While the city was named after a colonial Frenchman who built Fort Pierre across the Missouri River, and it is spelled the French way, the city is pronounced “PEER.” The city itself is worth a visit, as the Missouri River flows through and around the area making for some beautiful scenery. It may not have some of the amenities of a large city, but our campground was in a beautiful location and there are a lot of parks and walkways along the river (picture at the end). The population of Pierre is less than 15,000 (South Dakota only has a million people total).
We had our two oldest granddaughters with us during this visit, as we were on a summer road trip to the Badlands. The Capitol didn’t have any volunteers this week, so we did the self-guided tour. Every State Capitol we visit has some unique features worth mentioning, like the one in the caption below. No wonder some people like living here!
South Dakota has the only capitol building with a black dome. It is made with copper, which patinas over time. Unlike other locations where copper turns green, this dome turned black because the air quality is so high, e.g. no pollution! The girls got a science lesson today. 🤩
This is the first Capitol thus far that allowed us to stamp our own book. They tend to be pretty protective of those stamps! Yet, South Dakota had two different places where you could stamp your own. The picture on the right is in the governor’s office. The girls kept stamping the back of their guide books every chance they got.
Another stamp in our book.The girls enjoyed using this!
Something special the girls spotted was the display of the first lady dresses. (And now there is a first gentleman’s tuxedo, as their current governor is a woman.) This special display is always my favorite as well. Paige liked the slim dress while Alison picked a dress that looks like a quinceañera gown. We talked about that in the truck later. She said she had not heard of this before, but since her mother is Mexican we assume she will have a quinceañera celebration when she turns 15.
Paige’s favoriteAlison’s favorite
Inside the rotunda Yoda (his name for grandpa 🤦♀️) continues the tour.
Rotunda means “under the dome.” I think they were more interested in hearing their voices echo in the rotunda than listening to Yoda playing docent 😂. Sound on.From the Rotunda floor to the top center black circle of the dome is 96 feet. It’s another 65 feet above the stained glass to the exterior ball. Not as tall as some others we’ve seen, but pretty impressive!Arch and columnsStained glass arch over the grand staircase.Front entrance from inside.
House and Senate. During the construction of the building in 1910, the House and Senate were each given the same amount of money with which to furnish and decorate their respective chambers. Because the Senate has fewer members, they were able to afford more lush wall treatments and furnishings, including marble wainscotting and cherry wood accents. To match wood tones between the two areas, thanks to the superior craftsmanship of the carpenters, the Senate doors are cherry on the interior and oak on the exterior.
Senate Chambers, decorate in cool green tones, scagliola columns, Vermont White Cloud marble, cherry wood, and African mahogany. After an extensive search for the original 1910 light fixtures came up empty, solid brass replicas were cast and used in restoration. Each of the chandeliers weighs 750 pounds. Also of interest, the largest painting in the building, The Louisiana Purchase, is located here. If you look closely you can see it above the President’s Chair. Tim briefly describes the purpose of the Senate 😂. Sound on.House of Representatives. The House Chamber is decorated in warm earth-tone colors, decorative plaster and solid oak wood accents. Chandeliers are not original or duplicates; they were removed from the original Federal Court Room in Pierre, also built in 1910, and installed in the Capitol. The House chamber is accented with decorative stenciling and backlit Victorian leaded stained-glass ceiling. This stained glass fan is in the back of the House gallery, and can be seen from the Senate across the observation railing.
What is it with kids and stairs? They loved jumping from the second step, as we were preparing to leave the building.
Per legend, 66 blue signature stones – each representing a capitol Italian terrazzo artist – are laid in flooring. We didn’t see even one of them, or maybe we saw them but didn’t realize they were special.
Credit goes to the guide book for the wonderful information about the Capitol included in this blog.
Great day at the State Capitol of South Dakota!
We camped for two nights at the Farm Island Recreation Area. It’s so quiet and peaceful there! We had a beautiful spot on the river, with a small sandy beach the girls enjoyed as well.
À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!
Tim lived in Oklahoma more than a decade growing up, but he never got to go to the state capitol. They did a renovation project in the early 2000s, so it may have been much different then anyway. We were able to take Alison to this capitol building, and show her the first one she has ever seen. She now knows about Oklahoma and Texas state capitols, as well as the states we have driven through! There is no better education than traveling.
It was pouring the rain for the whole two hours we took to get to the state capitol. You can still see some of the clouds in these photos. Then the skies cleared, and we had a beautiful day. The temperatures dropped so we pulled out light jackets after this.
We are traveling on this adventure with our first grandchild, Alison. She was surprisingly interested in the Capitol!
Going to the Capitol on a Sunday has its benefits as well as disadvantages. At least they are open on the weekend! That was a bonus. We appreciated that, because we were traveling through and the state capitol was right on our drive path. The perfect place to stop and stretch our legs. Know that if you visit this capitol, the entrance on weekdays is on the opposite side of the building from the weekend entrance. I was glad I had read that in advance, as it gave me a heads up on where to park and enter.
We arrived to a nearly empty parking lot, which made pulling the Airstream easier to park than many other places we have visited.
When we got inside, I was reminded they do not have docents working on Sundays. So, we did a self-guided tour based on the link given to us by the security guard at the entrance. (Yes, you have to go through security. Leave your guns at home.) She stamped our capitol passport, twice actually.
This capitol is on Route 66, so they have a stamp for the capitol as well as Route 66. That was a fun little discovery!
Not so small, a nine-foot tall bronze statue stands in the hallway right after we passed through security. He is a replica of the 22-foot statue called “The Guardian,” which was placed on top of the dome in 2002 when they completed the renovation and built the dome. Click on the link above to read more. He’s quite impressive, and stands for a lot.
The Guardian (and Tim)The Dome“Wow,” it’s way up there!
There is a lot of artwork in this building. On the main floor there are things to look for in the paintings that represent various aspects of Oklahoma, like a bee, a strawberry, red bud trees, a scissor tail flycatcher, and a swallowtail butterfly. We never did find that bee or that strawberry!
This is an example of the detail in the artwork. A tiny snail climbing.Storm’s coming!Art over the grand staircase.Scissortail flycatcher in the sky of this paintingArtwork under the dome.
The disappointing part of coming on a Sunday was a locked door greeting us at both the House and Senate Chambers. You can’t get in without a docent. They have some beautiful foyers, but we will need to come back another time on a weekday so we can see the chambers.
House of RepresentativesSenate Chambers
Lastly, there were some pretty ceiling decorations. As we were leaving the building, a friendly squirrel came running over to see us, but when Alison offered it a potato chip it quickly ran away squeaking and squawking. Too funny!
Decorative ceiling.Friendly squirrel.State Capitol of Oklahoma
Thanks for reading my blog! God is good. He has given me the strength to live life to the fullest. What’s on your bucket list?
À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!
It was a warm day in Jackson. A beautiful day to visit the capital city. This used to be the entrance, but now you have to go around to another side where they have security ready to check your bags and put you through a metal detector. Notice the dome and eagle on top of the building, and the beautiful carving over the entrance. The eagle that stands atop is eight feet tall and 15 feet wide, made of copper, and gilded with gold leaf.
We are almost half-way through our bucket list! Hard to believe. This is the first time we have visited two state capitols in one day. We woke up, toured the Montgomery Alabama state capitol and First White House of the Confederacy across the street, went back to our RV Park, hitched up, then headed out for Jackson Mississippi.
We hadn’t planned on seeing Jackson’s state capitol today, but our other plans fell through for the day and we were gifted with some additional time in the afternoon. We pulled our Classy Girl from Montgomery to Jackson and stopped at the capitol on the way to our RV Park where we stayed west of Jackson. Fortunately there was parking big enough; a security guard showed us where we could park so we felt safe leaving our Classy Girl there. She thanked us later, as she always wanted to see a State Capitol up close.
Mississippi State CapitolBack shows off the stained glass windows we saw insideHonors women of the Confederacy of Mississippi
Third time’s a charm! We finally managed to get a tour guide to show us around. The building is quite impressive. According to Wikipedia, “architect Theodore Link used the new technology of electric lighting when designing the Capitol and incorporated 4,750 electric fixtures, which are still being used today.” The guide reminded us that electricity was only starting to enter the picture, so it was an awe-inspiring experience when people arrived and saw all the floors lit up. People came from far away just to see the lights. The architect didn’t know how many lights it would require, so he may have gone a bit overboard. However, the building is designed after the French Beaux-Arts Architecture, which is quite ornate and majestic, reminiscent of an old-style theatre.
This state’s legislature was in session, as we previously experienced in Atlanta. They were a bit more protective of their senators, so we could not take pictures in the House and Senate chambers, but we did get to go inside and look around from the gallery with our tour guide, in addition to hearing some interesting stories along the way. Wish I had a picture, but the architecture is similar to what you see here.
See the resemblance to an old movie theatre? It reminds me of the movie, “The Majestic.”
Outside the House of Representatives we stopped to look at some of the former members. One name kept popping up, taking our eyes off all others in the frame: John Grisham.
Yes, that John Grisham. You probably know him as a famous author, but he also served in the Mississippi House of Representatives from 1983-1990. His first novel was published in 1989 (A Time to Kill), which he worked on for four years while still serving the government. As a lawyer and State Representative, he heard stories that had a big influence on his writing.
The tour guide spilled the tea. She remembers when Grisham was talking about his novel to various people in the building, while he was still a state representative. They all laughed at him behind his back, having no idea how famous he would be one day. He failed English in his Community College class, but a law instructor saw the value in his writing and he went on to be a lawyer. Did you know he is one of only three anglophones (English-speakers) to sell 2 million copies of the first printing? No one is laughing now! Let that be a lesson to us all. You simply can’t judge someone’s future. Encourage them. They may be the next best astronaut, author, inventor, or physician who finds the cure for cancer.
And I’ve digressed. I actually took fewer pictures in this Capitol than most. We were a little tired, and we were also not permitted to take pictures where I would normally take them. Here are a few pictures of the inside.
The central dome rises 180 feet above ground level.Grand staircase leading to stained glass windows. For this reason some people like the back view of the building better.One of the stained glass windows.Lady Justice, blindfolded.Governor’s Office, and maybe some famous politicians.See the many lights overhead? They changed originals to LED.
À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!
After leaving Georgia, we towed our Airstream to Montgomery Alabama where we spent two nights. We toured the Capitol as well as The Legacy Sites. The Capitol is not open on the weekends, so we walked around the grounds and visited the Legacy sites on Sunday and then went back the next day to see the inside of the Capitol. You can see all three Legacy Sites for a mere $5.00 (The Legacy Museum, The National Memorial for Peace and Justice, and Freedom Monument Sculpture Park). Did you know the Confederacy was started here? We also visited the First White House of the Confederacy. Montgomery’s history is very interesting, as are the stories of those who monitor these sites. My book club just finished reading two books from the first person perspective of slaves who escaped and gained their freedom, so it was appropriately timed for us to see what I have been reading about. This blog will primarily cover the Capitol building, but I recommend seeing all of what Montgomery has to offer if you get the chance. You will learn a lot!
It was a really windy day on Sunday. It died down by the next day and warmed up. Weather can change so quickly.
Montgomery holds one of the most beautiful grounds and buildings we have seen. All the government buildings surrounding the Capitol, as well as the Capitol itself, are solid white, well kept and manicured.
All fifty states flags are represented here. It was a really windy day when we toured the outside of the Capitol.
This “Moon-Tree” was planted on the grounds of the Capitol in 1976. Loblolly pine crown from seeds that journeyed to the moon with 1971 Apollo 14 Mission.
Honoring the Officers.Statue of the Confederacy.It’s a very tall statue.
They don’t offer tours of the Capitol unless you come with a large group (mostly schools), so once again we were on our own. It turns out the building is no longer used for legislature. They have their own separate building (which you can also tour, but it’s just a bunch of offices). This Capitol is here for more historic purposes, basically a museum rather than a working government building like the others we have seen.
Alabama has had five capitals since it became a territory in 1817: St. Stephens, Huntsville, Cahawba, Tuscaloosa, and Montgomery (where it has been since 1847).
The original rotunda has some interesting factoids. The interior finish was originally very plain. Ornate plasterwork, marble floor and vestibules to House and Senate Chambers were added 1906-1912. Murals depicting scenes from Alabama history painted by Mobile artist Roderick MacKenzie 1927-1930. Building was restored to circa 1930’s appearance.
The eight murals beneath the Dome illustrating Alabama’s history are seen in the video below. They were painted on canvas by one artist named above, and then mounted on the walls. It took him three years to complete them all.
The House of Representatives (1851-1985) was restored in the 1990s to its original state circa 1870-1890. It’s the site of the statewide convention which took Alabama out of the Union in January 1861. Trompe l’oeil ( fool-the-eye’) wall painting replicates scheme introduced in 1869. We didn’t know at the time Tim made this video that they really don’t do any work in here LOL.
A few other artifacts are found in the House Chambers. Two were of interest to me: The ART LAUREL STOVE #16 (c. 1904. Constructed of nickel and embellished with nickel relief and lions heads, the Art Laurel stove #16 was considered to be the top of line model in stove construction. A 1904 catalog described it as “the highest type of base burner construction, surpassing all other base burners in appearance, in heating capacity and economy of fuel.“) and one (of the few remaining) GARDNER CHAIR, (c. 1879. made by the nationally renowned furniture maker, Gardner and Compary of New York. After the furniture was in place, Secretary of State W. W. Screws praised the Gardner Company by stating that he “greatly admired (the furniture) for its strength of make and its handsome appearance.” On loan from the Alabama Department of Archives and History Montgomery, Alabama).
Art Laurel StoveGardner ChairChairs designed for ventilation and beauty, light shines through.BenchHouse from floor view
Next we visited the Senate Chamber (1851-1985). One oddity we witnessed was what appeared to be spittoons at the end of the front rows. It was this point where we wished we had a tour guide to tell us more about it.
The Senate was restored to its 1861 appearance, when southern delegates met here to organize Confederate States of America. You will see original “Egyptian” marble mantelpieces and the gallery columns were painted to imitate bronze. It has replicas of original desks and chairs, as well as oil-burning chandelier and column sconces. Period carpet was installed: 27-inch strips hand-sewn in traditional manner.
Floor view of SenateChandelier. Floor view of SenateGallery view of SenateSpittoon??Gallery view of SenateWow
We walked down the spiral staircase to the first floor, which also holds a unique history. A formerly enslaved man, Horace King, was commissioned to design and construct these twin staircases. Enslaved individuals played a crucial role in building cities, bridges, railroads, and more, yet their contributions were often overlooked. It was meaningful to see his story acknowledged in the brochure.
It’s a long way down!The designer of the stairsOne of the twins
To wrap things up, I’ll include a few random pictures of the Legacy Sites and contrasting First White House of the Confederacy. I’m thankful my family was not born into bondage, and we never had to endure the horrors of slavery. However, I think it’s important to note we are all born into the bondage of sin. We can only be free by accepting the Lord Jesus as our personal Savior. Regardless of our background, ancestry, race, or ethnicity, He is the ultimate unifier.
Harriett Tubman, Visitor CenterFreedom Sculpture made of scrap metalThe National Memorial for Peace and JusticeFreedom Sculpture – Picking CottonFirst White House of the ConfederacySuch a contrast from the slave homesNational Freedom MonumentFreedom Monument Sculpture Park. Those guards in the distance yelled, “no photos!” There are five places we could take a picture, but we forgot where we were. Oops!We are allowed to take pictures in front of the waterfall. “Thank God Almighty. I’m Free at Last.”Mural on the street beside the museum. It’s even more impressive when you look at the detail up close.
I hope you enjoyed this tour of Alabama’s State Capitol, and some of the history of Montgomery. Don’t hesitate to go there!
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In case you missed it, I write these blogs to glorify God. He is allowing me to live life abundantly even though I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. It’s only by His good graces that I am still alive today. I want to share the places we visit in addition to updates about my cancer journey as I know my many friends are traveling both journeys with me.
À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!
On our way from Florida to Texas, we took a circuitous route through three neighboring states to visit their state capitols and mark yet another state (Georgia) on our Airstream map. While I can condense the information from these marvelous stops into one blog each, you may want to go and visit them all to see for yourself!
March 13, 2025. Atlanta Georgia.
We spent the day in Atlanta and earned two passport stamps. One for the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum, and one for the State Capitol. The Carter Center is also worth a visit, although I was a little disappointed in the lack of display or mention regarding his recent death. On to the Capitol.
Downtown Atlanta. This was our 18th Capitol, and it is by far the hardest to get access to, out of the ones we have toured thus far. There is no parking close by, and our truck made it a bit more challenging with the full parking lots. We were SO glad we weren’t towing our Airstream to the Capitol, as we have been known to do.
State Capitol
The previous picture of us was taken in the back of the Capitol. I failed to get a picture of the front (smh), but they had a nice model of it in the governor’s office.
Perhaps it was busier at the Courthouse because the Senate and House were both in session. We saw at least six school busses full of students eager to get a day out of school while going on a field trip (even if they aren’t fond of government). The building was hopping!! But the staffers did say it’s getting worse downtown, even when legislature is not in session.
Passport stamp! When I asked the security guard where I could get my passport stamped he said, “we don’t stamp passports here.” He thought I meant an actual passport . Yet he was the one with the stamp.
They didn’t have any tours available, so we did our own self-tour. The governor’s office gave us a bag of peanuts, which were delicious!
House of Representatives. See all the papers on the desks? They were in session but currently on a break. We couldn’t go inside, so I snapped a picture from outside the balcony door. These rooms have been restored to their original design.
The Senate looks very similar to the House. Again this picture was taken through a guarded door from the other side of a roped off area for “non-members” outside the gallery. (No one said I couldn’t take pictures.) The desks are original from 1889.
Grand StaircaseJames Oglethorpe
A bit of history of the Capitol for the “buffs” (from the brochure). In 1868, Atlanta became Georgia’s fifth permanent capital city. James Oglethorpe founded the colony of Georgia in February of 1733, on the site of present-day Savannah, which was Georgia’s first capital. After the Revolutionary War, the General Assembly met alternately in Savannah and Augusta. As Georgia grew the capital city moved to Augusta in 1786, Louisville in 1796, Milledgeville in 1807, and, finally, Atlanta in 1868. The General Assembly first met in the Atlanta City Hall/Fulton County Courthouse before relocating to the nearby Kimball Opera House. In 1883, the legislature appropriated $1 million for a new building. Designed by Willoughby J. Edbrooke and Franklin P. Burnham and built by Miles and Horne of Toledo, Ohio, construction began in October 1884 and finished in 1889– $118.43 under budget. The new Georgia Capitol was built using many of the state’s natural resources. Georgia marble is only found on the interior due to high cost. The Capitol’s exterior is Indiana limestone. The Capitol was dedicated as a National Historic Landmark in 1977.
The dome is not the tallest, nor is it the most exquisite. But it still made me stop long enough to get dizzy while looking up.
The fourth floor comprises a museum of Georgia artifacts, gems, agriculture, fun facts and oddities. Probably the most intriguing are the two-headed cow and two-headed snake. These reminded me of the movie Dupont, and made me wonder if there was something in the water from where these animals drank. Here are a few pictures from the museum. One could spend a lot of time reading everything up there.
Beautiful Japanese vaseScandalous!Two-headed calfBaseball bat signed by Atlanta BravesReplica of Miss Liberty who stands on the domeDon’t clap!210 pound meteoriteAnimals of GeorgiaMy favorite bird
À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!
We finally made it to Florida! The weather is so beautiful, as one would expect (hope for) in the Sunshine State. The humidity so common in the summer months has not yet arrived, and we have had a nice pleasant breeze so far. We left Texas two days ago wearing shorts and t-shirts, stopped in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and then on to Tallahassee, where we visited the State Capitol.
I wouldn’t say this is the most exclusive of the buildings we have toured. After seeing 17 to date, we have a general idea of what capitols might include. Big domes, cupolas, grand marble staircases and columns, famous artwork, rare and exotic wood, historic artifacts, governor’s office, senate, house, and the supreme court amongst other things. Tallahassee has a new capitol building that is 22 stories high with an observation deck overlooking the city. It houses all the current workforce. The New Capitol overshadows and dwarfs the smaller, Old (Historic) Capitol, which the state outgrew many years ago and has since been turned into a museum.
This is the fourth building to serve as a capitol for Florida. A log cabin served as the first capitol, erected just two days after Tallahassee became a territory in 1824 (Florida would later become a state in 1845). The cabin was replaced by a 2-story frame structure. The third Capitol was built in 1845. (Can you guess why? Hint: the date.) They considered demolishing that Old Capitol building, but thankfully cooler heads prevailed. The Old Capitol was restored to its 1902 state, and is now home to a museum similar to the ones we have seen in so many of the other capitols we have visited. The New (current) Capitol was built between the years 1973-1977, and opened in March of 1978.
This building does have a couple of interesting features. The State Capitol is one of four official Welcome Centers for the State of Florida. We stopped at the one in Pensacola and got some free orange juice, which they do not serve at this one. I’m not sure other state capitols have official welcome centers inside their buildings. Wikipedia was not helpful.
The lower floors have a nice display of the Florida State Seal, Florida Halls of Famers, and Florida fun facts. Of course there are chambers for the House of Representatives and Florida Senate where we looked down on from the galleries, but we couldn’t go inside.
FLORIDA FUN FACTS
STATE DAY: April 2nd
STATE MOTTO: In God We Trust
STATE NICKNAME: Sunshine State
STATE FLOWER: Orange Blossom
COUNTIES: 67
STATE PIE: Key Lime
LENGTH NORTH & SOUTH: 447 Miles Long from St. Mary’s River to Key West
WIDTH EAST & WEST: 361 Miles Wide from Atlantic Ocean to Perdido River
ACQUIRED BY UNITED STATES: From Spain by Treaty 1821
ADMITTED TO UNION AS STATE: March 3, 1845
RANK AMONG STATES OF ADMISSION: 27th
More Florida Fun Facts:
27 first magnitude springs – more than any other state – and more than 200 total springs. (Wakulla Springs has the longest and deepest known submerged cave system in the world.)
Ranks first in amount of groundwater of all states. More than 11,000 miles of rivers, streams, and waterways. Approximately 7,700 lakes of 10 acres or more.
Approximately 1,200 miles of coastline, 2,300 miles of tidal shoreline, 650 miles of beaches.
4,510 islands of 10 acres or more.
3 national forests comprising more than 1.1 billion acres.
Sunshine about 66% of daylight hours
No point more than 60 miles from coast
4th largest state by population; more than 80% of Floridians live less than 10 miles from the coast
An interesting carving titled “Resilience” is on display outside the State Senate. The plaque tells the story of the carving and the wood, which I’ll repeat here as well.
“Resilience”
Signifying the resilient and enduring spirit of Floridians, Resilience showcases the unique silhouette of Florida, highlighting the barrier islands of the Space Coast, the Northern flowing St. Johns River, Tampa Bay, the beaches and islands of the Emerald Coast of North Florida, the Florida Keys and many of Florida’s other unique natural features.
Resilience is constructed of pecky cypress recovered from the Ocklawaha River in North Central Florida.
This distinctive wood is unique to the Southeastern and Gulf Coastal Plains. The holes within the wood occur when a fungus enters a cypress tree after a limb falls or an injury to the tree occurs, typically in cypress trees more than 100 years old. Over time, the holes grow in number and size; however, the spring fed, low oxygen waters of certain Florida rivers protect the wood from decomposition. Estimates indicate the cypress wood used in this sculpture was originally harvested during Florida’s Steamboat Era, the time of the territorial State Senate.
We enjoyed visiting both the New and Old Capitol buildings. The New Capitol has an enclosed observation deck on the 22nd level, overlooking the city. It was foggy and cloudy when we went up there, so we couldn’t see very far away, which of course was disappointing. Try to go on a sunny day if you have options. Two groups from very different schools were also touring the building. It was interesting to see the first group, dressed in street clothes. They were not necessarily unruly, but they didn’t demonstrate the same decorum and level of respect as the second group, dressed in Ivy League uniforms.
Art exhibits are rotated on the top floor. Famous Noh Masks were on display around the deck when we were there. There are a few other interesting pieces of art, but otherwise, it’s a pretty neutral building. The exterior is also under construction, which makes it hard to find one’s way around to the visitor’s entrance. The Old Capitol has a small dome with stained glass,
One thing that really impressed me about this capitol was the elevator system. I know! It’s not a big deal, right? But it was the first time I have seen this technology in use. It has apparently only been around for the past few years, and is used in tall buildings around the world. Quite cool if you ask me. Watch this brief video of us using the elevator system, and be sure to watch to the end for views from the observation deck (and Noh masks).
Florida State Capitol Elevator to the 22nd floor (observation deck)
The Old Capitol. The Old Capitol building has been turned into a museum, displaying artifacts among the hallways and chambers of the three branches of government: executive, judicial, and legislative.
One of the historians showed us how the Old Capitol has changed shapes over the years, and how it now fits inside of the New Capitol as it has been since 1982. You can see its transformation in the banner at the welcome desk.
There is a glass dome, which is a replica because the old one was removed when it started leaking within the first year after it was installed. Interesting fact: When they restored the building to its 1902 glorious self, they found over 100 pounds of broken dome glass in the walls of the building. The original glass was made by the Opalescent Glass Works, who also made the glass used by Louis Comfort Tiffany in their famed lamp designs. Perhaps hiding it in the walls was some worker’s way of saving the beautiful glass pieces. Or, it was simply easier than throwing it all away. Makes me wonder what we will find inside the walls of our new house that is currently under construction. The things that make you go “hmmm.”
Senate, House of Representatives, and Supreme Court in the Old Capitol are interesting to look at. Hard to believe Florida population used to be small enough to only need a building this size.
THE McCOOK FLAG
At the end of the Civil War, the United States Flag was raised over this Capitol as Union Brigadier General Edward M. McCook received the surrender of the Confederate government in Florida. In a transfer ceremony on May 20, 1865, Confederate Governor A. K. Allison officially turned the Capitol over to Union forces.
This flag is a reproduction of the large silk flag owned by General McCook. The flag appears to have started as a 31-star flag. Between 1858 and 1865, five states were added to the Union and the flag evolved into this unique 36-star pattern.
The original McCook flag is in the collections of the Museum of Florida History.
The governor’s private office is seen in the Old Capitol Building, along with some more historic flags and the Mountain Howitzer that sat on the Capitol steps for 70 years. “The roll top desk, made of Honduras mahogany, is Jennings’ original desk. William Sherman Jennings served as Florida’s governor from 1901 to 1905.”
This was the office room for the governor’s staff; a secretary, Mr. Charles Dickinson of Madison, Florida, and a stenographer, Grace Irene Marietta Mann, Governor Jennings’ sister-in-law. The large document file cabinet was in the room after 1902 and is almost completely original. Some of the original labels can still be seen, including “W. S. Jennings Private” and “Bank Pardons.”
When we got back to our hotel (where we stayed for one night), Tim had some things to say about the Capitol as well. This brief video pretty much says it all.
I hope you enjoyed our little tour of the Florida Capitol. Sign in and comment below to let us know what you think! I promise we won’t bug you or send you a bunch of spam emails, but it will give you an opportunity to interact with us in the comments.
À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!
I grew up in southern Ohio, and I remember hearing as well as repeating this joke. How do you pronounce the capitol of Kentucky: Lou-EE-ville, or Lou-IS-ville? Answer: Neither, it’s Frankfort (insert rimshot) 🤪.
The entrance to the building is nicely decorated with flowers, paths, and street parking big enough for a King Ranch pulling an Airstream 😁. It was a little confusing as to where we should enter the building, as the signs were misleading. We just missed an opportunity to enter the Capitol a day earlier. Costumed trick or treaters were given candy by the governor inside the building last night. Mischievous ghosts and goblins might account for the entrance signs leading you in a circle 😂. But today we were the first (and sole) visitors, so it was a peaceful tour.
From the top of the stairs, at the entrance to the KY State Capitol.
The guided tour wasn’t for another hour, and we were on our way home, so we just walked on our own with the self-guided brochure. The tour desk lady provided some valuable information about things we should not miss before we began. And she stamped our passport on the way out. (Don’t forget the stamp!)
We met a man under the rotunda who told us that if you rub the boot of Lincoln, it is supposed to bring you good luck. That is why his boot is so shiny under the rotunda. Click the link below to see a short video of our interaction, as well as the changing lights under the rotunda.
Kentucky State Capitol Rotunda
The House of Representatives and Senate were next. While they look alike, you will see the House is more arched and contains beautiful roll-top desks. We walked around and even sat in the chairs (they are very comfy), which isn’t permitted in some of the Capitols we have visited.
Grand marble staircases lead from one floor to the next, with artwork to greet you at the top. I’m sure all the artwork would have a story if we had taken the guided tour. The lady at the tour desk cautioned us on the stairs. Apparently they can be slippery and a few people have fallen.
Infinity mirrors are a fun find in the State Reception Room. I found it ironic that no food or drinks are permitted in the reception room. Isn’t that what you expect to find in a reception 🤪 😂?? Paintings decorated the walls, painted to look like antique tapestries.
Unique aspects are the shifting light colors in the rotunda seen in the previous video, the infinity mirrors in the State Reception Room, and the irreplaceable mahogany wood from the Honduran rainforest found in the Supreme Court Chambers seen in the short video below. I told Tim I hope they planted some trees after that!
Kentucky State Supreme Court
I always love looking at the displays of First Lady dolls (and even a dog in this one), similar to the ones we have seen in other Capitols. Here are the first and current First Ladies. It’s fun to witness how the dresses have changed over the years.
In the basement, frames lined the walls with important documents that have been a part of our American History, including The Mayflower Compact, the Magna Carta, Declaration of Independence, The Bill of Rights, the Constitution of Kentucky, The Star Spangled Banner, a picture of Lady Justice, and several more. Amongst these prestigious documents governing our land was The Ten Commandments. We were pleasantly surprised to see it there.
Even though this might not be the most ostentatious of the Capitols we have seen, it is certainly noteworthy. Tim described it as the “most comfortable” of the Capitols we have toured thus far. It is certainly roomy, and one could easily get lost in there.
À la prochaine … hasta la próxima vez … Until next time!
We dropped off our Airstream at the Mothership for some warranty repairs, which I’ll cover in another blog. While they were working on it, we rented a car and took an overnight trip to Columbus so we could get our passport book stamped at the Statehouse. Somewhere around Zanesfield, we saw one of the transport trucks carrying new Airstreams to their destinations. It could be yours!
I grew up in Ohio, but I don’t recall ever spending much time in Columbus. It was fun to visit the city and spend the night in a King-sized bedroom with a walk-in shower that we could stand under as long as we wanted. Fortunately we looked ahead and learned that the Statehouse was not doing any tours on October 31st. We originally planned to go on Halloween, but we changed our plans when we discovered they would be closed, stopping on the way to the hotel rather than going the next day.
It’s always a good idea to check for hours of operation before your visit to any State Capitol. You will see flags flying at half-staff in this picture. We would later learn from our tour guide that Ohio’s first female House speaker, Republican Jo Ann Davidson, died at 97 years of age earlier this week. Among her many other accomplishments, she was largely responsible for the Capitol’s restoration project. She made a commitment to keep the old Statehouse features rather than building a new one. Her portrait is the only one displayed in the entire building. Tomorrow is her funeral so there will be no public or private tours.
Ohio Statehouse. We had a good tour guide. Take away the mustache and he reminded us of one of our pastor friends (you know who you are). He started by having us stand on the map of Ohio that was crafted into the floor. The information was reminiscent of my early school years, learning Ohio History.
Ohio is the 7th largest in population. This building is called a Statehouse because of its architecture, rather than a “Capitol,” although it is the capital of Ohio. The interior and exterior have different architectural designs, built in the Greek Revival style, constructed from 1839-61. The interior is Roman, whereas the exterior is Greek, plain and unadorned. This was intentional to save money.
Private citizens exerted their wealth and will to get the Capitol where they wanted it, and that’s exactly how it was paid for. Because of their economic influence, the capital of Ohio moved cities several times in its early history. Ohio limestone is found on the stairs and the walls. The building was restored in the 1980s, back to its original 1861 style.
After much movement, Ohio finally established a law that says the state Capitol has to be within 40 miles of the center of the state. That’s how it ended up in Columbus, and that’s where it has stayed since 1861. Interestingly enough, the state motto is “With God All Things Are Possible,” which is written in the Passport Book.
This 155-year old historic Thirty-Six Star American Flag is on display. It was flown over Capitol Square in 1865 when the body of Abraham Lincoln lay in repose in the Rotunda of the Ohio Statehouse. You can read more about this flag and where it has been by clicking here.
Our guide also talked about the color on the walls, seen in this picture. Salmon was uncovered on the walls during the renovation, so that’s what it remains today. It was not called salmon back then. At the time the Statehouse was built, this color was considered light red, which is masculine. Also, red is a very Roman color.
I learned (re-learned?) something about architecture during this tour. Domes are Roman. Cupolas are Greek. (The Florence Cathedral provides an example of both, if you want to click on the link or Google it.) The Statehouse has a dome pictured here, but since the outside of the building was meant to be Greek, and the style of the dome did not conform to the Greek architecture of the exterior, they had to cover it with a cupola.
While we were there, they were hosting a reception and making preparations for the big funeral about to take place. Normally the tour would go right through that hallway, but we had to take the long way around to avoid any interruptions.
Corinthian columns are found in the Senate and House chambers, but this was considered too ornate. An architect was fired for going over budget with the details.
Unlike other Capitols we have seen with expensive wood from exotic places, Ohio used pine throughout the building to save money. They painted the pine with a wood grain to look more prestigious.
It was hard to tell the wood on this door and frame was pine at first glance, so it’s always nice to have a tour guide point out those intricate and interesting details. I was raised with this type of frugal mentality, which was common in southern Ohio at that time, possible values passed down from the government.
The Senate and House look very similar, except you can see the Senate has telephones on the desks, and the podiums are different. They didn’t spare the same expense there, as they are made mostly out of marble. This is unique than most of the Capitols we have toured, as the House and Senate are typically very different in their appearance, from the carpet to the chairs, the podium and the chandeliers. Again this speaks to their financial frugality while making a very nice place to hold sessions.
During renovations in the 1980s, they uncovered muse murals and other features that were covered up and “lost” sometime in its history.
I may have shared a bit more in this Statehouse blog, since it’s from my home state. It was an interesting visit, and I do recommend taking the tour. We may go back for a second visit, as there is an entire museum we had to miss in the timeframe we had. I also read online the “World’s Largest Steel Gavel Sculpture” is located in downtown Columbus near the Ohio Supreme Court building. Somehow we missed that.
Back at the hotel, a pumpkin carving contest was in process. Here are the very creative pumpkins the staff came up with, one of them nodding at the famous Jimmy Buffet. It seems “carving” has morphed into “painting” these days. But hey, in the words of C. S. Lewis, “Have fun, even if it’s not the same kind of fun everyone else is having.”
À la prochaine … hasta la próxima vez … Until next time!
On our way from Marceline Missouri to Jackson Center Ohio where we are going to get some warranty work done on the Airstream, we saw Indianapolis right on the drive path. Bonus! Another stamp in our State Capitol passport and a place to stretch our legs.
We found a few empty spaces on the street that fit our truck and trailer. Tim plugged some money into the parking meter and off we went, hoping we wouldn’t get a ticket.
Unfortunately they only had two guided tours today, and we missed them both. But, Tim once again acted as our tour guide, and he does a pretty good job 😂. They do have a nice self-guided tour brochure which describes the important places of interest.
Play video with sound on for the full effect. 🔉
This building is referred to as The Statehouse, and we never figured out why during the tour, so I did some research on good ol’ Google to learn more. This website was very helpful. Capitol buildings are categorized in three ways: statehouses, domed capitols, and executive towers. There is also one “roundhouse” that serves as a Capitol in New Mexico.
The shape of the building, when it was built, and architectural style all play a factor into which category it belongs. Indiana has a statehouse because it is has a flat front, square windows, and a federal front. The dome in the center was under construction while we were there, but you can see the rotunda from inside. This building is not the first statehouse. The original building still stands in another location, but we didn’t get to see that piece of history on this trip.
The chandelier in the Indiana Supreme Court is the heaviest in the Statehouse, weighing 1,500 pounds. This room has been largely unchanged since it was built in 1888.
Senate and House of Representatives.
We sat in those comfy blue leather chairs in the Senate Chambers. They are nicer than most in the Capitols we have seen.
The first Meditation Room in a State Capitol. It’s an interfaith chapel, in memory of those who have laid the foundation for this state.
Tim with his hand in the candy jar. 🤪😂
Walking around various floors held some unique finds. Busts of famous people including Benjamin Harrison, the only U.S. President from Indiana and the one who saw more states come into the union than any other president. I didn’t get his picture, but I did get Abe Lincoln.
Here’s a picture of another Abe, the Bison presented for Indiana’s bicentennial.
I enjoyed walking around the grounds under a beautiful autumn sky. There were several opportunities for great photos of the Capitol.
Our original plan was to boondock in a local parking lot, but after driving around downtown it didn’t feel like the safest place to stay overnight. It was still daylight so we went a little further down the road to get out of the city traffic and boondocked in a Cracker Barrel parking lot. In case you don’t know, boondocking is dry camping, without any hook-ups to electricity, water, or sewer. We used the water from our fresh water tank, and battery–operated lanterns to save our batteries (Batteries are one of the reasons we going to get warranty work done).
À la prochaine fois … hasta la próxima vez … Until next time!
October has been a complicated month of travel for the Wests. When Tim realized he had a work trip in Minnesota while we would be camping due south in a small town in Missouri without close access to an airport, he decided to drive it. He asked if I’d like to ride with him and spend time together rather than fly, and of course I said YES! It would be nice to sleep in a big king-sized bed for a few days.
He rented a car on his way home from the airport last week so we would take that rather than put extra miles on the truck. Plus, if we leave the truck parked with the Airstream it gives the appearance we are home. We left yesterday (Thursday) from Marceline, visited the Hoover Presidential Library and National Historic Site in West Bend Iowa (different passports), spent the night in Iowa City, then drove to the State Capitol this morning on our way up to Minnesota.
The Iowa Capitol is a pretty building. It has the “wow” factor. When I asked Tim what he liked about the building, he said he liked the domes amongst other things. I concurred. It has five domes on top. The center dome is covered in 23-karat gold leaf. The most recent re-gilding began in 1998 and was completed in 1999 at a cost of approximately $400,000. All I can say is WOW 🤯😳. The other four domes are copper with gold leaf stripes.
Construction of the Capitol began in 1871 and was completed in 1886. The building feels “original,” another thing Tim likes. Even though they have done some restoration, you get the sense an old, antique building. When you walk through the halls, it’s like you are transported to a time and place 150 years ago. It’s a timepiece from that era.
Ground Floor. We didn’t get to take the guided tour since we were pressed for time to get to Tim’s site visit, so Tim acted as our tour guide. He’s not quite as old as our last one, and a lot less eccentric 🤪 😂. He was actually really good! Their self-guided tour brochure is very well laid out, and highlights some important facts about the art and architecture we would see along the way. Some of the facts in this blog are borrowed from the brochure.
Visitors enter on the ground floor on the side of the building, where security checks your bags and asks you to walk through a metal detector. You are greeted by a series of tables and chairs and a cafeteria, which serve as a lunch room when legislature is in session. A school group gathered in these tables while we were there as well. The Iowa State Capitol Tour Guide desk and Gift Shop are located toward the center of the building near the rotunda. We stamped our passport, picked up our brochure, and listened to some tips on what to look for. There are a few facts on a plaque about the fire of 1904 near the stairs, but the main tour starts on the first floor.
First Floor. The first thing you notice is the rotunda, with stairwells and wings leading to various suites. According to the brochure, the building’s interior is furnished with 29 types of marble and a variety of woods.
The Rotunda. Suspended across the dome is the emblem of the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.). The emblem, painted on canvas and suspended on wire, was placed there as a reminder of Iowa’s efforts to preserve the Union during the Civil War. A painted sky with clouds was added to the interior of the dome during recent Capitol renovations.
The reception room to the Governor’s Suite has high ceilings and a beautiful chandelier (which I would hate to have the task of cleaning). Visitors can’t go beyond the ropes, but it was fun to peek inside.
In the hallway outside the governor’s suite, there is an encased collection of “first lady” dolls dressed in their inaugural gowns. Currently they have a female governor (Kim Reynolds), the first female governor in Iowa, so there is one lonely male doll front and center representing her spouse. That was a unique display we haven’t seen in another Capitol to date.
There was a very large model of the USS Iowa battleship on loan from the U.S. Navy Department, in one of the first floor wings. It’s a World War II era battleship and frankly, pretty incredible. The model is 18 feet seven inches long and weighs approximately 1,350 pounds.
Lots to read in the first floor wings. I love the ceilings and columns shown here.
Underneath the rotunda is a block glass floor with the grand staircase in the background.
The Old Supreme Court Chamber is on this floor as well.
In the Secretary of State’s Office, a staffer unveiled Iowa’s original constitution where it is covered with a thick cloth, then she proceeded to tell a brief story about it. The original Iowa Constitution, signed in 1857, was restored in 1988 and is protected in a specifically designed case. Iowa has the second shortest constitution in the United States at 40 pages (Vermont has 20 pages). In perspective, Alabama has the longest state constitution at 300 pages! I loved reading the words written in the old script. It seems we have lost that art over the years. That was a unique and surprising find in the Capitol.
Second Floor. The marble and granite Grand Staircase leads to the second floor. There are some other interesting facts about this in the brochure which I won’t repeat here, but you can perhaps see by the pictures it is a beautiful staircase. I liked the six mosaics on the wall of the third floor, also seen from the first floor just above the mural. More on that later.
Above the staircase is a mural painting Westward, by Edwin H. Blashfield of New York. The mural symbolizes pioneers’ arrival in Iowa.
Iowa House of Representatives. Thisand the Iowa Senate chamber occupy most of the second floor.
From the second floor we got a better view of the paintings on the rotunda. Eight half-mooned shaped paintings and 12 statues. The paintings—called lunettes, tell the story of the “Progress of Civilization.”
We found the State Library of Iowa – the Law Library to be very appealing. It was probably my favorite part of the whole building. The library encompasses the entire west wing of the second floor. I loved the white iron spiral staircases and matching railing that framed the bookcases, filled with over 100,000 legal volumes. The staircase was a bit scary for me, but I climbed it anyway as it gave a different perspective on the library worth seeing.
This dumb water is older than us, but we can relate to the sign 😂.
Third Floor. This is where you can stand in front of the six mosaics and see the details of the tiny tiles. The craftsmanship takes my breath away.
I read a plaque that said it cost $10,000 to commission the artist. That was a long time ago, but I still thought that was an amazing deal. The mosaics symbolize Defense, Charities, the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial Branches of Iowa, and Education. Pictured here is “education.”
The galleries for the House of Representatives and Senate are also accessible from this floor, on either end of the rotunda. They don’t include the third floor in the self-guided tour brochure for some reason, maybe because it’s just the galleries. It was a challenge to find the elevator to get up there, and the stairs were closed off, but we really enjoyed the close-up view of the chandelier overlooking the House once we found it. Those galleries are tight, with very narrow walkways between rows, again challenging for someone with acrophobia!
Chandelier in Iowa State SenateIowa State Senate, from the Gallery.
Tim and Cindy West at the Iowa State Capitol.
I hope you enjoyed our tour of the State of Iowa Capitol in Des Moines. Next time you are in Iowa, take an hour and go see it for yourself. If you know of anything additional about this Capitol, or have your own personal story to share, please comment below!
À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!
. Yet he was the one with the stamp. 
