Statue of Utah’s Martha Hughes Cannon to be placed in U.S. Capitol

A statue of Martha Hughes Cannon, which currently sits on the lawn of the Utah Capitol, will be moved to the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., in 2020 | Photos courtesy of Utah.gov, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — A statue of a famous historical Utah politician, suffragist and polygamous wife will soon find its place in the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C.

Gov. Gary Herbert is signing the resolution Wednesday to send the statue of Martha Hughes Cannon to represent Utah in the Capitol. Cannon’s statue will replace the current statue of Philo Farnsworth, an inventor from Utah famous for creating the first TV.

The resolution for Cannon’s statue to be sent to Washington passed the Utah Legislature during the 2018 session. Herbert’s signature Wednesday will make it official.

According to the resolution, Cannon was the first female state senator when she was elected to the Utah Senate in 1896, which was 24 years before women in America even gained the right to vote. She defeated her husband and other male candidates to win the Senate seat.

Cannon is known for being a vocal suffragist who fought for women’s right to vote and public health issues as a politician.

“Cannon’s faith, resolve, vision and tireless efforts deserve the highest honors the state can bestow,” reads the resolution.

The statue of Cannon, which currently sits outside the Utah Capitol lawn, will replace the statue of Farnsworth in August 2020 — the 100th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote in the U.S. through the 19th Amendment.

Another statue, that of Brigham Young, also represents Utah in the U.S. Capitol. Young’s statue is inside the National Statuary Hall in the Capitol, while Cannon’s statue will be inside the Capitol visitor center.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.

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