Crutchett’s Lantern 1847
One remarkable feature of the Dome in 1847 was the sight of Crutchett’s Lantern. Rising 92 feet on a mast over the Dome, the 20 feet by 6 feet glass and gilded iron lantern included reflectors that threw light into the Rotunda at night and could be seen miles away. James Crutchett built the light at his own expense (an advertisement for his gas business). Each night a workman had to climb an eight-inch wide ladder to the top and light it. After safety and cost concerns for operating the light grew, work began to remove it after less than a year in place.
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