Ten Commandments On Capitol Grounds

Oklahoma's Ten Commandments monument will be located on the north side of the State Capitol, the Capitol Preservation Commission has decided.

The Oklahoma Veterans Memorial is also located on the north side. Four walls depicting scenes of WWI, WWII, Korea and Vietnam wars are featured, along with a bronze statue of "The Big Guy" who stands eight and a half feet tall on a three and a half foot pedestal. His bronze face has the features of a Native American and he wears the gear of a Vietnam-era soldier.

For 25 years, the commission has discussed developing the north end of the Capitol grounds. The Ten Commandments will help that process, said Richard Ellwanger, chairman of the commission.

"Where the monument goes people are going to follow it," Ellwanger said. "It could be the impetus for future development on that side of the building." 

About the author: For 30 years, Mike McCarville has covered Oklahoma politics and government with The McCarville Report Online.