State Capitol

You are now standing in front of the state capitol. Construction began in 1845 and was officially completed in 1859. This structure is the only active state capitol building in the south completed before the Civil War.

Much of nineteenth century Nashville was built with African American labor. This included public works projects and the construction of Tennessee’s state capitol building. Initially, the Tennessee General Assembly sought to use convicts from the state prison but abandoned the idea after considering the risk of escape. To alleviate this potential threat to public safety, Tennessee’s Secretary of State, John Young, recommended using enslaved laborers. These Black workers lived on the grounds of the construction site for several years. 

In April 1846, fifteen slaves, all men, were loaned to the state government by A.G. Payne, a Nashville stone mason. They were paid $18 per month while their supervisor was paid $30 per month. Still, more laborers were needed. By December 1846, ads appeared in local newspapers seeking “several healthy and active young negro men to work on the capitol for the coming year.” For the African American men who labored at this site, the work was difficult and tedious as they hammered and excavated the limestone. It took nearly a year for them to carve the capitol’s cellar into the hill, which required a great deal of skill, precision, and craftsmanship on their part.

As the capitol rose to dominate the Nashville landscape, this building instilled a great sense of pride for Tennesseans. Nevertheless, this structure would not have been possible without enslaved labor. It stands today as a symbol of democratic ideals—such as freedom, equality, and justice—and yet it also represents one of our state’s greatest paradoxes. For more, see the many other tours that include the capitol building and grounds.

If you have not already taken the stairs or the tunnel to reach the capitol building, do so now. As you ascend, you’ll have a great view south of War Memorial Auditorium and the Hermitage Hotel. The State Capitol is featured on several other Nashville Sites Tours. Once you reach the top, head to the right and follow the path to the north side of the building. Along the way you’ll pass monuments for each of the three Tennesseans who served as President of the United States: a statue of Andrew Johnson, a statue of Andrew Jackson on his horse, and the tomb of James K. Polk and his wife Sarah Childress Polk. For more information about how the Polks came to reside at the Capitol, and to learn about another Tennessean who served as president (but not of the U.S.), check out the Hidden History Tour. The tenth stop is on the Capitol Pathway looking north and west from downtown, over the area formerly known as Hell’s Half Acre.