Ned Heite stated in his reply to McDaid and the HISTARCH List today:

Incidentally, the statue of Washington in Capitol Square, Richmond, is
looking at the General Assembly and pointing to the penitentiary. After the
Capitol, Latrobe's penitentiary was the distinguishing mark on the Richmond
skyline for most of the nineteenth century.

Now that is the first I have heard of that explanation!!  Ned, where do you
find things like this?

I just walked past that grand statue at lunch, and it looks more like
General Washington is pointing to the "heavens" than to a prison.  I am
curious as to where myths like this originate.

J. Mark Wittkofski
Environmental Specialist II
VDOT Consultant Services Section