Iconic symbols are part of any lasting society. They provide a touchstone to the past and a glimpse of the future, serving as a promise that some institutions are stronger than any particular individual.
For the United States, one such symbol is the American flag. No, we are not about to get into a debate about whether or not people should kneel for the national anthem; we’ll save that for another time. Locally, Fort Vancouver and Providence Academy provide similar inspiration. For the state of Washington, which joined the union in 1889, one sturdy icon is the state Capitol in Olympia, formally known as the Legislative Building.
While the Capitol dome stands as a symbol of Washington, it is looking a bit ragged these days, which we trust is not a metaphor for the overall health of the state. With fungus, mold and moss making the top of the building appear dingy, a $3.4 million cleaning project set to begin soon is most timely.
Washington’s Capitol opened to the public in 1928 and rises 287 feet into the air, making it the fifth-tallest freestanding masonry dome in the world and making it visible from points throughout Olympia and along Interstate 5. Even for those who never visit the building, it provides visual proof of Washington’s strength.
In March, state Sen. Tim Sheldon, D-Potlach, introduced a tongue-in-cheek bill calling for a study of the impact a grungy dome has on the health and psyche of those residents. “I hope the humor won’t be misinterpreted by those responsible for maintaining the Capitol,” Sheldon said. “The Legislative Building is a landmark for the state — a magnificent structure that inspires legislators, staff and visitors alike. But when the dome is covered in slime, what does that say about the people who work beneath?”
All kidding aside, Sheldon made a valid point about the state of the sandstone structure. So lawmakers approved funding for the dome’s first scrubbing since 2012.
By any measure, maintaining the Legislative Building is not cheap. Original construction costs came to $7.4 million some 90 years ago, and public monuments have a way of costing more for upkeep than they did to build. Following a major earthquake in 2001, the state spent $120 million to repair and modernize the building. Plumbing, electrical and telecommunications systems were updated, and the dome was affixed to the columns supporting it, rather than relying upon gravity to keep it in place.
While state officials must be conscientious about spending the public’s money in a responsible fashion, the need for the proper maintenance of institutions was recently demonstrated in Brazil. The Musea Nacional in Rio de Janeiro, that nation’s equivalent of our Smithsonian, was engulfed in a fire that destroyed millions of exhibits. As the nation’s president wrote on Twitter: “Two hundred years of work, research and knowledge have been lost.” Curators were quick to point out that the museum has been woefully underfunded in recent years and that inattention to the facility contributed to the devastation.
In other words, if the public cares about its institutions, it must invest in and nurture them. That realization points out the prudence of cleaning Washington’s Capitol dome and maintaining an icon that is a reflection of us all. The cleaning project is expected to continue into next year. When it is finished, one of Washington’s symbols will be a little more presentable to the outside world.
