George Washington Bust
Sculpted by Avard Fairbanks, a bust of George Washington was presented to Washington state in 1984.
Facts
About George Washington Bust
Washington state is the only state named after a U.S. president. It is named in honor of George Washington. To reflect this, the Capitol Campus has two memorials dedicated to our country’s first president, one being this giant bronze George Washington Bust and the other being an American White Elm tree.
In 1984, the Mother Joseph Foundation donated the bust sculpted by Avard Tennyson Fairbanks to the state Legislature. The statue is on the second floor of the Legislative Building. Countless visitors—especially children on field trips—enjoyed rubbing George Washington’s nose for good luck. The state cleaned the bust and repaired damage to the nose in 2016, and touching the nose is no longer permitted.
About the artist
Fairbanks was a 20th-century American sculptor who created over 100 public monuments and hundreds of artworks. He sculpted statues in Washington, D.C.; Denver, Colorado; Jordan River, Utah; Mexico City, Mexico; Seattle, Washington; and São Paulo, Brazil.
