The Madison guide book, Madison, Wisconsin - Surrounded by Reality

THE CAPITOL PARK.17four cardinal points of the compass.The land was givento the state by the original owners, Messrs. Doty andMason. It may be of interest to remember that theworld-famous great pyramid of Egypt covers the samespace as this park. The park is seventy feet above thelakes. It is most beautiful in summer with its smoothlawn, beds of flowers, numerous trees and chatteringgrey squirrels.These little creatures are fed every day,and were it not for ^the dogs would be even tamer thanthey are. It is a common sight to see them taking nutsfrom the hands of children. A broad granolithic walkgoes around the outside edge of the park; a concretedriveway extends about the building with egress at thefour irates. The stone iratewavs at the entrances arepart of a $30,000 fencewhich formerly surrounded thepark. On the gate standards are female figures representingMelpomone, muse of Tragedy, with the mask,and Ceres, Flora and Pomona, deities of flowers andharvests. At the southeast angle of the Capitol a fountainplays throughout the summer; its basin containscarp, trout and other fish. Near the building on thesame side is a public drinking fountain. Four cannon,captured by the Fourteenth regiment Wisconsin volunteersat Pittsburg Landing, April 7, 1862, stand in thepark. In front of the east wing is a female figure w^ththe w^atchword "Forward." This statue was the Wisconsinwomen's memorial atthe Chicago Worlds Fairin 1893. It is the work of a Madison lady, Jean P.Miner, daughter of Rev. H. A. Miner, editor of theNorthwestern Mail, formerly published here.