptor name is in the newspapers.com source
• 96: "On May 30, 2020, the statue was toppled by protestors demonstrating against the police murder of George Floyd. They unofficially claimed the area as "Ida B. Wells Plaza" in an attempt to set up an autonomous zone modeled on Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone in Seattle" N - Doesn't mention the second sentence. Confirms they toppled it though.

  Fixed - Bneu2013 (talk) 16:20, 3 August 2026 (UTC)

  Thanks. Although I don't think any of these sources mention it being modeled after a zone in Seattle?EmergentAnarchy (talk) EmergentAnarchy (talk) 16:25, 3 August 2026 (UTC)

  I think the video in the WZTV source mentions it, but I'm having trouble loading that right now. However, all of the autonomous zones that summer were based off the one in Seattle. Bneu2013 (talk) 17:12, 3 August 2026 (UTC)

  I think its a broken embed from facebook. I'd be ok with removing the seattle detail unless there's another source. EmergentAnarchy (talk) 17:21, 3 August 2026 (UTC)

• 104: "They were removed on July 23, 2021, and installed in the museum three days later"
• 66/106/107: "The unborn children memorial drew controversy from abortion rights advocates before its installation, and faced protests during its dedication. Critics argue it stigmatizes women and takes a stance on the abortion debate. It was also lambasted as a distraction from more pressing issues"
• 115/116 "A lower part of the hill was previously occupied by Holy Rosary Cathedral, the first Roman Catholic Church in Nashville" - 115 says "first cathedral of Nashville, Holy Rosary Church." Was it the first cathedral or first roman catholic church? And is holy rosary a church or cathedral? 116 doesn't mention a holy rosary at all. Possibly N

  118 says it was the first Catholic Church in Tennessee. The relevant text is "Shortly after his arrival, Father Abell undertook the building of the first church in Tennessee, at Nashville, a small building on what is now Capitol hill." I had been hesitant to refer to it as the first in TN, since some only mention Nashville, but upon further research, it looks like multiple reliable sources back this up, so I've changed it. The sources don't explicitly say what the name of the church was when it was first built; only that it was called Holy Rosary Cathedral by the time the new building was built in 1830. I've reworded as such; please let me know what you think of my change. There is also a historic marker at the site. Bneu2013 (talk) 16:58, 3 August 2026 (UTC)

  Looks good. I've made a small grammatical change. EmergentAnarchy (talk) 17:05, 3 August 2026 (UTC)

• 113: "The city of Nashville purchased the property for $30,000 before the permanent capital was chosen, for donation to the state government"
• 134: "During this time, massive wooden derricks were used to hoist some of the columns into place"
• 139: Footnote g: "Another source cites a figure of $10,000 in damage to the building"
• 149/155: "this flag was the origin of the "Old Glory" nickname for the American flag" - I think the history of the nickname is disputed, and the video is a bit too definitive? The other citation mentiones other possible origins. The video could also use a timestamp (around 13 minutes). N

  I agree, however, the video is referenced on multiple occasions, so it would be difficult to list every timestamp that it is referenced to. The relevant part for this starts around 13:20. I've also added the word "reportedly" to the sentence. Bneu2013 (talk) 17:09, 3 August 2026 (UTC)

  Looks good EmergentAnarchy (talk) 17:22, 3 August 2026 (UTC)

• 156: "In the summer of 1862, Nashville became an important Union supply base and recruiting center due to its position on the Cumberland River and multiple railroads. It also served as an important recruiting center for the United States Colored Troops"
• 56/187: "This included an adjacent plaza that was transformed into Legislative Plaza in 1974"
• 245/246: "In May 2012, work began on a project to upgrade the capitol's heat and air conditioning, plumbing, electrical, and security systems"

@EmergentAnarchy: - I think I've addressed everything so far. I thought I'd let you know that my goal is to get this to an FA, and as such, I thought I might ask your opinion about a few outlying (possible) issues that might still exist. First of all, I feel like a lot of the wording, particularly in the history section is a bit repetitive. I've already worked on some of this, and tried to condense sentences for length, but I'd like your suggestions for potential improvements here if you have any. I've also worked to make sure the article still meets WP:SUMMARY, however the length is pushing it. I've worked to ensure that the article reads like a summary by limiting sections to five paragraphs. I'd really like to avoid splitting the history section if possible; this is what I had to do with the artwork article (which is also a GA nomination, by the way). I've been working on condensing excessive wording, but I still feel like there are opportunities for this here. I've been thinking about at GOCE copyedit, but there's no telling how long that will take, and I don't to have to wait around for this before nominating as an FAC. Finally, I don't like the quality of some of the interior pictures, particularly the lighting. I'm going to try to get over there sometime soon so I can get better pictures, but I don't know when I'll be able to do that. I'd also like a picture of the Andrew Johnson statue, although I'm aware freedom of panorama issues may come into play there. Bneu2013 (talk) 17:21, 3 August 2026 (UTC)

I don't have any issues with it, though I also dont have any experience with FAC. Splitting the history might be a good idea if it gets much longer, as it is most of the article's length. I don't think there's much that can be done to condense it. The images look good, maybe a bit dark. I notice there is a bust of andrew johnson, so it might be redundant to also have one of the statue. I still think the flag permanence and seattle autonomous zone things i mentioned need editing. EmergentAnarchy (talk) 17:34, 3 August 2026 (UTC)

@EmergentAnarchy: - I think I've fixed the autonomous zone and flag issues. Bneu2013 (talk) 17:50, 3 August 2026 (UTC)

Thanks. Just adding an archive to the flag thing as i can't get the original to work. might be a regional block, maybe my browser's just weird EmergentAnarchy (talk) 17:54, 3 August 2026 (UTC)

Thanks! I'll do that. Thank for the review. Bneu2013 (talk) 18:27, 3 August 2026 (UTC)

Did you know nomination

The following is an archived discussion of the DYK nomination of the article below. Please do not modify this page. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as this nomination's talk page, the article's talk page or Wikipedia talk:Did you know), unless there is consensus to re-open the discussion at this page. Track your hook after promotion. No further edits should be made to this page.

The result was: promoted by NewAccount7295 (talk) 14:55, 5 August 2026 (UTC)

(

• Comment or view
• Article history

)

Tennessee State Capitol

• ... that the Tennessee State Capitol (pictured) was one of the first buildings in the United States to use structural iron? Source: Hansen, Brett (April 2008). "Crowning the Athens of the South: The Tennessee State Capitol". Civil Engineering. 78 (4). Reston, Virginia: American Society of Civil Engineers: 38–39. doi:10.1061/ciegag.0000809. ISSN 0885-7024. Retrieved March 3, 2026.
  • Reviewed: Template:Did you know nominations/List of astronauts educated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • Comment: With as much of an architectural landmark and engineering marvel as this is, I would like to include a picture.

Improved to Good Article status by Bneu2013 (talk). Number of QPQs required: 1. Nominator has 15 past nominations.

Bneu2013 (talk) 20:03, 3 August 2026 (UTC).

• Article is new enough (recently promoted to GA), long enough, and well-sourced. Image is CC BY-SA 4.0. Unrelated, but I honestly think that this one is better than the one currently used on the infobox. Anyway, I see nothing holding this back from DYK so I accept. TheBritinator (talk) 19:31, 4 August 2026 (UTC)

  I agree this one is better. In fact, I don't like the quality of some of the pictures in the article, and I'm going to try to get over there some time, but there's no telling when that will be. The only issue I have with this image is that I wish it was taken at an angle where the hotel in the background isn't visible, but I couldn't find any on commons from such an angle that I thought really captured the full essence of the structure. Bneu2013 (talk) 20:04, 4 August 2026 (UTC)