A New Volume Chronicling the People’s House
For more than 170 years, the Tennessee State Capitol has stood atop Capitol Hill in downtown Nashville as a working seat of government and a monument to civic life.
Secretary Hargett commissioned the project to draw extensively from the unrivaled archival resources housed within the Tennessee State Library & Archives. By mining complete construction records, the personal papers of architect William Strickland, and extensive historical image collections, the book aims to offer fresh perspectives on a landmark whose cornerstone was ceremoniously laid on July 4, 1845, before an immense crowd gathered on what locals then knew as Campbell’s Hill.
From Cornerstone to Contemporary Archives
Beneath that 1845 cornerstone, builders placed a time capsule containing a scroll inscribed with the Latin phrase Dum Tempus fugit, hoc Templum stabit—translating to “Though Time Passes, This Temple will Stand.” Fourteen years later, the monumental structure was completed, having weathered decades of sweeping American history including wars, economic depressions, public celebrations, funerals, political demonstrations, and legislative debates.
Dr. Wayne C. Moore, former Assistant State Archivist, compiled the volume using these primary materials alongside newly discovered facts and previously unpublished images. The resulting work measures 10.5" x 12" x 0.875", weighs 4 lbs., and is available for purchase at $29.50 plus tax through the Tennessee State Library & Archives by contacting 615-741-2764 or emailing ask@tsla.libanswers.com.
Companion Publication and Public Exhibitions
The state-backed release arrives alongside another recent print exploration of the building’s legacy. Written by Jeff Sellers, director of education at the Tennessee State Museum and the state capitol, Tennessee State Capitol was published this fall as part of Arcadia Publishing’s Images of America series. That volume recently earned a 2025 Award of Excellence from the Tennessee Association of Museums, with Linda Wynn of the Tennessee Historical Commission’s The Courier Magazine describing it as a “must-have tome for Tennesseans.”
All proceeds from the sale of Sellers’ volume support the Tennessee State Museum and Tennessee State Capitol. Copies became available starting October 7 at the Tennessee State Museum, Arcadia Publishing, and book retailers, with author-led public programming coordinated through public.programs@tn.gov.
