New home chosen for Cal Anderson memorial on Washington Capitol grounds

A state panel has agreed on where a new memorial for trailblazing lawmaker Cal Anderson should go on the grounds of Washington’s Capitol campus, months after the unceremonious removal of the existing tribute ignited a furor.

A unanimous State Capitol Committee on Monday approved placing the memorial for Anderson, Washington’s first openly gay legislator and a champion for gay rights, on a patch of land east of the Sunken Garden.

As envisioned, it would feature elements to reflect Anderson’s contemplative nature, collaborative style and activist persona including a semi-circular retaining wall and seating area for meditating, and a 4-foot-tall, polished granite boulder symbolizing his role in paving the state’s future. It would be landscaped and not taller than hedges surrounding nearby gardens.

Though the committee will need to approve the design concept and the Legislature will have to provide funding for the project’s estimated $312,000 price tag, settling on a location is a major stride forward given the past strife.

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2024/12/18/new-home-is-chosen-for-cal-anderson-memorial-on-washington-state-capitol-grounds/