Building an Image of Power: The Best and Worst American Capitols
This is taking a capi-toll on me...
I’m no man of science, but I did take an urbanism class in college, so that makes me more than qualified to determine if your state’s capitol building is objectively, scientifically, aesthetically appealing.* I read on the internet, the information super highway as the youths are calling it, that everyone loves the unsolicited, snobbish opinions of some 20-something asshole writer, so here you go. What else can I say, except, you’re welcome. We’ll start from the worst and build our way up to the top.
*Not at all based in science or fact
And as a quick reminder:
A capitAl is the city where the seat of government is located.
A capitOl is the building in which the government meets; also commonly known as a state house.
50. Alaska
I’m sorry, there must’ve been some sort of mistake. I was looking for a picture of the capitol building of Alaska and I seem to gotten a picture of some grocery chain’s regional HQ. Wait, that’s actually it? No grand lawns, statues of Alaskan heroes, or even a Main Street-facing front door (it’s on 4th St)? Well, it’s not like they have a lot of room to work with up there in ALASKA. After all, Juneau city limits is bereft of lebensraum, covering a measly 3,255 mi², only 1/3rd larger than the entire fucking state of Delaware. Do better Alaska.
49. North Dakota
And here we have the first of The Fawlty Towers, a menagerie of unsightly phallic skyscrapers that would make Le Corbusier cream his pants. How bleak and corporate; how ugly and impractical. I’d prefer the generic neoclassical style over this soulless monolith any day. I mean, this looks like a goddamn Wells Fargo corporate building. I kid you not, it is the tallest building in the state, standing at a whopping 242 ft tall. The fact this is the #2 tourist attraction in the city tells me everything I need to know about the international entertainment capital that is Bismarck, North Dakota.
48. Hawaii
Here we have a unique state with an equally unique capitol designed in the Bauhaus style. It’s a shame it’s ugly as sin. It reminds me of Boston City Hall, and if you’ve ever been to Government Center, you know that’s not a compliment. I need Sergeant Danno to book the sonovabitch who designed this eyesore. But hey, at least they’re finally giving up on the notoriously polluted reflecting pool that surrounds the grounds and completely remodeling it. Hey guys, can you replace the ghastly statue of Fr. Damien out front next?
47. Florida
Tower Number Two belongs to the Sunshine State. This hideous slab of concrete was erected (pun intended) in 1977, but what pisses me off most is that Florida already had a beautiful, neoclassical capitol building with these delightfully Southern red-striped awnings. We can only assume this decision was made by the Florida State Legislature between snorting lines of coke. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. But hey, at least it reminds me of that Undertaker meme, so that’s something.
46. New Jersey
In an effort to be, like, totally random and quirky, the New Jersey State House ends up looking like a nightmarish chimera of architectural styles. There’s an office building, a mini White House, two different mansions, and a little dome stacked upon one another like a demonic lasagna (you know, because they’re Italian in Jersey). And to top it all off, the building comes with a scenic view of a highway. Very on brand, NJ. It’s a shame too, since the House and Senate chambers on the inside are actually quite beautiful, unlike New Jersey which is just as ugly on the inside as it is out.
45. North Carolina
What a damn shame. A state as great as North Carolina deserves a much better capitol than this squat and dirty looking cube. At least they got rid of the “To Our Confederate Dead” memorial right out front… in 2020. Yikes. At this point, I’d suggest moving the capitol to nearby Cary and getting the Yankee transplants to design a new one. You know, since we’re actually capable of designing a nice capitol. But then again, I don’t want to start Civil War II: Electric Boogaloo.
44-43. Ohio and Tennessee
My problem with both of these is the same: why didn’t they finish the job? The little chode-esque drum atop the Ohio Statehouse looks naked without a dome, and down in Nashville, the capitol looks like it should have wings flanking it, but it just doesn’t. If Ohio wants to disappoint us, then fine. We’re already used to them doing that on a regular basis. But Tennessee? Come on, there’s a friggin’ President buried there, can’t you do better? And as a side note, why are there so many Greek LARPers in Smashville? The capitol is Greek revival, the football team is the Titans of Greek mythology, and they built a 1:1 model of the Parthenon in the same city. What goes on down there?
42. Nevada
Who knew possibly the most degenerate state would have the cutesiest little capitol? I’d say it looks like the town hall, but Carson City’s town hall looks like it doubles as the local elementary school, so I guess this is impressive by their standards. Still, it reminds me of the main square of Hill Valley in Back to the Future. Weymouth Town Hall is more impressive than this state capitol.
41. Louisiana
The Pelican State Building as I like to call it, this capitol stands out like a giant, girthy, rigid co…mplex above the swamp. Get your mind out of the gutter! Don’t get me wrong, I love Art Deco, and apparently, so did Governor Huey Long who commissioned this building. Not only did he insist it be a tower, but also that it be taller than Nebraska’s tower capitol. What a dickhead. Well, the joke was on him, as he was gunned down in this very building by a man who we can only assume hated tower capitols as much as I do.
40. Oklahoma
Ah, your grandma’s favorite musical, Oklahoma! Now I know what you’re thinking, “What’s so bad about this one? Seems pretty generic to me,” and you’d be right. This capitol is as generic as someone from the OKC, but what really drags it down is the lack of integrity and self-respect the Oklahomans seemingly have for themselves. The capitol grounds are surrounded by active oil rigs, with one giant Phillips™ brand oil derrick right in front of the building. “But Mark, you Herculean exemplar,” I hear you say, “the capitol is atop the Oklahoma City Oil Field, so why put the resources to waste?” I agree, but they could’ve built the capitol literally anywhere else to avoid this issue, so that’s on them, dude.
39. Michigan
That’s a neat capitol you got there Michigan, but I have to ask: why is it two different colors? It looks like the building was hit by a dust storm but only the weirdly skinny dome was power washed. Consider yourself lucky that New Jersey is even less competent than you at cohesive building design, pal.
38. Oregon
Okay, this one actually looks like some culty, Scientologist compound. You see, there used to be a normal looking capitol in Salem, but it caught on fire and burned down after only one month of use. Not to be deterred, the humble Oregonians rebuilt, and this new capitol lasted 80 whole years before also catching on fire and burning to the ground. “Fool me once, shame on… shame on you. Fool me… you can’t get fooled again,” as President Bush would say. So, much like the three little piggies, the people of Oregon decided to build their third state capitol out of a stronger, non-flammable material, clearly not getting the message that God hates them. Still don’t know why they went for the creepy, Albert Speer look, though. But why is it so relatively high, you ask? At least it’s interesting in a freak show kind of way.
37. Washington
Why is the dome so much larger than the building itself? Well, we know where all the funding went. It’s so over-the-top and over-compensatory. Like bro, you are the second-tier Washington in the US, and no oversized dome is going to make up for it. You’d think that for a city named Olympia, it would lean a little more into the Ancient Greek theme (fun fact: they didn’t have true domes until Roman times). The grounds are asymmetrical and don’t even make the stupid mega dome the focal point. The whole complex is also tucked in a corner outside of downtown. I can only assume this was done to give it a lakeside view… which they completely blocked with dense foliage and a high treeline, so again I ask, what was the point?
36. Alabama
This one is pretty mediocre, to be quite honest. The clock is fun, but it really does make this one look more like a town hall or courthouse than a state capitol. It’s not a bad design by any means, but not very fitting. Mid state capitol, mid flag, mid state.
35. Nebraska
Now this is the best of the Fawlty Towers! Nebraska’s state capitol, much like Oregon’s, looks like the headquarters of a religious cult, but of a more friendly cult if that makes sense. At 400ft tall, the Penis on the Plains is the third tallest building in Nebraska and by far the tallest in Lincoln. I am a fan of the courtyards and the Thunderbird mosaics atop the Leaning Tower of Lincoln, and despite being a tower, it feels more like a capitol given the city’s pitiful skyline. It really does stick out in a state stripped of skyscrapers, so that unique factor, along with its charming design, brings it up a bit for me.
34. Minnesota
Alright Minnesota, I see what you got going here: a large, stately building with a golden chariot above the entrance. I like it, I like it. But you really couldn’t use the same color marble when you quote-unquote “restored” it in the 2010s? The patchwork of mismatched marble makes it look dirty and unloved. You need to fire your groundskeeper, too. The lawn, while admittedly mowed to perfection, is utterly barren, and the asymmetrical trees are unbelievably distracting. In my headcanon, the little Weenie Hut Jr.’s sidekick tree represents St. Paul, and the bigger, much more important and eye-catching tree is Minneapolis. From the like, three other people’s lists I’ve found of state capitols ranked, this one was way too high on all of them. It’s gotta be the most overrated capitol by far.
33-29. Missouri, Idaho, Kentucky, Arkansas, Mississippi
Talk about a copy and paste job. These five are about the most generic capitol buildings in the country. Missouri is definitely the worst, just bland and uninteresting, with Idaho not far behind (this time in a lovely Russet potato brown™). Next is Kentucky with its nice gray putting it above the former two. Then we have the blisteringly white, Taj Mahal-looking capitol in Little Rock which is beaten by Mississippi solely due to the fact it has a cool golden eagle atop the dome. Look man, when these buildings are basically the same damn thing, I’m gonna get nit picky.
28. Montana
Now I know what you’re thinking: isn’t this one a bit generic too? I would agree with you; it absolutely is, and normally that would put it lower down on the list. However, since 1970, the people of Helena, seemingly with nothing else to do in a town of 34,000, have planted a new flower garden every year with floral designs ranging from spelling out “Montana” to forming the shape of the state itself. This little extra bit of effort really goes a long way in making Montana stand out amongst its peers.
27. Rhode Island
Man, Rhode Island is so insecure. This state house is comically large for such a minuscule state. Do you think he’s compensating for something? Much like fellow shithead state New Jersey, the Ocean State has also built its seat of government next to a scenic highway, this time the 2,000 mile parking lot that is I-95. But what gives Rhode Island the edge is that they are also next to Providence Place, the home of all three things to do in Providence. Bonus points for the mafia being within eyesight of the State House and not doing anything about it. Good job, Rhode Island, very cool.
26. Georgia
This one is pretty nice, a golden dome is always a bonus, and the Greek revival architecture is very pleasing, but man, what a shit location. I mean, it’s bad enough having to be in Atlanta in the first place, but being right next to not just a highway, but the scenic, 16 square block clusterfuck that is the I-20/I-85 interchange? Wow, what a view! The grounds, if you can even call them that, are smaller than a suburban Atlantan front yard, and if you look at the capitol on Google Street View, you can see two bums hanging out just across the street. Let this be a lesson to any prospective home-buyers out there: location matters!
25. Delaware
In a rather unconventional choice, the Delaware Legislative Hall looks (and sounds) more like an unimpressive university lecture hall than a state capitol, and the tiny square mall out front is more akin to a quad on a community college campus than a grand lawn of a state capitol. On the one hand, I like the deviation from the traditional, neoclassical look with this Colonial Revival style, and I think a small and humble capitol building fits the lamest state in the Union. But on the other hand, the First State desperately needed something, anything, impressive within its borders, and this is not it. They also got some balls to describe their Old State House on Google Maps, this shack for context, as “majestic.” I’m very conflicted on this one. Right in the middle it goes.
24. New Hampshire
I know what you’re all thinking: yes, the building is indeed made of granite…mostly. Everything but the tholobate, or the base of the dome, is made of the signature stone of this small state. They must’ve ran out of budget on account of the whole “no taxes” thing. But hey, at least the grounds are nice, and I will give credit for using (mostly) granite, but the building remains kind of… dinky? I understand that it’s a small state, but it’s just not all that impressive. Pretty average to me.
23. Utah
Utah finds itself right around the middle of this list with its impressive, albeit generic, capitol building. What it lacks in standout design, it makes up for with its expertly manicured lawns and actually scenic location on a hill overlooking the Salt Lake Valley. However, I have to deduct some points for the petty reason that it’s not the most important building in the city, or even the source of power in the state. Everyone knows that honor belongs to the Salt Lake Utah Temple, whose aura is so powerful that all the streets’ names derive from their location to it. Get dunked on, nerd.
22-21. Kansas and Illinois
Here are what I like to call the Pedestal Pals after their bronze and silver domes (get it?). You’ll also notice how neither are in first place. They’re both pretty similar with their extendo-domes (technical term), neoclassical architecture, and impressive cupolas. Maybe it’s just the photos, but their domes, especially Illinois’, almost looks plastic-y. Is it just me? Anyway, they’re pretty nice, but middle of the road when it comes to capitols, hence their placements. Also, the patently ridiculous height of Illinois’ dome screams insecurity.
20. Colorado
Now here is a very cool and imposing capitol. I like that it’s atop a hill overlooking downtown Denver, but the mismatched color of the tholobate pisses me off. Why is it this way? Well apparently, the whole building was originally the battleship gray seen on the drum, but after over a century and a half of renovations, the rest was left a different shade. Unfortunately for us, by the time the people in the Mile High City noticed, they had already legalized weed, and the denizens of Denver were now a mile high themselves and too stoned to care. Oh well, the ornate structure, excellent location, beautiful grounds, and glorious golden dome make it one of the best two-toned capitols.
19. South Carolina
The second smallest southern state fittingly has a smaller capitol, but that’s okay: not every capitol needs to be huge. Plus, it more than makes up for it in character and design. While the building itself is a tad generic, the dome is the show stealer. The peering oculi almost look like gun ports of a naval vessel, and the cupola is reminiscent of a lighthouse, fitting for a state known for ports, piers, and pirates. The grounds are also excellently maintained, and the palmetto trees add that Carolina flair to make this capitol stand out from the crowd.
18. Maryland
I know, I know, I shat all over Nevada for having a rinky-dink little capitol that looked like a town hall, and I know this one isn’t really much better. It’s not very impressive looking, and it’s off-center in the rotary it resides within, but it just fits perfectly in Annapolis. As any Navy grad can tell you, downtown Crabtown is all red brick, all the time, but this marvel of colonial era, Georgian architecture uses its white wooden dome to distinguish itself as the capitol. Plus it’s the oldest continuously used State House in the country, having housed the Maryland State Government since 1772! You gotta respect the commitment to not mucking up such a historic downtown with, oh I don’t know, a giant fuck-off concrete tower, but who would do something like that?
17. Maine
Deep in Stephen King Land, nestled halfway between the only two, let’s charitably call them cities, you’ve ever heard of in Maine (Portland and Bangor) lies little Augusta on the Kennebec River. Here you will find a charming capitol complex cloistered by colossal conifers. Maine’s State House has this unmatched rustic, rural New England vibe that elevates it so high on this list. My only gripe was the swapping of the copper sheathing on the dome in 2014, replacing the oxidized green look with a more neutral, well, copper color. I understand why they replaced it, it was old, leaky and had dime-sized holes in it, but the green dome just fits so damn perfectly. Well, in a few decades it shall be a glorious green again! Huzzah!
16. Vermont
Situated along the banks of the Winooski River is the smallest capital city in the country. Montpelier is a town of 8,000 people, and within its boundaries is the quintessential example of a state house being perfect for a state. Vermont is a cute little state, and this is a cute little building, but it is still quite clearly the state capitol *cough* Delaware *cough*. I love the golden dome, and the little grounds are the perfect size for the capitol building of Munchkinland. The Green Mountains also make a beautiful backdrop for this lovely little State House.
15. Wyoming
In America’s smallest state by population, we find one of the nation’s finest capitols. The fairly modest building can be seen from across town, given it is the second tallest structure in the city, and that spectacular tholobate and 24-karat gold leaf dome truly steal the show. The large, ornate windows on said tholobate look straight out of the Italian Renaissance, and the interior of the dome features a gorgeous stained glass relief featuring four buffalo staring down at you. The grounds are well kept and feature an awesome statue of a cowboy; very cool. However, they are surprisingly small for a state with surplus of empty land they could use. However, that’s my only real gripe with this beautiful building.
14. New Mexico
Can we all take a minute to appreciate New Mexico? This is a state that no one thinks about (unless Breaking Bad is involved) and is generally seen at the bottom of just about every single statistical ranking of US states, but by golly do they go above and beyond in state symbols. As I’ve said many times before, the flag is great, and their state capitol is among the most unique and fitting in the country. A traditional, neoclassical capitol would look jarring and out of place in Santa Fe, but the Roundhouse, as it’s called, is built in the uniquely New Mexican Territorial Revival style. Eagle-eyed viewers will notice that just like the flag, the building is in the shape of the four-pointed Zia sun symbol of the local indigenous tribe. I really like this one, but I do have to deduct some points for the “grounds” being a parking lot, though. As a bonus fun fact, it’s also located on the original Santa Fe Trail. Older readers may recognize the name from the film starring Errol Flynn, Ronald Reagan and Olivia de Havilland that has fuck all to do with the Santa Fe Trail.
13. Indiana
Most people from outside the Midwest don’t seem to realize just how big of a city Indianapolis really is. It’s America’s 16th largest city, beating more well-known cities like San Francisco, Boston, Denver and Seattle, just to name a few. It is also the 4th largest capital city, and this impressive Renaissance Revival Statehouse (again, I don’t know why they and neighboring Ohio spell it wrong) really commands attention in downtown Indy. I am positively enamored by the striking green roof, and the cruciform shape of the building quite literally gives it an extra dimension that many capitols lack. My only complaint is that I wish the grounds were a little nicer.
12. South Dakota
A bit of a sleeper pick from a sleepy town, the South Dakota State Capitol in Pierre has a really classy look to it, from the intricate dome to the beautiful masonry. This alone would put it at the middle of the list, but the grounds bump it up a tier. The lawn is nice and green, and it’s accompanied by a huge lake, across which sits the Governor’s Mansion. There are also some awesome statues and monuments across the complex, including the Fighting Stallions Memorial (badass), the Flaming Fountain Memorial (as cool as it sounds), and the Trail of Governors, a collection of statues of every single former governor of the Mount Rushmore State. For the second smallest state capital by population, they really pull above their weight class.
11. Virginia
One of the most architecturally unique capitols in the nation, the Virginia State Capitol was designed by Thomas Jefferson himself: the only state capitol with the distinct honor of being crafted by a president. He was inspired by the Maison carrée, an ancient Roman temple, in Nîmes, France. The wings were added later, but kept the spirit of the original design (unlike some other capitols I know). The grounds are large and well maintained, featuring many statues and sculptures, and the whole thing rests on a hill in downtown Richmond far enough away from I-95 to not ruin the location (again, unlike some other capitols I know). This is an excellent capitol, and this is where we begin discussing the absolute best of the best.
10. Arizona: The Southwestern Citadel
*Yeah, these ones get fun nicknames for being the Top 10*
Now this one’s a little tricky. Technically, the Arizona Senate, House and Governor all work in three different buildings surrounding this one, and they’re all fugly. They would legitimately be down with Alaska and North Dakota if it weren’t for the fact that this main building is still technically officially designated as the Arizona State Capitol. Not sure how that works if no one in government even works there, but I don’t make the rules, folks. That being said, this building is phenomenal. It looks stately and grand, like a capitol, yet it still retains a southwestern flair with its desert colors and thick masonry. A copper dome for the state that produces the most copper is a no-brainer, and the desert rose frieze is eye-catching. The lawns are a verdant green, though I am not too sure it’s the best idea to have so much grass in the water-less dust bowl that is Phoenix. Regardless, this is a well designed and distinct capitol, and I’m a big fan.
9. Massachusetts: The Bastion Atop Beacon Hill
Nestled in my beloved Bay State, atop Beacon Hill in the city of my birth, you’ll find my former place of employment. Charles Bullfinch’s magnum opus is just oozing with colonial charm: there are small, but beautiful, grounds surrounding the Federal style red brick building with a bright, gilded dome topped with a golden pine cone because we used to own Maine. Coincidentally, that’s when it was way better, but I digress. This is a perfect State House… or at least it would be if they didn’t keep adding a bunch of disjointed wings to it. I understand that the building had to get bigger, but couldn't we have sprung for matching red brick on the east and west wings? Then there’s the rear addition, which while a nice yellow brick, should have been red brick so it actually looks like the main building. Is my bias affecting my placement? Uh, do the Yankees suck? But hey, at least we’ll always have the General Hooker statue to ensure Masshole teens have something to snicker at every time they take a school field trip.
8. California: The Classiest Capitol
About the only time you’ll see me praising California, the capitol building in Sacramento can be described in one word: classy. It’s stately and ornate; a glistening white façade with intricately designed friezes supports the Corinthian portico surrounding the drum, which itself is topped with a beautiful copper dome. It sits on a grand boulevard lined with palm trees, and the grounds themselves are actually the most wooded of any state capitol. This is a truly magnificent capitol, it’s a shame the people working in it are so goddamn stupid.
7. West Virginia: The Domed King of the Kanawha
Here’s one I bet you didn’t expect to see. Despite being among the smallest states by size and population, West Virginia has one of the most impressive and beautiful capitol complexes I have ever seen. Let’s address the elephant in the room: this is the best dome on any capitol building, hands down. The black and gold offers a stunning contrast, and the delicate and intricate design of the leaf is honestly remarkable. Top that off with a golden eagle atop the cupola and you have a true work of art. The designer of the building loved his work so much that he copied the interior for use in the United States Supreme Court when he designed that, too. The location is also perfect, sitting on the banks of the Kanawha River outside of downtown Charleston, with lush, forested mountains always in view. Finally, there is a very somber and ponderous statue of Abe Lincoln, reminding visitors of the Mountain State’s birth during the Civil War.
6. Iowa: The Palace on the Prairie
The polar (pun intended) opposite of Alaska, Iowa is a state that knows how to put all of its empty space to good use. The capitol has a whopping five domes, more than any other, and they give the building a unique, almost regal, flair. I love the four turrets on the corners, and their dark green domes with adorning gold threading look exquisite. Despite how beautiful they look on their own, their true purpose is to accentuate the impressive golden dome in the center, and to that end, I’ll quote Dubya (again): mission accomplished. The interior is appropriately gilded and palatial, featuring massive libraries, spiral staircases, and an exquisite underside of the central dome. The building is also in an excellent location on a hill overlooking downtown Des Moines from across the eponymous river. But do you know what the best part is? The grounds feature a mini Iowa. How freaking cool is that?
5. Connecticut: The Castle of the Charter Oak
Is there really a city and state combo less deserving of such a gorgeous and awe-inspiring capitol than Hartford, Connecticut? I mean, this is more than a thing of beauty: it’s a work of art. Done in the High Gothic Style, this capitol looks like no other. The detail in the relief work is insane, and the grounds are large and green, probably thanks to this being the former site of Trinity College. But if there’s one tiny little thing I can knock it on, it’s that the capitol itself is deceptively small and arguably not even the most important building in the city. Just across I-84 are the real rulers of the self-described “Insurance Capital of the World,” Aetna. Their HQ on Aetna Way dwarfs the capitol and is also a really nice building with awesome rooftop gardens. But even still, and it pains me to say anything positive about Connecticut, this capitol is GOATed.
4. Pennsylvania: The Stronghold on the Susquehanna
Stately. Powerful. Imposing. Magnificent. The sheer scale of Pennsylvania’s capitol is a major reason why it’s so high on this list. This beautiful, Beaux-Arts building demands respect and dominates the skyline, visible from all the way across the Susquehanna River. They really know how to do framing and blocking in PA, as every viewing angle of this complex is breathtaking. Looking from the front? Here’s a beautiful brick-lined boulevard oozing with 19th Century charm to frame it. Approaching from the back? Here’s a Versailles-esque fountain and manicured garden, complete with sakuras and a geometrically pleasing design. They even know how to make the best out of an unsightly nearby railway by putting a bridge over it with towering pillars to draw your attention to the gorgeous green dome. This gigantic capitol is awe-inspiring and truly a worthy building for such an historically important state, or should I say, commonwealth.
3. Texas: The Great Granite Giant
Weird, labia-shaped back lawn aside, this is an S-tier capitol. The traditional neoclassical look is made unique with its pink granite construction, giving it a distinctive dusty, southwestern appearance. To no one’s surprise, in the state where everything is bigger, the Nexus of Texas is indeed the largest state capitol by square footage, even bigger than the US Capitol in Washington, DC. The grounds are also fittingly massive and very well maintained, and city ordinance prevents nearby buildings from blocking the view, boosting the aesthetic score and allowing for excellent blocking and framing. Now all of this would make a great, A-tier capitol, but what puts it over the top is the incredibly cool underground area. Every capitol has some sort of underground for offices or bomb shelters, but this one brings the style factor by being semi-exposed. This is seen most prominently in the aesthetically pleasing four-story, open air, inverted rotunda, and can also be seen from the skylights camouflaged as planter rows. I love this feature, and it is truly a Texas exclusive. No other state has anything close to this, and it’s all the better for it.
2. New York: The Imperial Palace on the Hudson
This is Connecticut’s capitol, but bigger and better. The dome is what gives Connecticut’s all of its height, but this palace makes the one in Hartford look like a bloody country manor in comparison. This castle was designed by the same man who designed the Canadian Parliament building, and it took over 30 years to complete. Its exterior design is a unique blend of Romanesque and French Renaissance Styles, and I absolutely adore the blue and red roofs. I only wish I could see the finished tower and dome originally envisioned for the building that were never completed due to budget constraints. But even without it, this is a gorgeous and lovingly crafted exemplar of capitol architecture. My only gripes are that the lawn itself is pretty small, and the grounds of the Empire State Plaza are largely filled with depressing, Le Corbusier inspired brutalist commieblocks, with the unbelievably ugly New York State Museum directly opposite the architectural Adonis that is the capitol. At least The Egg is pretty neat, but even the less than ideal surroundings cannot take away the unrivaled beauty of this building.
1. Wisconsin: The Epicenter of the Isthmus
Wisconsin, more than any other state, makes the best use of its capitol’s location. Most capitols either sit atop the highest hill in the city or face the local river, but this one doesn’t have that privilege. You see, the city of Madison is situated on an isthmus between two lakes, and the capitol building lies in a central square on that peninsula. How do you decide which direction is most important? There’s no obvious answer. To that end, architect George Post decided to design an X-shaped capitol so no one felt they were relegated to the back side, giving us this one of a kind capitol. Everything about this complex, from the building to the grounds to all eight avenues branching out of it are perfectly symmetrical, and that greatly pleases my pattern-seeking monkey brain. This is not only a marvel of architectural design, but a paragon of city planning as well. The use of space is a stroke of brilliance, with each wing housing the House, Senate, Supreme Court and Governor’s offices, respectively. Plus, the marble interior has naturally-occurring fossils in it that you can see! This place truly has it all and is, in my mind, the greatest state capitol building in the Union.
Let’s Put a Capstone on This
So, what can we take away from this joyous romp through each of our states’ illustrious capitols? Well, we have learned that much like with their flags, many states like to copy each other’s homework and are, at best, dreadfully unoriginal. Despite this, most are generally appealing to the eye and have an air of stately-ness to them. Unlike their flags, however, I do not think the ugly ones should be torn down and rebuilt from scratch for the sake of aesthetic beauty; that would be a colossal waste of money. Still though, should the need for a new capitol building ever arise in a state like Alaska or North Dakota, they would be wise to not make something so God-awful.
With that, I’ll leave you with this interesting graphic putting the cost and scale of all the capitol buildings into perspective. I hope this list inspired you to visit your state capitol if you haven’t, or even to visit another that really spoke to you!
