Oklahoma State Capitol and The Guardian

Completed in 1917, the Oklahoma State Capitol Building sits on 100 acres of land and has 650 rooms. Although part of the original design, the dome was not completed until 2002. It is the only Capitol complex in the U.S. that has active oil wells. The Guardian is the 17-foot, 4000-pound sculpture created by artist Enoch Kelly Haney that stands atop the dome. Haney modeled the American Indian figure after his family members. Some symbols of the material and spiritual cultures of the 39 tribes in Oklahoma include the staff, circular shield, four feathers, breechcloth, leggings, and moccasins. It was cast at The Crucible Foundry in Norman, Oklahoma, in 50 pieces. Haney is an internationally known artist and served as a senator in the Oklahoma Legislature for over 15 years. Enoch Kelly Haney of the Seminole Nation was the first full-blood American Indian to serve in the Oklahoma State Legislature.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma · United States