Virginia State Capitol Building (Richmond)

Sadly in our haste to start our day on our way to Appomattox Courthouse and Monticello we bolted out of Richmond without stopping to explore the beautiful and historic state capitol building (yes, I am still kicking myself over that one).  PBS's WTTW ranks Virginia's capitol building as it's #1 building that changed America. Since I can't give you a personal account (kicking myself again), I will turn this post over … [Read more...]

Maryland Statehouse (Annapolis)

My kids and I love exploring state capitol buildings for the architecture-my kids always run first and foremost to the rotunda to check out the design of the dome-but also for the amazing  historical artifacts related to the state's history. Some are truly beautiful and others are just "plain janes" with no personality. While the Maryland statehouse was not particularly visually captivating, it was probably the most … [Read more...]

First State Heritage Park (Dover)

Did you know Delaware was the first state in the union? I didn't until we arrived at the First State Heritage Park in Dover. Sadly on our late arrival on a Friday afternoon on 4th of July weekend, all was closed so I cannot give you a first hand account of what is inside of the various buildings. I was so upset because the visitor center looked super cool and there were lots of other historic buildings I really … [Read more...]

Pennsylvania State Capitol Building (Harrisburg)

I love these cut away shots-isn't this gorgeous? The Pennsylvania state capitol rotunda is a magnificent example a combination of various artistic techniques and mediums working together for a massive impact.  The first thing we noticed after a long and circuitous route to get to the rotunda was the dominant color theme of red, white, and blue. Stunning but not surprising given the role of Pennsylvania in the … [Read more...]

Alaska State Capitol Building (Juneau)

An Explore All 50 road trip would not be complete without a visit to the state capitol building and Alaska was no exception.  Juneau is truly a small mining town and it just doesn't quite feel like a state capitol in the typical sense.  But once you come to appreciate that Alaska is a sparsely populated place, it doesn't feel odd at all. When we visited, the capitol building was undergoing an extensive … [Read more...]

Massachusetts State Capitol Building (Boston)

Massachusetts State Capitol Building

This is a great place to start in Boston since it is right across the street from Boston Commons, which is where you start the Freedom Trail. Do walk around and get a sense of the place, however, I don't recommend spending too much time here by taking a guided tour. My kids and I cruised around the building and saw what we needed to see in about 15 minutes.  Mainly we came to check out some of the artifacts which … [Read more...]