Austin, Texas story
The Original Goddess of Liberty
Discover the story of Austin's original Goddess of Liberty, the zinc statue that watched over the city from the Capitol dome for nearly a century before finding a home in the Bullock Texas State History Museum.
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Imagine standing face-to-face with a giant zinc goddess who once watched over all of Austin. In February 1888, the original Goddess of Liberty was installed atop the Texas State Capitol dome. Designed by Capitol architect Elijah E.
Myers as the crowning element of the building, this massive statue stood proud for decades. But time and weather took their toll. By 1986, the deteriorating zinc statue had to be removed, replaced on the dome by a lighter aluminum replica.
But the original goddess's journey wasn't over. After being restored, she was installed in her new home in 2001: the Bullock Texas State History Museum. Today, she stands safely indoors, where you can walk right up and look this piece of Texas history in the eye.
Updated June 2026