U.S. Capitol Westward Expansion Murals

Between 1944 and 1974, artist Allyn Cox created the celebrated Westward Expansion murals that adorn the ceilings of two corridors in the House Wing of the U.S. Capitol. Cox intended to complete a third corridor illustrating the continued westward growth of the United States, but his death in 1982 left the project unfinished. Only a series of preliminary thumbnail sketches remained to convey his vision.

Following a nationwide selection process, EverGreene was commissioned to design and execute 26 new ceiling murals in situ, completing Cox’s original concept while ensuring the new work was visually indistinguishable from the historic murals. Drawing inspiration from Cox’s sketches, extensive historical research, and the Vatican’s Gallery of Maps in Rome, EverGreene developed a series of murals that chronicle the nation’s westward expansion through period-appropriate cartography and historical imagery. The painted maps progress chronologically along the 100-foot corridor, with each reflecting the cartographic conventions of its respective era.

The project required a rigorous design process that included concept sketches, scale maquettes, full-size painted mock-ups, and close collaboration with the Architect of the Capitol and project stakeholders. Executed within the occupied Capitol, the completed murals seamlessly harmonize with Cox’s original paintings and the surrounding architectural decoration, bringing to completion a vision that had remained unfinished for more than three decades.