Forchts donate funds for capitol rotunda murals

State News

Discussion

December 10, 2009

By RONNIE ELLIS The Glasgow Daily Times Thu Dec 10, 2009, 03:26 PM CST

FRANKFORT — The imposing, marble-laden state capitol will see it’s 100th birthday next June and no part of the capitol draws more interest from visitors than the stately rotunda where stand statues of Abraham Lincoln, Henry Clay, Alben Barkley, Ephraim McDowell and Jefferson Davis.

But what isn’t widely known, according to First Lady Jane Beshear, is that original plans called for murals in the rotunda when it was completed in 1910 – but there wasn’t enough money.

Now, thanks to Marion and Terry Forcht of Corbin the murals will be added when restoration painting of the rotunda is complete.

Today, metal scaffolding rises from the marble floors on the first floor 176 feet for workmen to paint the dome. Thursday, the First Lady stood on the capitol mezzanine with the scaffolding as backdrop and – interrupted occasionally by the noise of the workmen high above – and said the Forchts’ gift “is just in time to celebrate our Capitol Centennial Celebration in 2010, but the legacy of these historical murals will continue to be celebrated by so many generations of Kentuckians.”

The First Lady said the Forcht gift “is the largest single donation in the history of the capitol.”

The Forchts own Forcht Bank and the Forcht Group of Kentucky, a management services firm comprised of 95 companies headquartered in Lexington and Corbin.

“Terry and I are proud to have this opportunity to be part of the centennial celebration honoring Kentucky and is beautiful capitol building,” said Marion Forcht. “Kentucky is a state of both opportunity and great beauty.”

The four murals will feature agriculture, industry, civilization and integrity themes. EverGreene Architectural Arts of New York will complete the project. The design is expected to receive final approval from the Capitol Centennial Commission and the Historic Properties Advisory Commission in the next three months and the murals are scheduled to be in place by next June.

RONNIE ELLIS writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort. Reach him at rellis@cnhi.com. Follow CNHI News Service stories on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cnhifrankfort.

Text Only

State News

EVENING UPDATE: Supreme Court: Lawmakers to run in old districts
Legislative candidates will have to run in decade-old districts in this year’s elections, the Kentucky Supreme Court ruled Friday afternoon.

February 24, 2012
Stivers withdraws pseudoephedrine bill
In a move that surprised both supporters and opponents, the sponsor of a bill to require prescriptions for medications containing pseudoephedrine withdrew the bill in the state Senate Thursday.

February 23, 2012
Gambling talk, cold medicine dominates week
First it was redistricting which dominated every conversation in the 2012 General Assembly. Lawmakers couldn’t resolve that issue and it’s now before the state Court of Appeals which is expected to seek to transfer the case to the state Supreme Court.

February 17, 2012
Drug bill clears committee
It took some blunt testimony and visual evidence and the vote was close, but the Senate Judiciary Committee passed out a bill Thursday to require prescriptions for the purchase of products containing pseudoephedrine.

February 16, 2012
Senate committee looks at constables
A state Senate committee revised a proposed constitutional amendment which would have eliminated the office of constable Wednesday, choosing instead to offer a statute to allow local governments to define constables’ duties through ordinance.

February 16, 2012
Medicaid managed care groups reassure committee
Medicaid managed care organizations went before a restive Senate committee whose members have been bombarded with complaints from providers about late payments for Medicaid services.

February 16, 2012
Gambling amendment introduced
Gov. Steve Beshear and Republican Sen. Damon Thayer on Tuesday announced the much anticipated gambling amendment they hope to push through the legislature, an amendment that would allow up to seven casinos, five at existing horse racing tracks.

February 15, 2012
Activists gather to protest mountaintop removal
Their message was clear, though not everyone agrees with it.

February 15, 2012
Kentucky pharmacists unhappy with rates
A roomful of Kentucky pharmacists Monday made clear their dissatisfaction with some of their reimbursement rates under the newly implemented Medicaid managed care system before a legislative committee.

February 14, 2012
LRC appeals to Supreme Court
A lawyer for the governing arm of the state legislature has filed an appeal asking the state Supreme Court to dissolve a Franklin Circuit Court temporary injunction that 2012 candidates for the legislature run under 2002 district lines and set aside its ruling that the new district lines passed this year are unconstitutional.

February 14, 2012
More State News Headlines

State News

Search Results

Discussion

Forchts donate funds for capitol rotunda murals

Site Map