This is the third and final part of the New England State Capitols, for a total of six. In this part we took a tour of Rhode Island and Connecticut State Houses. There is a lot more to these State Houses than I remembered. They all seem to run together after a while, but each one has at least two or three unique characteristics worth delving into. History and Government were my two least favorite subjects in high school, but I have grown to love learning about our country and its history in my — eh hem — old age. You may learn something too!
September 16, 2025. Providence, Rhode Island State House
At the turn of the twentieth century, Rhode Island was the wealthiest state per capita, a status reflected in the design of its State House. Constructed from marble quarried in Georgia, the building was among the first major public structures to feature electricity. Its impressive dome ranks as the fourth largest self-supported marble dome in the world, surpassed only by St. Peter’s Basilica, the Minnesota State Capitol, and the Taj Mahal.
On top of the dome is The Independent Man, representing freedom and independence while alluding to the independent spirit which led Roger Williams to settle and establish the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. Independent Man is a 1,200-pound, gold-plated bronze sculpture and a proud symbol of the state.
The State House was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970, and much of the interior decoration is original, or closely resembles the original design.
Not only is it opulent, the Rhode Island State House upped their game for visitors compared to some of the other New England States. They have a slick, trifold color brochure, from where much of this information was obtained. The first floor houses The Charter Museum, where they recommended we start our self-guided tour (they weren’t offering guided tours the day we went).
Rhode Island Charter Museum
This room was impressive! The museum has on display the original document signed by King Charles II, the Royal Charter of 1663. By the 1650s, Rhode Island’s diverse communities came together to affirm and formalize a shared commitment to religious freedom and democracy. Residents sent a delegation to London to obtain a charter to ensure their rights. It’s challenging to read, with the calligraphy and old English, but quite amazing to witness in person.
Rotunda
I love State Houses with a dome and rotunda. They add to the grandeur and presence of a building. The view changes with each turn you take throughout the building.
State Reception Room (Governor’s Office)
The brochure calls this “the most ornate room in the building,” with the gilded ceiling, gold-crowned marble pilasters, large fireplaces and crystal chandelier. This is where the Governor holds press conferences and signs bills.
Fun Fact: On Inauguration Day, the Chief Sheriff, dressed in early 19th century garb, walks through the French doors out onto the Governor’s Balcony and reads the Proclamation of Election of the Governor, which is followed by a 19-gun salute on the State House lawn. 🙃
Rhode Island House of Representatives
There was a lot of construction going on while we were in the building, so the Chambers were both in disarray. The House has 75 members; each Rep has their own solid oak desk.
Rhode Island Senate Chamber
The Senate Chamber looks bigger than the House in these pictures, but it’s actually smaller. There are 38 members of the Senate. Inspired by the Pantheon in Rome, this room has been restored to its original colors and finishes. Uniquely, the senate gallery is above the rostrum, meaning those watching from above cannot see the speaker. In all our tours, this was the first Capitol we have seen with that design.
Rhode Island State Library
My librarian friends may enjoy reading this! This library is part of the Secretary of State’s office, and it is open to the public. The collections date back to 1750, focusing on the legislative history of Rhode Island and the United States. The library ceiling was designed to look like the back of a leather-bound book (can you picture it?). The 16 circles around its perimeter of the ceiling are European printer’s marks from the 15th-17th centuries. The stairways and catwalk supports are iron, painted to look like the rest of its mahogany interior. There is also a special exhibit here from the first manned lunar landing in 1969.
September 19, 2025. Hartford, Connecticut State House
Driving into Hartford, we quickly noticed a building that resembles a palace. It is one of the most beautiful state capitols we have seen to date.
We felt like we were going to visit the Queen of England, and we were sorely underdressed.
Beneath the dome in the rotunda stands the Genius of Connecticut on her small dome replica. Original stained glass windows and hand-stenciled 24K gold foil adorn the inside of the dome.
Famous People from Connecticut
Nathan Hale is a Connecticut hero. He was a spy for George Washington during the Revolutionary War, captured and hanged by British soldiers while bravely stating that all-familiar quote, “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.”
The Forlorn Soldier statue is estimated to be 144 to 147 years old, one of the oldest Civil War monuments in the state.
We heard a lot of stories throughout our New England State Capitol tours about fourth graders making requests and having it turned into something monumental, like this bronze statue for instance. In 1995, a group of fourth graders requested Connecticut name Prudence Crandall as the State Heroine, which was granted by an act of the General Assembly. She was the first to admit an African-American into her school. Angry White parents who didn’t want their kids in a bi-racial school removed their children, so she founded a new school for “young ladies and missus of colour,” supported by the anti-slavery society. Unfortunately, it was forced to close after a mob attack. The bronze statue of Crandall and her student Sarah Harris was funded by “Pennies for Prudence” a few years later. Designed to maintain their likeness, the statue was installed in 2008 in a place of prominence in the State House.
Connecticut Senate Chambers
The tour guide was sure to point out some unique attention to details found in this room. The big mahogany doors are ornamental, with the state seal engravings on the hinges and doorknobs. The seal is also in the middle of the senate room, woven into the carpet. This room used to be the library, and was converted into the Senate Chamber in 1913.
The Lieutenant Governor presides from the Charter Oak Chair, carved from the fallen oak tree which hid the self-governing charter given to the colony by King Charles II in 1662. The Charter Oak tree fell in 1856, nearly 200 years after the charter was hidden there. The charter is in the Museum of Connecticut History across from the State Capitol building.
Connecticut House of Representatives
This room is also quite magnificent, with carved walnut paneling and ornate stenciling, stained glass windows, multiple state seals on the royal blue carpet, and the original desks of legislators still in use today. The gallery is on the floor above the rostrum, as it is in Rhode Island. Don’t pick your nose up there, or all the legislators will be able to witness it (haha).
Our private tour guide stamped our passport making this our 31st State Capitol. We said good-bye and visited a few other artifacts on our own.
This model of the “Flagship Hartford” was built by an American naval veteran with only one arm. It took him two and one-half years to complete the model. It was from his command post on the “Hartford” at the Battle of Mobile Bay (Alabama) on August 5, 1864 that Admiral Farragut uttered his historic battle cry: “Damn the torpedos, full speed ahead!”
The actual figurehead from the prow of the “Hartford” is in this glass-enclosed case.
“Sleep Tight.”
And on that note, we will say, “sleep tight.” This is the third and final blog for New England state capitols, so I hope you are still with us! “Whew!” We saw a lot, learned a lot, enjoyed some pretty exquisite delicacies and great weather while we traveled through these six states. I hope you have learned something too! Please comment below and let me know what you think.
À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!
“I am the Lord, who heals you.”
Exodus 15:26
*Credits: The tour guides present some great stories which you may or may not catch on your own. They were short-staffed at the Rhode Island State House so we didn’t have a guide. I also obtained historical information from plaques inside the State Houses, tour brochures, Capitol websites, and good ol’ Wikipedia.