The new murals at the West Virginia Capitol rotunda depict the culture and history of the state: scenery like the Potomac River and Seneca Rocks, events like the Civil War’s Battle of Philippi and people dancing, playing music and performing craftsmanship.
Then there’s an image that looks a lot like the governor’s well-known dog.
The bulldog — who closely resembles Gov. Jim Justice’s frequent companion Babydog — can be seen on a knoll with Seneca Rocks in the background and near images of an artist, a couple dancing and some musicians.
The murals were characterized months ago as a project to “depict iconic state scenes and landmarks” in line with the vision of famed Capitol architect Cass Gilbert. An initial image of the Seneca Rocks scene did not include a dog of any kind.
Justice, when interviewed by reporter Mike Nolting of West Virginia MetroNews, said he was as surprised as anyone when he appeared at a dedication for the newly-installed murals last week on West Virginia Day, which commemorates the anniversary of the state’s creation.
“I was just as shocked as anybody,” Justice said. “When I walked out there, I was sitting in the chair or on the stool, and I kept looking up there and everything and I kept saying ‘my gosh.'”
Justice said he noticed that in one of the murals in the rotunda’s semi-circular spaces above doorways, “There was this little dog, and I can’t see that well now, and I couldn’t really determine if it looked like Babydog and everything.”
The governor said the bulldog was the idea of Randall Reid-Smith, secretary of the Department of Arts, Culture and History. The explanation conveyed by Justice is that the dog being portrayed is not Babydog herself, but instead an ancestor.
“Randall said it was her 20th grandma,” Justice said, “but an English bulldog. They wanted a dog put in the thing from what I understand, so they just thought an English bulldog at the time would have been something that would have been there. So that’s how it all came to being.”
The governor announced on April 3 that eight new murals would be placed in the Capitol Rotunda. The concept, as explained by the Justice administration, was to continue the vision of Gilbert.
Several times over the past few months, Reid-Smith has described context of Gilbert’s unfinished vision for the Capitol, suggesting features like murals could not be completed originally because of their cost.
During last week’s dedication, Reid-Smith made reference to a letter from Gilbert to William G. Conley, a Republican who was governor of the state from 1929 to 1933, years marked deeply by the Great Depression. Reid-Smith said the era’s economic turmoil meant that West Virginia government could not afford Gilbert’s vision for the murals — but the secretary said “his intention for the murals were to be historical and allegorical.”
In Reid-Smith’s remarks at last week’s dedication, he thanked supporters and said their contributions, vision, dedication and commitment to the Dome murals project “has ensured that the original designs by Cass Gilbert will continue to be a beacon for all West Virginians.”
West Virginia contracted with John Canning Company to perform the mural work. Four more murals are still to be completed by November. State records show payments this year to John Canning Company so far amount to $348,098 through the state Division of Culture and History for building improvements.
Questions posed to the governor’s office and to representatives of the state Department of Arts, Culture and History have gone without response or further explanation so far.
Babydog has gained a significant public profile during the past several years of the Justice administration. The governor began appearing regularly with the dog during the covid-19 pandemic and named a vaccination sweepstakes “Dog it for Babydog” to encourage participation. West Virginia’s official 2022 Christmas ornament featured Babydog. Right now, there is a state tourism promotion called “Babydog’s Bucket List,” meant to encourage travel to West Virginia attractions.
Visitors to The Greenbrier, the historic resort owned by Justice and his family, may shop for pet supplies at “Babydog Boutique.”
The dog also plays a political role. Justice concluded his 2022 state of the state address by pushing back on perceived criticism by Hollywood entertainer Bette Midler, lifted his bulldog up and around and suggested naysayers should “kiss her hiney.” Justice’s official campaign store for his ongoing U.S. Senate run features an “Official Babydog Store,” with swag like mugs and tshirts available for 20 bucks or so.
But Justice said this week that there’s no reason anyone should think he was the driving force behind placing an image of his own dog high atop the Rotunda.
“To think we just decided we were going to put Babydog in the thing, I mean that’s ridiculous,” Justice said. “But we should just be happy about the fact that we’ve got murals there that surely need to be there. And we should be happy about the fact that that little bulldog really has brought a lot of happiness and a lot of big smiles to all of us.”
