Washington, D.C., has been the capital of the United States since 1800. Eight other cities have served as the meeting place for the U.S. Congress and are therefore considered to have once been the capital of the United States. In addition, each of the fifty U.S. states and the five principal territories of the United States maintains its own capital.
In 33 of the 50 U.S. states, the state capital is not the state's most populous city. Only two of the state capitals — Trenton, New Jersey, and Carson City, Nevada — border another state, while Juneau, Alaska, shares a border with the Canadian province of British Columbia.[a] The dates listed in the following table indicate the year in which the city started to continuously serve as the state's sole capital. Most states have changed their capital city at least once—see Historical state capitals for details.
Alaska AK 1959 Juneau 1906 2716.7 3 31,275 Juneau is the largest capital by land area. Anchorage is the state's largest city.
California CA 1850 Sacramento 1854 97.2 6 466,488 2,527,123 The Supreme Court of California is headquartered in San Francisco. Los Angeles is the state's largest city.
Colorado CO 1876 Denver 1867 153.4 1 600,158 2,552,195 Denver was called Denver City until 1882.
Connecticut CT 1788 Hartford 1875 17.3 3 124,512 1,212,381 Bridgeport is the state's largest city, but Hartford is the largest metro area.
Delaware DE 1787 Dover 1777 22.4 2 36,047 162,310 Longest-serving capital in terms of statehood. Wilmington is the state's largest city.
Florida FL 1845 Tallahassee 1824 95.7 7 181,412 367,413 Jacksonville is the largest city, and Miami has the largest metro area.
Georgia GA 1788 Atlanta 1868 131.7 1 420,003 5,268,860 Atlanta is the state capital with the most populous metro area in the U.S.
Illinois IL 1818 Springfield 1837 54.0 6 116,250 208,182 Chicago is the state's largest city.
Indiana IN 1816 Indianapolis 1825 361.5 1 829,718 1,756,221 Indianapolis is the second largest city in the Midwest.
Kansas KS 1861 Topeka 1856 56.0 4 127,473 230,824 Wichita is the state's largest city.
Kentucky KY 1792 Frankfort 1792 14.7 14 25,527 70,758 Louisville is the state's largest city.
Louisiana LA 1812 Baton Rouge 1880 76.8 2 229,553 802,484 New Orleans is the state's largest city and home to the Louisiana Supreme Court. Louisiana is home to the tallest state capitol building.
Maine ME 1820 Augusta 1832 55.4 8 19,136 117,114 Augusta was officially made the capital 1827, but the legislature did not sit there until 1832. Portland is the state's largest city.
Maryland MD 1788 Annapolis 1694 6.73 7 38,394 Annapolis is the third-longest serving capital in the United States after Santa Fe and Boston. Its capitol building is the oldest still in use. It is also the smallest capital by land area. Baltimore is the state's largest city.
Massachusetts MA 1788 Boston 1630 48.4 1 617,594 4,522,858 Boston is the longest continuously serving capital in the United States. The Boston-Worcester-Manchester Combined Statistical Area encompasses the state capitals of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island.
Michigan MI 1837 Lansing 1847 35.0 5 114,297 464,036 Lansing is the only state capital that is not also the county seat of the county in which it is situated. Detroit is the state's largest city.
Minnesota MN 1858 Saint Paul 1849 52.8 2 285,068 3,502,891 Minneapolis is the state's largest city; it and Saint Paul form the core of the state's largest metropolitan area.
Missouri MO 1821 Jefferson City 1826 27.3 15 43,079 149,807 Kansas City is the state's largest city, and Greater St. Louis is the state's largest metropolitan area.
Montana MT 1889 Helena 1875 14.0 6 28,190 74,801 Billings is the state's largest city.
Nebraska NE 1867 Lincoln 1867 74.6 2 258,379 302,157 Omaha is the state's largest city.
Nevada NV 1864 Carson City 1861 143.4 6 55,274 Las Vegas is the state's largest city.
New Hampshire NH 1788 Concord 1808 64.3 3 42,695 Manchester is the state's largest city.
New Jersey NJ 1787 Trenton 1784 7.66 10 84,913 366,513 Newark is the state's largest city. Trenton served as the US capital for a short period in the late 18th century.
New Mexico NM 1912 Santa Fe 1610 37.3 4 75,764 183,732 Santa Fe is the longest serving capital in the United States. El Paso del Norte served as the capital of the Santa Fe de Nuevo México colony-in-exile during the Pueblo Revolt of 1680–1692. Santa Fe has the highest elevation of any state capital. Albuquerque is the state's largest city.
New York NY 1788 Albany 1797 21.4 6 97,856 857,592 New York City is the state's largest city.
North Carolina NC 1789 Raleigh 1792 114.6 2 403,892 1,130,490 Charlotte is the state's largest city.
North Dakota ND 1889 Bismarck 1883 26.9 2 61,272 108,779 Fargo is the state's largest city.
Ohio OH 1803 Columbus 1816 210.3 1 787,033 1,967,066 Columbus is Ohio's largest city, and the fourth-largest state capital; however, the Cincinnati and Cleveland metropolitan areas are both slightly larger.
Oklahoma OK 1907 Oklahoma City 1910 607.0 1 580,000 1,252,987 Oklahoma City is the shortest serving current state capital in the United States.
Oregon OR 1859 Salem 1855 45.7 3 154,637 390,738 Portland is the state's largest city.
Pennsylvania PA 1787 Harrisburg 1812 8.11 9 49,528 647,390 Philadelphia is the state's largest city.
Rhode Island RI 1790 Providence 1900 18.5 1 178,042 1,630,956 Providence also served as the capital 1636–1686 and 1689–1776. It was one of five co-capitals 1776–1853, and one of two co-capitals 1853–1900.
South Carolina SC 1788 Columbia 1786 125.2 1 131,686 913,797 Columbia is the largest city in South Carolina but second largest metro area and combined statistical area behind Greenville.
South Dakota SD 1889 Pierre 1889 13.0 8 13,646 Sioux Falls is the state's largest city.
Tennessee TN 1796 Nashville 1826 473.3 2 635,710 1,582,264 Memphis is the state's largest city, and Nashville is the largest metro area.
Texas TX 1845 Austin 1839 251.5 4 790,390 1,716,291 Houston is the state's largest city and the previous capital, and Dallas–Fort Worth is the largest metro area. Austin is the largest state capital that is not also the state's largest city. Texas would have the tallest state capitol building if all of the underground work were above ground.
Vermont VT 1791 Montpelier 1805 10.2 5 7,855 Montpelier is the least populous U.S. state capital. Burlington is the state's largest city.
Virginia VA 1788 Richmond 1780 60.1 4 204,214 1,231,675 Virginia Beach is the state's largest city, and Northern Virginia is the state's largest metro area.
Washington WA 1889 Olympia 1853 16.7 22 46,478 234,670 Seattle is the state's largest city.
Wisconsin WI 1848 Madison 1838 68.7 2 233,209 561,505 Milwaukee is the state's largest city.
American Samoa AS 1899 Pago Pago De facto capital of the Territory of American Samoa. Fagatogo is the official seat of government stated in the territory's constitution since 1967.
Guam GU 1898 Hagåtña Dededo is the area's largest village.
Puerto Rico PR 1898 San Juan The city of San Juan was originally called Puerto Rico while the island was called San Juan Bautista. When Ponce de León landed here it was originally named Borínquen.
Congress convenes at the Federal Hall National Memorial in New York for a special session on September 6, 2002.
The Confederate States of America had two capitals during its existence. The first capital was established on February 4, 1861 in Montgomery, Alabama and remained there until it was moved to Richmond on May 29, 1861. The Confederate state capitals remained the same as in the Union, although as advancing Federals used the same capitals for military districts, some of the Confederate governments were relocated or they moved out of state, traveling along with rebel armies.
Following the surrender of General R.E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, which ended the American Civil War on April 9, 1865, the eleven southern states which had vacated their delegations gradually had their Senators and Representatives recognized and seated by Congress. The first was Tennessee on July 24, 1866, then Arkansas on June 22, 1868, Louisiana, Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina on June 25, 1868, Alabama on July 14, 1868, Virginia on January 26, 1870, Mississippi on February 23, 1870, Texas on March 30, 1870 and finally Georgia on July 15, 1870.
In Williams v. Bruffy the U.S. Supreme Court held that recognition of revolution "depends entirely upon its ultimate success". Likewise in the Court's decision in Texas v. White it allowed some possibility of divisibility of the union "through revolution, or through consent of the States." But in the case of the American Civil War, Texas never left the Union. Essentially, once a territory is admitted and recognized as a state, it is in perpetuity a state in the Union.
The Republic of West Florida was a short-lived republic consisting of parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida and Alabama.
Most of the original Thirteen Colonies had their capitals occupied or attacked by the British during the American Revolution. State governments operated where and as they could. The City of New York was occupied by British troops from 1776 to 1783. A similar situation occurred during the War of 1812, during the American Civil War in many Confederate states, and during the Pueblo Revolt of 1680–1692 in New Mexico.
Twenty-two state capitals have been a capital longer than their state has been a state, since they served as the capital of a predecessor territory, colony, or republic. Boston, Massachusetts, has been a capital city continuously since 1630, making it the longest-running U.S. capital. Santa Fe, New Mexico, has been a capital city the longest having become capital in 1610 and interrupted only by the Pueblo Revolt of 1680–1692.
The state, the year in which statehood was granted, and the state's capital (as of 2010) are shown in bold.
In many cases, former capital cities of states are outside the current state borders. These cities are indicated with the abbreviated name of the state in which the city is located (as of 2010).
Statehood in 1819 San Agustín (FL) 1565 Capital of the Spanish colony of la Florida.
Savannah (GA) 1733 Capital of the British proprietary Colony of Georgia.
Natchez (MS) 1798 Capitals of the Territory of Mississippi.
St. Stephens 1817 Capital of the Territory of Alabama.
Arkansas Post 1819 Capitals of the Territory of Arkansaw.
New-Castle 1704 Capital of the English Lower Counties on the Delaware.
1763 Capital of the British Colony of East Florida 1763–1783.
1783 Capital of the Spanish colony of Florida Oriental 1783–1821.
Pensacola 1763 Capital of the British Colony of West Florida 1763–1783.
1783 Capital of the Spanish colony of Florida Occidental 1783–1821.
Tallahassee 1824 Capital of the Territory of Florida.
Pawnee 1855 Capital of the Territory of Kansas (July 2 – July 6).
Shawnee Mission 1855 Capital of the Territory of Kansas.
1861 Capital of the State of Kansas.
Statehood in 1812 San Agustín (FL) 1565 Capital of the Spanish colony of la Florida.
Mobile Bay (AL) 1702 Capitals of the French colony of la Louisiane.
Statehood in 1817 San Agustín (FL) 1565 Capital of the Spanish colony of la Florida.
Statehood in 1776 Providence 1636 Capital of the English Colony of Providence 1636–1663.
1644 Capital of the English Colony of Rhode Island 1644–1663.
Providence 1663 Capital of the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.
Statehood in 1889 Oregon City (OR) 1843 Capital of the Provisional Government of Oregon in the Oregon Country.
^[c] President James Madison fled to the home of Caleb Bentley in Brookeville, Maryland following the burning of Washington on August 24–25, 1814. As such, the town claims to have been the "U.S. Capital for a Day" despite the fact that Congress never met there. See: "A Brief History". Town of Brookeville, Maryland. 2006. http://townofbrookevillemd.org/history.html. Retrieved 2008-10-07.
^[d] Due to flooding in Sacramento, San Francisco served as a temporary capital from January 24, 1862 to May 15, 1862. See "California's State Capitols 1850–present". http://capitolmuseum.ca.gov/uploadedFiles/Capitol_Museum/Teachers/statecaps.pdf. .
^ The Nine Capitals of the United States. United States Senate Historical Office. Accessed June 9, 2005. Based on Fortenbaugh, Robert, The Nine Capitals of the United States, York, PA: Maple Press, 1948.
^ Frequently Asked Questions About Alaska. Statewide Library Electronic Doorway. Updated September 21, 2004. Accessed June 9, 2005; based on Alaska Blue Book 1993–94, 11th ed., Juneau, Department of Education, Division of State Libraries, Archives & Museums. ExploreNorth: The History of Sitka. Department of Community and Economic Development, Alaska Community Database Online. Accessed June 9, 2005.
^ Capitals before the Capitol. Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records. Accessed June 9, 2005.
^ Educational Materials: Facts. Arkansas Secretary of State. Accessed June 9, 2005. Washington State Park 19th century village in SW Arkansas. Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, Confederate Capital Old Division of State Parks. 2003. Accessed June 9, 2005.
Be it therefore resolved by both houses of the General Assembly, that the only true pronunciation of the name of the state, in the opinion of this body, is that received by the French from the native Indians and committed to writing in the French word representing the sound. It should be pronounced in three (3) syllables, with the final "s" silent, the "a" in each syllable with the Italian sound, and the accent on the first and last syllables. The pronunciation with the accent on the second syllable with the sound of "a" in "man" and the sounding of the terminal "s" is an innovation to be discouraged.
Citizens of the State of Kansas often pronounce the Arkansas River /ɑrˈkænzəs/ in a manner similar to the common pronunciation of the name of their state.
^ Ebbert (Chief Editor), Brian S.; E. Dotson Wilson, Chief Clerk of the Assembly (2006). California's Legislature. Sacramento, California: State of California. pp. 157–165. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pdf/caleg11.pdf. Retrieved 2006-10-03.
^ Harding, Eldon. Stories from the Kansas State Capital: Choosing a Capital City--Why Topeka?. Kansas State Historical Society. April 2001. Accessed June 10, 2005.
^ Kentucky's State Capitols. Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. Accessed July 24, 2006.
^ Note: The Louisiana Capitals information may be incorrect or incomplete. See http://www.state.la.us/about_history2.htm and elsewhere.
^ Students Questions Frequently Ask. Maine State Senate. Accessed June 10, 2005.
^ Saint Paul's 150th birthday. City of Saint Paul, Minnesota. Accessed June 9, 2005.
^ Bunn, Mike and Clay Williams, Capitals and Capitols: The Places and Spaces of Mississippi's Seat of Government. Mississippi History Now. Mississippi Historical Society Online. Posted September 2003. Accessed June 10, 2005.
^ Lambert, Kirby. Montana's crown jewel of architecture: The Montana state capitol Montana: The Magazine of Western History, Montana Historical Society. Summer 2002. Accessed June 10, 2005.
^ Rocha, Guy Nevada State Archives Historical Myth a Month: Myth #28, Las Vegas: Nevada's Next State Capital. Updated July 14, 2003. Accessed June 9, 2005; originally published as Sierra Sage, Carson City/Carson Valley, Nevada. May 1998 edition.
^ Early History of Montpelier, Vermont. Vermont Historical Society. Accessed June 9, 2005; adapted from Esther Munroe Swift, Vermont Place-Names: Footprints of History, 1977, 1996, and Montpelier Heritage Group, Three Walking Tours of Montpelier, Vt., 1991.
^ About Our Capital. Virginia General Assembly. Accessed July 20, 2006.
^ Cravens, Stanley H."Capitals and Capitols in Early Wisconsin". Wisconsin Blue Book, 1983–1984 edition.
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