On March 6, 1909, the New York Times ran an obituary for Elijah E. Myers, who had died the day before. “Myers,” the author wrote, was “known as an architect and the designer of a number of State Capitols and public buildings.” 

In fact, Myers had, to his credit no less than five capitol designs - more than any other architect in American history. He also designed at least a dozen courthouses, and three major city halls. No other American architect did so much to shape the buildings in which our governments function. 

Among Myers’s greatest works is the Michigan State Capitol - his first and most pure state house, built between 1872 and 1878. The building opened to great acclaim on January 1, 1879, and was hailed for its scandal free construction and clean elegance. The building helped establish the dome as a symbol of American democracy, and launched Myers’s national career. 

About the Presenter:

Valerie Marvin is honored to serve as the Historian and Curator of the Michigan State Capitol. A graduate of the University of Michigan (Bachelor of Arts in Russian Studies, 2005) and Eastern Michigan (Masters of Science in Historic Preservation, 2009), she lives with her husband David in a 1906 home in downtown Lansing.