September 20, 2024. Topeka, Kansas.
We were pulling our Roam Home from Lincoln NE to Kansas City MO, and it made the most sense to stop at the Capitol on our way. The only challenge was finding a place to park. There are metered parking spots in front of the Capitol, and no one was around, so we parked there. We couldn’t figure out how to pay for ten spots on the meter, but fortunately no tickets were left on our window. It turned out to be a great photo opp!
We arrived late enough to barely catch the final tour. No one else showed up, so we got another private tour! Our tour guide wasn’t feeling well, but she was happy to oblige. I am still amazed by the knowledge of these tour guides. You can ask them about practically any artifact or picture in the building and there will surely be a story to share.
The artwork in the main hall to the rotunda is incredible. The artist completed all of the pieces in a matter of months. Done in the pointillism style, the artist paints little dots close together which look like an image when viewed from a distance. It’s pretty amazing when you think about it.
This antique Otis elevator is still in excellent working condition. In 1995 it was seen in the movie Truman, after they looked all over to find one. (Not The Truman Show with Jim Carrey.) Truman is a biography of President Truman, who was Vice President when FDR died, and was suddenly promoted to the presidency. The movie stars Gary Sinise. We visited the Truman Presidential Library and Museum down the road earlier in the day, so now we want to watch the movie and look for the elevator as well.
Kansas State Senate. After the House did a renovation project the Senate decided they needed a bigger and more beautiful room as well. When they did their makeover they set a budget of $70,000, then doubled it. That’s white onyx from Africa and Mexico. The stained glass windows on the side were imported from France, said to represent the sun, but later noted to also look like the sunflowers.
The State Library of Kansas was also presented as part of the tour. We walked up a tiny staircase and across a block glass floor through rows of books as our guide explained fun facts about the library. My fear of heights kicked in for a moment, but I was okay to continue. They installed lots of contraptions to make the librarians’ work easier. The librarians used the book elevator to transport books up and down.
À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!