A treasure trove of fascinating items created by regional artists and craftspersons awaits visitors to the Goat Hill Museum Store in Montgomery. Located inside the Alabama State Capitol Building, the spacious 1,870 square foot space is filled with pottery, textiles, paintings, glass and wood items.
Goat Hill, as the State Capitol is nicknamed, was
chosen as the name for the museum store as a nod to Montgomery's history. Prior to 1846,
when the state seat of government was moved from Tuscaloosa to Montgomery, goats grazed on
the hill overlooking the city.
Tara Lanier, buyer/manager for the museum store, is justifiably proud of the hand-crafted casework and shelving built by the Capitol's restoration carpenter, John Speaks. He began building the store when the only qualified construction bid was declined. Speaks was later assisted by Bob Canter, a restoration carpenter currently with the Alabama Historical Commission, the organization charged with managing the store. Proceeds from the sale of Goat Hill Museum items help to fund maintenance of the Capitol.
In addition to wisteria baskets, gourd head dolls
and other crafts, the store also contains a selection of books on Alabama history,
architecture, historic preservation and archeology.
Visitors to the store often
remark on the 8 x 4.5 ft. etched glass panel featuring a symbol of the Capitol dome
bearing the following quotation by John Ruskin: "When we build, let us think that we
build forever... let it be such work as our descendants will thank us." (Seven
Lamps of Architecture, 1849).
Each year, over 100,000 visitors tour the Capitol. Completed in 1851, this National Historic Landmark with its ornately painted walls and ceilings, period furnishings and fine woodwork reflecting 145 years of Alabama history and architecture, is truly worthy of the above quotation. The inclusion of an appropriately designed and culturally representative museum store is an elegant grace note.
Museum store open 9-4 weekdays, except state holidays. Capitol Building open 9-4 Monday-Saturday except state holidays.
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Published December 1998, Alabama
Prime Times
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