A capitol, or seat of government, is the building or complex of buildings from which a government such as that of a U.S. state, the District of Columbia, or the organized territories of the United States, exercises its authority. Although most states (39 of the 50) use the term capitol, Indiana and Ohio use the term Statehouse, and eight states use State House: Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Vermont. Delaware has a Legislative Hall. The state of Alabama has a State Capitol, but since 1985 its legislature has met in the State House.
A capitol typically contains the meeting place for its state's legislature and offices for the state's governor, though this is not true for every state. The legislatures of Alabama, Nevada, and North Carolina meet in other nearby buildings, but their governor's offices remain in the capitol. The Arizona State Capitol is now strictly a museum and both the legislature and the governor's office are in nearby buildings. Only Arizona does not have its governor's office in the state capitol, though in Delaware, Ohio, Michigan, Vermont, and Virginia,[1] the offices there are for ceremonial use only.
In ten states, the state's highest court also routinely meets in the capitol: Indiana, Kentucky, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma (both civil and criminal courts), Pennsylvania (one of three sites), South Dakota, West Virginia, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The other 40 states have separate buildings for their supreme courts, though in Michigan and Utah, the high court also has ceremonial meetings at the capitol.
Most U.S. capitol buildings are in the neoclassical style with a central dome, a style based on the U.S. Capitol, and are often in a park-like setting.
Eleven of the fifty state capitols do not feature a dome: Alaska, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee, and Virginia.[2]
Forty-four capitols are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, marked with NRHP. Nineteen of those are further designated as National Historic Landmarks, marked with NHL.
State capitols
| Photograph | Capitol name | Location | Address | Years of construction | Height (feet) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama State CapitolAlabama State House | Montgomery 32°22′38.81″N 86°18′3.39″W 32°22′37.294″N 86°17′57.991″W | 600 Dexter Avenue (capitol)11 S Union Street (state house) | 1850–1851 1885 (East wing) 1903–1906 (South wing) 1911–1912 (North wing) 1960 (State House; the Legislature moved into the building in 1985) | 119[3] | NHL, NRHPOriginal meeting site for the Provisional Confederate Congress (1861)The State Capitol is only used for ceremonial meetings; actual government meetings are held in the State House | |
| Alaska State Capitol | Juneau 58°18′7.91″N 134°24′37.68″W | 120 4th Street | 1929–1931 | 118[4] | ||
| Arizona State CapitolArizona House of RepresentativesArizona SenateArizona Executive Tower | Phoenix 33°26′53.15″N 112°5′49.54″W | 1700 W Washington Street | 1899–1900 (State Capitol)1960 (House of Representatives and Senate buildings)1974 (Executive Tower) | 92[5] | NRHPThe State Capitol Building no longer hosts government meetings; The office of the governor is located in the Executive tower | |
| Arkansas State Capitol | Little Rock 34°44′48.33″N 92°17′19.54″W | 500 Woodlane Street | 1899–1915 | 230[6] | NRHP | |
| California State Capitol | Sacramento 38°34′35.66″N 121°29′36.28″W | 1010 L Street | 1860–1874 | 247[7] | NRHP | |
| Colorado State Capitol | Denver 39°44′20.74″N 104°59′5.63″W | 200 E Colfax Avenue | 1886–1907 | 272[8] | NRHPExactly one mile above sea level | |
| Connecticut State Capitol | Hartford 41°45′50.89″N 72°40′58″W | 210 Capitol Avenue | 1872–1879 | 257[9] | NHL, NRHP | |
| Delaware Legislative Hall | Dover 39°9′26.3″N 75°31′11″W | 410 Legislative Avenue | 1933 1965–1970 (north and south wings) 1994 (expansion of east wings) | 70 (est.)[10] | Only capitol in the Colonial Revival architectural styleOnly capitol that is named a "Hall" and does not use the term "State"The Old Statehouse, used from 1792 to 1932, is listed on the NRHP. | |
| Florida State Capitol | Tallahassee 30°26′17.2″N 84°16′53.76″W | 400 S Monroe Street | 1973–1977 | 322[11] | NHL, NRHPNewest state capitolSecond-largest state capitol | |
| Georgia State Capitol | Atlanta 33°44′57.38″N 84°23′17.74″W | 206 Washington Street SW | 1883–1889 | 272[12] | NHL, NRHP | |
| Hawaii State Capitol | Honolulu 21°18′26.43″N 157°51′26.16″W | 415 S Beretania Street | 1960–1969 | 100 (est.)[13] | Part of NRHP Hawaii Capital Historic DistrictSecond-newest state capitol | |
| Idaho State Capitol | Boise 43°37′3.71″N 116°11′58.61″W | 700 W Jefferson Street | 1905–1913 1919–1920 (wings) 2008–2010 (underground wings) | 208[14] | NRHP | |
| Illinois State Capitol | Springfield 39°47′54.66″N 89°39′17.6″W | 401 S 2nd Street | 1868-1888 | 361[15] | NRHPTallest non-skyscraper capitol, including Washington, DC | |
| Indiana Statehouse | Indianapolis 39°46′7″N 86°9′45″W | 200 W Washington Street | 1877–1888[16] | 256[17] | NRHP | |
| Iowa State Capitol | Des Moines 41°35′28.24″N 93°36′13.93″W | 1007 E Grand Ave | 1871–1886 | 275[18] | NRHP | |
| Kansas State Capitol | Topeka 39°2′52.83″N 95°40′41.36″W | 300 W 10th Avenue | 1866–1873 (east wing) 1879–1881 (west wing) 1884–1906 (center) | 326[19] | NRHP | |
| Kentucky State Capitol | Frankfort 38°11′12.4″N 84°52′31.2″W | 700 Capitol Avenue | 1905–1910 | 210[20] | NRHP | |
| Louisiana State Capitol | Baton Rouge 30°27′25.46″N 91°11′14.66″W | 900 N Third Street | 1930–1932 | 450[21] | NHL, NRHPTallest state capitol | |
| Maine State House | Augusta 44°18′26.05″N 69°46′54.04″W | 210 State Street | 1828–1832 1889–1891 (wing) 1909–1911 (wings) | 185[22] | NRHP | |
| Maryland State House | Annapolis 38°58′43″N 76°29′28″W | 100 State Circle | 1772–1797[23] | 181[24] | NHL, NRHPOldest active state capitol | |
| Massachusetts State House | Boston 42°21′29.43″N 71°3′49.32″W | 24 Beacon Street | 1795–1798 | 200 (est.)[25] | NHL, NRHPU.S. Historic District Contributing property | |
| Michigan State Capitol | Lansing 42°44′1.42″N 84°33′20.12″W | 100 N Capitol Avenue | 1872–1878 (opened in 1879) | 270[26] | NHL, NRHP | |
| Minnesota State Capitol | Saint Paul 44°57′18.53″N 93°6′8.05″W | 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard | 1893–1905 | 223[27] | NRHP | |
| Mississippi State Capitol | Jackson 32°18′14″N 90°10′56″W | 400 High Street | 1901–1903 | 180[28] | NRHP | |
| Missouri State Capitol | Jefferson City 38°34′44.83″N 92°10′22.77″W | 201 W Capitol Avenue | 1911–1917 | 238[29] | NRHP | |
| Montana State Capitol | Helena 46°35′8.52″N 112°1′6.24″W | 1301 E 6th Avenue | 1896–1902 1909–1912 (wings) | 165[30] | NRHP | |
| Nebraska State Capitol | Lincoln 40°48′29.12″N 96°41′58.51″W | 1445 K Street | 1919–1932 | 400[31] | NHL, NRHPSecond-tallest state capitol | |
| Nevada State CapitolNevada Legislature | Carson City 39°9′50.67″N 119°45′58.65″W | 101 N Carson Street (state capitol)401 S Carson Street (legislative building) | 1869–18711971 (new legislative building) | 112[32] | NRHPThe State Capitol is no longer used for government meetings, which are now held in the Nevada Legislature building. | |
| New Hampshire State House | Concord 43°12′24.29″N 71°32′17.26″W | 107 N Main Street | 1815–1818 | 150[33] | NRHPU.S. Historic District Contributing propertyThe State House has been listed on the NRHP since 1983 as part of the Concord Civic District. | |
| New Jersey State House | Trenton 40°13′13.57″N 74°46′11.65″W | 125 W State Street | 1792 | 145[34] | NRHPU.S. Historic District Contributing property | |
| New Mexico State Capitol | Santa Fe 35°40′56.21″N 105°56′22.77″W | 490 Old Santa Fe Trail | 1964–1966 | 35 (est.)[35] | Only round state capitol | |
| New York State Capitol | Albany 42°39′9.19″N 73°45′26.36″W | State Street & Washington Avenue | 1867–1899 | 220[36] | NHL, NRHPU.S. Historic District Contributing property | |
| North Carolina State CapitolNorth Carolina State Legislative Building | Raleigh 35°46′49″N 78°38′21″W 35°46′59.53″N 78°38′20.24″W | 1 E Edenton Street (capitol)16 W Jones Street (legislative building) | 1833–18401963 (Legislative Building) | 98[37] | NHL, NRHPU.S. Historic District Contributing propertyThe State Capitol is no longer used by the state legislature, which now meets in the State Legislative building | |
| North Dakota State Capitol | Bismarck 46°49′14.93″N 100°46′57.87″W | 600 E Boulevard Avenue | 1920–1924 1931–1934 (office tower & wing) | 242[38] | ||
| Ohio Statehouse | Columbus 39°57′41″N 82°59′56″W | 1 Capitol Square | 1837–1861 | 158[39] | NHL, NRHP | |
| Oklahoma State Capitol | Oklahoma City 35°29′32.21″N 97°30′12.14″W | 2300 N Lincoln Boulevard | 1914–1917 2000–2002 (dome) | 255[40] | NRHP | |
| Oregon State Capitol | Salem 44°56′19.43″N 123°1′48.35″W | 900 Court Street NE | 1935 1977 (wings) | 162[41] | NRHP | |
| Pennsylvania State Capitol | Harrisburg 40°15′52″N 76°53′0″W | 501 N 3rd Street | 1904–1906[42] | 272[43] | NHL, NRHPU.S. Historic District Contributing property | |
| Rhode Island State House | Providence 41°49′51″N 71°24′54″W | 82 Smith Street | 1895–1904 | 223[44] | NRHP | |
| South Carolina State House | Columbia 34°0′1.56″N 81°1′59.33″W | 1100 Gervais Street | 1855–1907 | 180[45] | NHL, NRHP | |
| South Dakota State Capitol | Pierre 44°22′1.8″N 100°20′46.87″W | 500 E Capitol Avenue | 1905–1911 | 161[46] | NRHP | |
| Tennessee State Capitol | Nashville 36°9′57″N 86°47′3″W | 600 Dr. M.L.K. Jr. Boulevard | 1845–1859 | 206[47] | NHL, NRHP | |
| Texas State Capitol | Austin 30°16′29″N 97°44′26″W | 1100 Congress Avenue | 1881–1888 1993 (underground extension) | 311[48] | NHL, NRHPLargest state capitol | |
| Utah State Capitol | Salt Lake City 40°46′38″N 111°53′17″W | 350 State Street | 1912–1916 2004–2008 (major restoration and renovation) | 286[49] | NRHP | |
| Vermont State House | Montpelier 44°15′44″N 72°34′51″W | 115 State Street | 1834–1836 | 136[50] | NHL, NRHP | |
| Virginia State Capitol | Richmond 37°32′19.53″N 77°26′0.94″W | 1000 Bank Street | 1785–1790 1904–1906 (wings); restored, renovated and expanded 2004–2007 | 83[51] | NHL, NRHPSecond-oldest active state capitol and meeting site for the Confederate Congress (1861–1865) | |
| Washington State Capitol | Olympia 47°02′08″N 122°54′18″W | 416 Sid Snyder Avenue SW | 1919–1928 (legislative building) | 287[52] | NRHPU.S. Historic District | |
| West Virginia State Capitol | Charleston 38°20′11″N 81°36′44″W | 1900 Kanawha Boulevard E | 1924–1932 | 292[53] | NRHPU.S. Historic district Contributing property | |
| Wisconsin State Capitol | Madison 43°4′28″N 89°23′5″W | 2 E Main Street | 1906–1917 1988–2002 (major renovation and restoration) | 284[54] | NHL, NRHP | |
| Wyoming State Capitol | Cheyenne 41°8′25″N 104°49′11″W | 200 W 24th Street | 1886–1890 1915–1917 (House and Senate chambers) | 146[55] | NHL, NRHP |
Territorial and federal district capitols
| Photograph | Capitol name | Location | Years of current capitol construction | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Samoa Fono Building | Fagatogo 14°16′42″S 170°41′20″W | 1973 | Demolished in 2017; replacement is under construction. | |
| John A. Wilson Building District Building | Washington, D.C. 38°53′41″N 77°1′54″W | 1904–1908 | NRHP Originally called the District Building until renamed in 1994 after district councilor John A. Wilson | |
| Guam Congress Building | Hagåtña 13°28′30″N 144°45′8″E | 1949 | NRHP | |
| Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature Building | Capitol Hill 15°12′42″N 145°45′17″E | 1948 | ||
| Puerto Rico Commonwealth Capitol | San Juan 18°28′8″N 66°6′22″W | 1921–1929 | NRHP | |
| United States Virgin Islands Legislature Building | Charlotte Amalie 18°20′24″N 64°55′46″W | 1828 |
See also
- List of capitals in the United States
- Cherokee National Capitol
- Choctaw Nation Capitol
- Chickasaw Nation Capitol
- Creek National Capitol
References
- ^ "Virtual Tour of the Virginia State Capitol". Virginia Capitol.gov. May 2011. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
- ^ "State Capitols and Domes". National Conference of State Legislatures. Archived from the original on January 7, 2013.
- ^ Daniel, Jean Houston & Daniel, Price (1969). Executive Mansions and Capitols of America. Waukesha, Wisconsin: Country Beautiful. p. 145.; "Alabama State Capitol, Montgomery". Retrieved 2013-09-22.
- ^ "Alaska State Capitol, Juneau". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
- ^ "Original Arizona State Capitol, Phoenix". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2013-09-21.; The branches of the state government have relocated from the original capitol to adjacent buildings and additions.
- ^ "Arkansas State Capitol, Little Rock". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
- ^ "California State Capitol, Sacramento". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
- ^ "Review of Colorado State Capitol". Frommers. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
- ^ "Connecticut State Capitol and Legislative Office Building". Government of Connecticut. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
- ^ Estimate of 70 based on photograph
- ^ "New Florida State Capitol, Tallahassee". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
- ^ Edwin L. Jackson, Carl Vinson Institute of Government, The University of Georgia. "The Story of Georgia's Capitol and Capital Cities". New Georgia Encyclopedia. Digital Library of Georgia. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
- ^ This appears to be an estimate that is used in Hawaii. "Cupolas of Capitalism". Cupola Consulting. Retrieved 2013-09-29.
- ^ "Idaho Capitol Building". Idaho Public Television. Archived from the original on June 11, 2015. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
- ^ "IL State Capitol". Historic Sites Commission of Springfield, Illinois. Archived from the original on 2012-05-12. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
- ^ "IDOA: The Statehouse Story". IN.gov. Retrieved 2010-05-19.
- ^ "Indiana's Third State Capitol Building Design Released to the Hoosier Public". Indiana Historic Newspaper Digitization Project. Archived from the original on 2013-11-15. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
- ^ "Capitol Facts". The Iowa Legislature. Archived from the original on 2013-08-14. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
- ^ "Kansas State Capitol, Topeka". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
- ^ "Capitol, Frankfort". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
- ^ "The Louisiana State Capitol Building". State of Louisiana. Archived from the original on 2013-09-08. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
- ^ "The State House". State of Maine. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
- ^ History of the State House and Its Dome. msa.maryland.gov (Maryland State Archives), 2007. Retrieved on April 5, 2014.
- ^ "The Maryland State House". State of Maryland. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
- ^ Estimate based on photograph
- ^ Kerry Chartkoff (February 28, 1992). "National Historic Landmark Nomination—Michigan State Capitol" (pdf). National Park Service.
- ^ "Facts About the State Capitol". Minnesota Historical Society. Archived from the original on July 25, 2013. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
- ^ "Mississippi State Capitol". Mississippi State Legislature. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
- ^ "Missouri's State Capitol". Missouri Secretary of State. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
- ^ "Montana State Capitol, Helena". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
- ^ "Nebraska State Capitol". Nebraska State Government. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
- ^ "Nevada State Capitol, Carson City". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
- ^ Norma Love (14 July 2013). "N.H. Statehouse Dome Getting a Golden Makeover". Concord Monitor. Archived from the original on 6 December 2015. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
- ^ "New Jersey State House, Trenton". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
- ^ Estimate based on photograph.
- ^ "New York State Capitol, Albany". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
- ^ "Capitol". North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Archived from the original on 2012-08-31. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
- ^ "History of the State Capitol Complex". North Dakota State Department. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
- ^ "Ohio Statehouse". State of Ohio. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
- ^ "Capitol, Oklahoma City". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
- ^ "Oregon State Capitol". Oregon Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
- ^ Pennsylvania Manual p. xiv
- ^ Caffin, Charles Henry (1906). Handbook of the New Capitol of Pennsylvania. Harrisburg: Mount Pleasant Press. p. 13. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
- ^ Parker, J. Fred (1914). State of Rhode Island Manual. Providence: State of Rhode Island. p. iii. Retrieved 2013-09-22.
- ^ "Tour Outside the State House (The State House)". State of South Carolina. Archived from the original on 2014-04-26. Retrieved 2013-09-22.
- ^ "The South Dakota State Capitol Building". State of South Dakota. Retrieved 2013-09-22.
- ^ "Not-so-ordinary State Capitol is 150". Associated Press. October 5, 2009. Retrieved 2013-09-22.
- ^ Green, William Elton (December 2, 2015 [June 12, 2010]). "Capitol". ccc01.; "Texas State Capitol, Austin". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2013-09-22.; "Capitol Views". City of Austin Library. Retrieved 2013-09-22.
- ^ "Utah State Capitol Building". Utah Travel Industry. Archived from the original on 2013-10-11. Retrieved 2013-09-22.
- ^ "Vermont State House, Montpellier". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2013-09-22.
- ^ "Cupolas of Capitalism". Cupola Consulting. Retrieved 2014-06-20.
- ^ "Capitol Facts & History". Washington State Department of Enterprise Services. Retrieved 2013-09-22.
- ^ James E. Harding (April 11, 1974). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: West Virginia Capitol Complex / West Virginia State Capitol, West Virginia Executive Mansion". West Virginia Capitol Complex. State of West Virginia, West Virginia Division of Culture and History, Historic Preservation. Retrieved 2013-09-22.
- ^ "State Capitol Building". Wisconsin Department of Administration. Retrieved 2013-09-22.[dead link]
- ^ "Wyoming State Capitol Field Trip". Wyoming State Historical Society. Retrieved 2013-09-22.