Two of the more ornate, but less-visited Capitol Complex giants are the Forum and Finance buildings. Together, these two massive structures, both designed in Art Deco and built in the 1930s, complete architect Arnold Brunner’s vision for a grand campus of state office buildings.
The Forum was originally built as the state’s new Education Building. It was designed by William Gehron and Sydney Ross in the late 1920s and dedicated on November 4, 1931. The building featured the new three-story State Library, and the 1,883-seat Forum auditorium, home to the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra since 1931.
The ornate auditorium features murals on the ceiling and wall, designed by Eric Gugler and Richard Brooks. The bronze gates and doors of the building were produced by sculptor Lee Lawrie. Artists C. Paul Jennewein and Harry Kreis contributed carved panels and other decorations. Italian American artist Vincent Maragliotti painted the decorated ceilings of the foyers.
Gehron and Ross then designed the new Finance Building which would be the final structure of Brunner’s original plan. Construction of the building began in 1937 and was completed in the winter of 1940. Jennewein again produced exterior sculptures and medallions for the building, and famous sculptor Carl Milles produced the doors to the structure. Eugene Savage and Maragliotti produced interior murals for the foyers and elevator lobbies of the new building. Sculptor Lawrie also produced a large Deco-style coat of arms at the north entrance to the building.
In all, the Forum and Finance buildings are highly impressive Art Deco construction. Each contains dark marble wainscoting and brass chandeliers and sconces, which contribute to the overall grandeur of the buildings. The meticulous attention to detail and ornate artwork and artisanship in these buildings are just another reason why the Capitol Complex ranks as an eligible National Historic Landmark – a premier example of monumental government civic planning.
