Removal of historic chandelier

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Part of the Capitol restoration efforts include the restoration of the 1888 Chamber where the Territorial House met and served as the location of the Constitutional Convention for statehood in 1889.  This room began serving as the Supreme Court Chamber in 1890.

The chamber will be restored to its original size by eliminating a partition wall and reclaiming the two-story volume and public balcony. The original features will be restored, including the stained glass lay light and chandelier. Natural light will be provided by the historic sky light above this room. This magnificent room will become the largest meeting room in the Capitol and will be available for use by the statewide elected officials when not in use by the Legislature.

Last week, workers removed the historic chandelier from Room 302, which originally hung in the two-story high Supreme Court Chamber. The fixture will be restored and returned to its original location in the Supreme Court room. The chandelier will receive new LED modules to provide the Capitol with energy efficient lighting, and eventually be moved back into its original location.  All of the retrofitted lights will receive a UL Listing, a safety related certification, as part of the process. 

 

The Supreme Court chandelier in Room 302 is one of the oldest and most elaborate chandeliers in the Capitol and hung beneath the stained glass lay-light in the middle of the hearing room.

Scaffolding was erected to remove the fixture safely.

Workers removed the chandelier piece by piece.

Workers removed the chandelier piece by piece.

Workers carefully took down the main section after taking off the majority of the pieces.

Each portion of the light fixture has been given a designation that relates to its original location and allows for the team to track the individual fixtures from removal through restoration and re-installation.

A sketch by Paul Brown of MOCA of what Supreme Court chandelier hanging in the restored historic Supreme Court Chamber, which when the Capitol is restored will be a hearing room for the legislative and executive branch hearings. The stained glass lay light above the chandelier will also be moved to this location during the project.