The Capitol Columns - Where Are They Now?

"Pictures of the old Capitol Building in Harrisburg, destroyed by fire in 1897, show that six stone columns supported the massive portico. When the structure fell from force of the fierce flames, the six columns stood alone, like vast tree trunks in some desolated forest."

See photos of the 1897 State Capitol Fire here

 What eventually became of them? 

Two of them are at the entrance to the Market Street Bridge, across the Susquehanna River, Harrisburg;

The Wi-Daagh Monument

 One is at Lochabar, -the superb country estate of Hon. Watson L. Barclay, the Williamsport financier and political leader, near Jersey Shore; 

One is at the Jersey Shore Cemetery,

 and the fifth is used as a Soldiers' Monument in Wayne township, Clinton County, where it was recently the scene of an embittered controversy between rival groups of local patriots."  -  Altoona Tribune, 1925 (full article near the bottom of this post)

===========================================

The building before the fire.

See more photos of the fire here:

https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2021/02/when-state-capitol-burned-february-2.html

========================

MORE ABOUT THE COLUMNS 

=========================

This is the story, What Happened To The Columns,  that began my journey to see the Wi-Daagh monument in Antes Fort Pa.  That monument is made from one of the stone columns.  Another of the columns stands in the Jersey Shore Cemetery, and a yet another stands as the Soldiers monument in Linnwood Cemetery.  Two additional columns from the capitol flank the entrance of the market street bridge in Harrisburg.

The Column In The Jersey Shore Cemetery - 

The pillar in the Jersey Shore Cemetery was acquired by Mayor Peter Bricker.  Adam Burger, a stonemason from Antes Fort , added the soldier and oversaw the relocation. The monument was dedicated on May 30 1908.

May 2019
The Monument in the Jersey Shore Cemetery

Harrisburg Telegraph, 1905

Soldiers Monument, Linnwood Cemetery - 

 Not only is the top of the column much different than the others, but the color is also very different. However, publications as early as 1900 state that this is one of the front columns.

The Monumental News, Volume 12
R.J. Haight, 1900 - Monuments

The Lock Haven Express

June 13 1947

The Times (Philadelphia)

October 12 1900

The Wi-Daagh Monument

 On Private Property In Antes Fort Pa

Read more about this monument, and the interesting combination of legend and history behind it, here:

https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2019/05/the-widaagh-monument-in-antes-fort.html

The Columns Flanking The Harrisburg Bridge

 Vintage post cards showing the capital columns at the entrance of the Market Street Bridge in Harrisburg Pa

"The Market Street Bridge includes two columns at the east entrance from the old state Capitol that burned in February 1897. Plaques on the south column contain historical information about the Camelback Bridge. The north column contains information about the current Market Street Bridge and a stone tablet from the tollhouse of the Camelback Bridge."

Market Street Bridge, January 2021

Local historians are adamant that these columns are not the front columns like the ones that went to Lycoming county, but rather, side porch columns.  Who am I to disagree?  However, it's obvious the columns have been modified, what is there today is not quite the same as what was there originally. 

In 1925, The Altoona Tribune reported that these columns were two of the original 6 from the font of the capitol.

"Two of them are at the entrance to the Market Street Bridge, across the Susquehanna River, Harrisburg"  - full newspaper article below.

From The Pennsylvania Historic Resource Form found here:
http://www.dot7.state.pa.us/CRGIS_Attachments/SiteResource/H000141_01D.pdf

===========================

https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/p/history.html

===========

READ MORE

==========

June 1898

One of the pillars was used as a roller to make the Harrisburg-Carlisle Cycle Path.

FINISHED TO CAMP HILL. Contractor Baumgardner Doing Well OR Harrisburg-Carlisle Cycle Path. Harrisburg Telegraph.1 Contractor Baumgardner has been doing finely thus far with the Harrisburg-Carlisle cinder path, and has finished the path as far as the upper end of Camp Hill, miles away. He has been greatly assisted his three, progress by the late heavy rains, which have beaten down the cinder and made better rolling. .
For this latter purpose the contractor has rigged up one of the solid stones taken from the old capitol columns, and it is admirably suited to the work. Harrisburg members of the association who have been inspecting the work thus far done, are very well pleased and say that the path will be finished within the time allowed..

In May of 1898, it was reported that some of the columns were being sold, and a better description of the columns was given:

BUY A CAPITOL RELIC. Relies) of the old capitol are fast disappearing, and Harrisburg should have at least one or two things by which to Remember the building which was so much admired by every person who saw it. The fire destroyed the structure but left intact the fine large pillars at the East and West State street entrances for the building. They were no doubt the most prominent features of the old state house, and only since they no longer occupy that conspicuous position do the Harrisburg people really miss them. The pillars are of brownstone, about three feet in diameter and in sections about four feet long.

These sections were carefully joined, giving the pillars the appearance of being solid columns about forty feet in height, surmounted by a fine capital, all of which was painted white. Thus it is seen that the pillars are almost Indestructible. They are of little or no use to Contractor Route, and private individuals are buying them for the stone. Only a nominal price is charged and the purchaser must remove the pillars. Why can this city not arrange to purchase two or more of these columns to be placed at Front anil State streets or some other prominent and suitable location? They are very desirable relics and if a few of our enterprising citizens have their attention called to this matter a popular subscription could doubtless be secured to make the purchase.

Now is the time to make the purchase and the Star-Independent will acknowledge the receipt of any money contributed for this purpose. The purchase can be made by the mayor, board of trade or any one to be determined upon at a later day. Who will be the first to contribute? 

In 1898, funds were being solicited to save, and erect, the pillars.

This notice ran weekly in the Harrisburg Independent.

That project was abandoned, when no perfect columns were left.

NO PERFECT COLUMNS. 

After a careful investigation this afternoon it was learned that the remaining capitol pillars are not in a perfect condition and several of the sections are missing. It was discovered that perfect columns could not be secured, therefore it will be impossible to secure the relies of the old building for which the Star-Independent has acknowledged $85 from the following gentlemen:

 B. F. Meyers,. . . ... ....$10 E.Z. Wallower, 10 John Hoffer, . 10 Edward Bailey, .......... 10 Dauphin County Historical Society, ... 10 John C. Harlacker, 5 * * . Charles A. Disbrow, .... Cr John A. Aftleck,  12 Edmund Mather, 10 Spencer C. Gilbert, ....... Samuel Kunkel, .......... 5 H. M. Kelley, ............ 5 

The project will therefore have to be abandoned..

In June of 1898, one of the pillars was "Removed to Linwood Cemetery, June 1898.  Erected May 12th 1900 as a memorial to the soldiers of Wayne Township"

In 1902, the Harrisburg Daily Independent had an article on the new park planned for the city, including the Harris monument, and the columns.  The article reported:

"Preliminary steps for the selection of the site for the John Harris monument, and also a site for he old Capitol columns, were taken....  a committee of the Civic club, to whose care the capitol columns have been entrusted, was present..."  and also:

"Mrs Gilbert then formally notified the commission that the civic club had been entrusted not only with the eight stone capitol columns, but also the eight iron pillars, and asked the Commission to assist in their disposal and the selection of a site for them."

================================

Altoona Tribune 

Altoona, Pennsylvania

08 Jan 1925, Thu  •  Page 6

Harrisburg Telegraph 

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

15 May 1940, Wed  •  Page 12

More about the Monuments at the Harrisburg Bridge

May, 1940

THE fate of the columns of the old Harrisburg State house, burned on Candlemas day, 1397, survived to a happy fate, and are scattered all over the commonwealth, in important positions. Central Pennsylvania has two of these pillars, the soldiers monument in Linnwood cemetery, Wayne township, Clinton county, and King Widagh's spring, at Lochabar, the Barclay estate, in Lycoming. Mrs. Anna S. Stabley raised the morey to bring the column to Clinton county, and W.L. Sander. son, a Jersey Shore banker and industrialist furnished the funds for the Lycoming county column..