State Capitals: Window to America
by William "Brother" Rogers
America's 50 state capitals provide a window into our nation's past and a reflection of the cultural mosaic of our country. One of the best ways to discover the rich history, diverse cultures, and varied political traditions of our country is to visit the capitol buildings in our states.
As a fan of history and government, I enjoy learning about a state by touring its capitol building. This summer I completed my goal to visit all 50 before my 40th birthday after seeing Juneau, Alaska, perhaps the most beautiful setting for a capitol. Each one leaves a different, distinct impression.
For example, the Northeast has a reputation as the cradle of democracy. No place demonstrates that better than New Hampshire, which has a whopping 400 members in its House of Representatives to serve only one million state residents. Likewise, its neighbor Vermont has 150 state representatives making decisions for less than 600,000 citizens. By contrast, New York also has 150 representatives, but its population is 30 times greater – 18 million people.
The design of state capitol buildings many times reflects the kind of people in a state. Oregon's capitol in Salem is one of utmost simplicity and is topped by a sculpture of the "Oregon Pioneer," a generic looking figure representing the spirit of the state's early settlers. Its architecture is not Greek Revival, Roman Renaissance, Neoclassical or any other kind of recognizable style. It's just a plain, no-nonsense building representative of its citizens.
New York, on the other hand, has a dignified, massive five story building done in Renaissance Romanesque Gothic style (which means nothing to me, but if you see the building it makes sense). It has no dome and looks like no other state capitol. I remember looking out my hotel window in Albany the night I arrived, seeing this enormous structure and thinking to myself, "What a colossal building, but I wonder where the state capitol is." The building is original, ornate, colorful, fancy, and busy – in other words, just like New Yorkers.
Most state capitols offer instant history lessons. The capitol in Montgomery, Alabama hosted the state's secession convention and housed the first Confederate Congress in 1861. A brass star on the top of the steps of the west portico marks the spot where Jefferson Davis was sworn in as president of the Confederate government. Supposedly, George Wallace had the spot "roped off" when Attorney General Bobby Kennedy visited to prevent him from stepping on the sacred spot.
Springfield, the capital of Illinois, is teeming with history about Abraham Lincoln, who as a young state legislator lobbied for the city's selection as the seat of government. Lincoln's tomb, his law office, the only home he ever owned, and the Old Capitol – where he delivered his house divided speech and where in 1865 his body lay in state – can all be found in Springfield.
The state capitol in Charleston, West Virginia is especially beautiful with its circular colonnade of Corinthian columns rising above the scenic Kanawha River flowing in front of it. A large statue of Lincoln on the grounds reminds the visitor that West Virginia became a state during the Civil War when Virginians west of the Appalachian Mountains sided with the North.
By contrast, Columbia, South Carolina's state house features a bust of Robert E. Lee inside and a Confederate Soldier Monument outside with a moving inscription written by South Carolina diplomat and historian, William Henry Trescot.
Some of our country's best art can be found in state capitols. Missouri's capitol in Jefferson City is renowned for its giant murals painted by Thomas Hart Benton which depict the history of the state. The capitol building in Topeka is noted for its dramatic Kansas history murals, the most famous being a larger than life John Brown with a Bible in his upraised left hand and a rifle in his right. The capitol in Salt Lake City, Utah features 12 murals near the base of its dome painted during the Great Depression by WPA artists.
One of the most memorable pieces of art I have seen is an indecipherable conglomeration of colors (I suppose it's modern art) on a canvas in Sacramento, California. It was near a distinguished painting of Ronald Reagan, and the words below the painting informed me that I was looking at the official portrait of former governor Jerry Brown.
Florida, Louisiana, Nebraska and North Dakota all have tall skyscrapers for capitols. Like a good student of trivia, I knew Nebraska was the only state with a unicameral legislature, but I had to ask when visiting Lincoln what the legislators call themselves. "Senators," replied my guide. I should have guessed that.
Of course, my favorite capitol is our own in Jackson. It is fashioned after our nation's capitol, and like us Mississippians, it looks proud and traditional with its marble, columns, and picturesque dome. Most telling of all politically, it was completed in 1903, and we still call it the new capitol.
Brother Rogers is a 1983 graduate of Brandon High School who works at the Stennis Center for Public Service in Starkville.