Gov. Mike Parson cut the ribbon Friday on a new historical exhibit in the state Capitol featuring portraits of most of the state’s 57 governors.
Included in the revamped display of previous chief executives is Parson’s portrait, which also was unveiled Friday with little more than a month to go before he leaves office after six years at the helm.
“Serving as Missourians’ governor and First Lady has truly been the honor of our lives, and we are excited to share this official portrait with the thousands of visitors to our magnificent State Capitol,” Parson and first lady Teresa Parson said in a joint statement.
The governor’s comments came as he has spent the past year traveling the state, signing his biography and talking about his tenure as governor. He said the unveiling would be his last official function before he leaves Jan. 13.
The portrait depicts Parson standing in front of a window inside his office at the Capitol. Ober replaced the background, which normally overlooks the Missouri River, with a rendering of the rolling timber and hay fields of Polk County, where the Parsons have a family cattle operation.
Also included in the backdrop of the painting are a John Deere tractor and hay baler, Missouri and U.S. flags and the number “57” hidden in the foliage of a tree.
“This portrait may serve as the bookend to our public service careers, but we will forever be humbled and count ourselves truly blessed to have been entrusted by the people of Missouri to lead our great state, where the promise of faith, family and freedom lives on for generations to come,” Parson and his wife said.
The oil painting, as was a painting of the first lady that hangs in the Governor’s Mansion, was funded by Sedalia philanthropist Sue Heckart.
The gubernatorial display has been under wraps for several weeks as workers installed new signs directing visitors to the “Hall of Governors” on the Capitol’s first floor. The corridors, which lead to the state history museum, had been devoid of artwork before the changes.
Most of the pictures had already been displayed in the first-floor museum, but they were located in largely nondescript corners with little fanfare. Some of the portraits had been stored in state archives due to a lack of space in the museum.
“You could never have found them all at one time,” said Gov.-elect Mike Kehoe, who was on hand for the dedication.
Among the portraits are governors who sided with the Confederacy during the Civil War and those who died in office. Not included in the mix is a portrait of former Gov. Eric Greitens, who resigned amid scandal in 2018, paving the way for Parson to be elevated from his position as lieutenant governor.
“The Hall of Governors is a testament to the importance of governance and the impact of leadership. It is a reminder of the challenges our leaders have faced, the milestones they’ve achieved, and the collective strength that unites us as one in pursuit of a brighter future,” said Office of Administration Commission Ken Zellers.
