BULFINCH, Charles

(1763-1844)

   Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Charles Bulfinch is thought to be the first native-born North American architect. After studying at Harvard, he traveled across Europe, where he was introduced to the classical architecture of Christopher Wren and Robert Adam, among others. In the United States, Bulfinch was inspired by the architecture of Thomas Jeffer-son. Hired as the Commissioner of Public Buildings in Washington, D.C., Bulfinch divided his time between there and Boston.

   The Old State House in Hartford, Connecticut (1796), is considered Bulfinch's first public building commission. This Federal style building is a uniquely American adaptation of European classical architecture. His most famous work, however, is the Massachusetts State House, located on Beacon Hill overlooking the Boston Commons. Begun in 1798, this huge red-brick building is accentuated with a white-columned portico that rests on top of an arched portico at ground level, arrived at by a wide row of steps. The entire central portico is flanked by symmetrical wings that divide the building into three parts, and its most unusual feature is its gilded copper dome that shimmers in the sun. Originally the wooden dome, topped with a lantern, was covered in copper, but in 1874 the entire dome was covered in gold leaf, giving it a rich appearance without parallel in American public government buildings.

   See also NEO-CLASSICAL ARCHITECTURE.