Old George

Old George, 1844

Matthew Kahle

Wood, painted

Commissioned by the Board of Trustees, 1844.1.1

In 1844, Washington College trustees commissioned Lexington cabinetmaker Matthew Kahle to carve a statue of George Washington to top the new cupula of Center Hall, now called Washington Hall. Col. T. H. Williamson, VMI professor of engineering and architecture, worked with Kahle to make it happen.

Kahle carved the eight-foot statue from poplar and painted it white to simulate marble. It depicts Washington clad in a toga and holding a sword and scroll, evoking comparison to the Roman citizen-soldier Cincinnatus.

Dubbed "Old George" by students, the statue stood upon the cupola for almost 150 years. During that time, it was painted hundreds of times in various colors by crew clubs, members of the freshman class, and even by VMI cadets. Each time the statue was painted, it was repainted white by the university.

Over the years, the wooden statue suffered from exposure to the elements. By 1936, it was removed during reconstruction of Washington Hall and stored. It was later repaired and replaced in the 1960s. By 1990, "Old George" was in very poor condition. The original statue was restored and copied by sculptor Branko Medenica of Birmingham, AL., whose bronze replica was placed on the cupola. A fiberglass copy was also made. Restoration was funded by the class of 1940 under the leadership of Sydney Lewis as part of their 50th reunion gift.

The original is currently on exhibit in the Boatwright Room in Leyburn Library's Special Collections and Archives.