The Explore All 50 States Project
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The New Hampshire State Capitol Building felt like it met all the requirements for a state capitol but just didn't have a whole lot of personality. It does have the requisite columns and the gold dome, but inside it just felt like a plate of mashed potatoes that didn't have enough salt and pepper. One interesting fact though, is that this is the oldest statehouse in which the legislature still occupies its original … [Read more...]
The Vermont State Capitol Building, though grand from the outside, inside feels like a very large home, not a big statehouse. There is no rotunda and very few artifacts. What we did discover inside, is that Vermont is the birthplace of two presidents, Chester Arthur, and Calvin Coolidge and both or their portraits hang prominently inside. Run in quickly and say you were there. The town is very picturesque … [Read more...]
Texas is a state that is big and bold in character and so it comes as no surprise that the Texas State Capitol Building is also bold in design and stature. It has a beautiful rotunda with a dome with one big star in the middle and the letters of Texas surrounding it. The lone star was on display everywhere and my kids and I had a great time finding them even on the fence surrounding the building. After checking … [Read more...]
The South Carolina State Capitol Building is pretty in terms of architecture, but it doesn't stand out as memorable. in terms of aesthetics. Inside we found some pretty stained glass pieces, a pretty dome and some bronze commemorative plaques but not much else inside. Outside, on the surface nothing seemed particularly notable until we started to notice a few things that clued us into the history and spirit of … [Read more...]
The Nebraska State Capitol Building is a complete standout and one of my all time personal favorites and definitely wins the award for most decorative. It is completely unique unlike any other I've seen and I absolutely love it. While it does have a dome with I guess what you could call a rotunda, it's atypical in it's height and shape-the building itself is 15 stories high. Done completely in the art deco … [Read more...]
On the way to the Kansas State Capitol Building we couldn't help but marvel at the gorgeous landscape. How is this different from where you live??? As you've probably already realized my family just loves visiting state capitol buildings. They are almost like magical jewel boxes filled with treasures waiting to be discovered. The Kansas State Capitol Building was no exception. My kids raced to check out … [Read more...]
Sometimes state capitol buildings can hold the most amazing treasures. These are usually quick stops as my kids love to quickly run in check out the rotunda and the dome and check for interesting artifacts, but sometimes you want to go a little deeper when you see something truly fascinating. So when we walked in to the Rhode Island State Capitol building we saw cases of battle worn flags from civil war … [Read more...]
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...]
The Oklahoma State Capitol Building is one of my most memorable and favorite capitol buildings of the many I have visited . Everywhere you look there are incredible paintings and murals that are so vivid and bright. The artwork depicts the history and spirit of Oklahoma as well as it's connection to oil. Many of the stunning paintings were done by Native American artists. This is also the only state capitol … [Read more...]
The NorthDakota State Capitol Building does not conform to norms of state capitol architecture particularly since it is 19 stories tall. There is no dome or rotunda but still my kids could not wait to race inside and see what treasures it held. Inside we did see some historical artwork and carvings, but they most enjoyed checking out the state seal. Personally, I found the sculptures on the grounds really … [Read more...]
