author
Myrtle Cheney Murdock
1885–1980
A longtime teacher turned Washington writer, she made the U.S. Capitol and its memorials feel welcoming and alive for everyday readers. Her books blend civic history, art, and clear-eyed curiosity, especially in her writing on Constantino Brumidi and the nation’s capital.
1 Audiobook
Constantino Brumidi, Michelangelo of the United States Capitol
by Myrtle Cheney Murdock
About the author
Born in Illinois, she taught in rural Missouri before marrying fellow teacher John R. Murdock. The two also taught in Oklahoma before settling in Tempe, Arizona, and she later earned both A.B. and M.A. degrees from the University of Arizona. She went on to teach at Phoenix College.
After moving to Washington, D.C., in 1937 when her husband was elected to Congress, she became deeply interested in the city’s monuments, public art, and civic history. That interest shaped a body of accessible books including Your Uncle Sam in Washington, Your Memorials in Washington, National Statuary Hall in the Nation’s Capitol, and The American’s Creed and William Tyler Page.
She is also remembered for Constantino Brumidi, Michelangelo of the United States Capitol, a lively study of the artist behind some of the Capitol’s most famous murals and decorations. Her work helped general readers see Washington not just as a seat of government, but as a place full of stories, symbols, and human craft.