US-3431603 Iowa Old Capitol Building

The Iowa Old Capitol Building is located in Iowa City. It was once the main government building for the state of Iowa and it now stands as the most prominent landmark at the centre of the University of Iowa's campus. It is a U.S. National Historic Landmark.

The cornerstone of the Old Capitol Building was laid on July 4, 1840. The building was completed in 1842.  At this time Iowa was still a territory and the Territorial Legislatures met in the Old Capitol Building.  On December 28, 1846 Iowa was admitted into the United States as the 29th state of the union. Iowa City was declared the state capital of Iowa and the government convened in the Old Capitol Building.

After ten years of housing the government in Iowa City, the state decided to move the state capital to Des Moines, a city located more toward the centre of the state. When the state government moved to Des Moines in 1857, the Old Capitol Building became the first permanent building owned by the University of Iowa.

This postcard came from Katie (30 June 2015) Postcrossing.

WC 84-504 Michigan State Capitol

The Michigan State Capitol is the building housing the legislative and executive branches of the government of Michigan. It is located in the state capital of Lansing. The present structure is a National Historic Landmark that currently houses the chambers and offices of the Michigan Legislature as well as the ceremonial offices of the Governor of Michigan and Lieutenant Governor. Historically, this is the third building to house the Michigan government.

The Michigan State Capitol is 267 ft (81 m) from the ground to the tip of finial/spire above the dome. The building is 420 ft 2 in (128.07 m) long and 273 ft 11 in (83.49 m) wide (including approaches). The capitol occupies 1.16 acres (4,700 m2), has a perimeter of 1,520 ft (460 m). The structure contains four stories, with public entrances on the ground floor. Two grand staircases in the north and south corridors go up to the top floor. The rotunda measures 44.5 feet (13.6 m) in diameter and 160 feet (49 m) in height measured from the floor to the oculus.  (Source: Wikipedia)

This postcard came from sammalmquist (1 July 2015) Swap-bot.

US-3398374 The Virginia State Capitol

The Virginia State Capitol is the seat of state government of the Commonwealth of Virginia, located in Richmond capital of Virginia. The State Capitol houses the Virginia General Assembly.

The Capitol was conceived of by Thomas Jefferson and Charles-Louis Clérisseau in France. The design was modeled after the Maison Carrée at Nîmes in southern France, an ancient Roman temple. It is one of only twelve Capitols in the United States without an external dome.

 

Although it was completed in 1788 and is currently 224 years old, the current Capitol is the eighth built to serve as Virginia's state house, primarily due to fires during the Colonial period. It survived the burning of Richmond in the American Civil War.  In 1870 a structural defect caused a disaster resulting in 62 dead and 250 people injured.  In the early 20th century, two wings were added, leading to its present appearance. In 1960, it was designated a National Historic Landmark.

This postcard came from Sarah (28 May 2015) Postcrossing.

Wisconsin State Capitol

The Wisconsin State Capitol, in Madison, Wisconsin, houses both chambers of the Wisconsin legislature along with the Wisconsin Supreme Court and the Office of the Governor. Construction of the building started in late 1906 and was completed in 1917. The Winsconsin State Capitol building is the fifth structure to serve as the Wisconsin capitol since the first territorial legislature convened during 1836. The streets surrounding the building form the Capitol Square which is home to many restaurants and shops. The Wisconsin State Capitol is the tallest building in Madison, a distinction that has been preserved by city legislation against buildings taller than the columns surrounding the dome (187 feet). The Capitol is 284 feet, 5 inches tall from the ground floor to the top of the "Wisconsin" statue headdress on the dome.

What is the “Wisconsin” statue?

The "Wisconsin" statue on the dome was sculpted during 1920. Its left hand holds a globe surmounted by an eagle and her right arm is outstretched to symbolize the state motto, "Forward." It wears a helmet with the state animal, the badger, on top. It is made of hollow bronze covered with gold leaf. "Wisconsin" is 15 feet, 5 inches tall and weighs three tons. The statue is commonly misidentified as "Lady Forward" or "Miss Forward", which is the name of another statue on the capitol grounds.

This postcard shows not only the State Capitol but the ceiling of the rotunda.  Blashfield’s mural, Resources of  Wisconsin decorates the ceiling.

This postcard came from Tammie W. (8 April 2015) Direct Swap - Swap-bot.

US-3263458 Iowa State Capitol

The Iowa State Capitol, seat of the Iowa General Assembly, is located in Iowa's capital city, Des Moines, and houses the Iowa Senate, Iowa House of Representatives, the Office of the Governor and the Offices of the Attorney General, Auditor, Treasurer, and Secretary of State. The building also includes a chamber for the Iowa Supreme Court. The building was constructed between 1871 and 1886 and is the only five-domed capitol in the United States of America.

The Capitol is set atop a hill and offers a panoramic view of the Des Moines' downtown and the West Capitol Terrace. Various monuments and memorials are to its sides and front, including the Soldiers and Sailors' Monument and the Lincoln and Tad statue.

The architectural design of the Capitol, rectangular in form, with great windows and high ceilings, follows the traditional pattern of 19th century planning for public buildings. A modified and refined Renaissance style gives the impression of strength and dignity combined with utility.

This postcard came from Jenn (24 March 2015) Postcrossing.

US-3186936 Washington State Capitol

The Washington State Capitol in Olympia is the home of the government of the state of Washington. It contains chambers for the Washington State Legislature and offices for the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state and treasurer and is part of a campus consisting of several buildings. Buildings for the Washington Supreme Court, executive agencies and the Washington Governor's Mansion are part of the capitol campus.

The Legislative Building, the main building in the campus, was completed in 1928 after six years of construction.  It is comprised of more than 173 million pounds of stone, brick, concrete and steel. Washington State Capitol’s Legislative Building is the fifth-tallest masonry dome in the world and the tallest in North America, rising 287 feet high.

This postcard came from hootnoodle Mary (6 February 2015) Postcrossing.

SW EQ-366 South Carolina State House

The South Carolina State House is the building housing the government of the state of South Carolina. It is located in the capital city of Columbia. The State House is in the Greek Revival style; it is approximately 180 feet (55 m) tall, 300 feet (91 m) long, 100 feet (30 m) wide.

Construction of the building began in 1851 but problems with defective workmanship and material meant that the original building was largely demolished. The Civil War slowed construction. The State House was damaged by artillery fire and when the Union Army came into Columbia, it was set on fire.  The main building of the State House was finally completed in 1887 but it was only in 1907 that the whole structure was finally finished.

The building's grounds are home to several monuments. On the north side is a monument to South Carolina's Confederate dead, a monument that includes a flagpole flying a traditional version of the Confederate battle flag. The monument was established after a controversy in 2000 about the Confederate flag flying over the dome of the State House. The flag, originally placed over the dome in 1962 was moved to its present location on July 1, 2000.

This postcard came from Karen Y. (2 December 2014) Swap-bot.

Mississippi State Capitol

The Mississippi State Capitol in Jackson is the state capitol building of the the state of Mississippi. Since 1903, this building has housed the Mississippi Legislature.

The building is in the Beaux-Arts architectural style and the walls of the rotunda are Italian white marble with a base of New York jet-black marble. Eight large columns are art marble known as scagliola. The dome interior contains 750 lights which illuminate the blindfolded female figure representing "Blind Justice" and four scenes: two Indians, a Spanish explorer and a Confederate general. The balustrades are made of cast iron.

On top of the dome is an 8-foot-tall (2.4 m), 15-foot-wide (4.6 m) eagle. It is made of solid copper and gilded with gold leaf.

This postcard came from PatsyLou (4 December 2014) Postcrossing DS.

SW EO-355 Colorado State Capitol with its three mile-high markers

The Colorado State Capitol Building is in Denver (“the mile-high city”) and houses the Colorado General Assembly and the offices of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Colorado. The building is intentionally reminiscent of the United States Capitol. It was constructed in the 1890s from Colorado white granite and opened for use in November 1894. The distinctive gold dome consists of real gold leaf, first added in 1908, commemorating the Colorado Gold Rush.

The Colorado State Capitol sits slightly higher than the rest of downtown Denver. It is the height of an 18-storey when measured from the main entrance hall to the top of the dome.  The official elevation of Denver is measured outside the west entrance to the building, where the 15th step is engraved with the words "One Mile Above Sea Level." From this step, at 5,280 feet (1,609 m), the sun can be seen setting behind the Rocky Mountains. A second mile high marker was set in the 18th step in 1969 when Colorado State University students resurveyed the elevation. In 2003, a more accurate measurement was made with modern means and the 13th step was identified as being one mile (1.6 km) high, where a 3rd marker was installed.

The interior of the building uses Colorado Rose Onyx, a rare rose marble from a quarry near Beulah, Colorado. The amount used in the building consumed the entire known supply. White Yule Marble from the quarries near Marble, Colorado was also used throughout the capitol for the floors.

This postcard came from Cherise P. (28 November 2014) Swap-bot.

SW DZ-323 Rhode Island State House

The Rhode Island State House is the capitol of the state of Rhode Island. It is located in the state capital city of Providence. The State House is a neoclassical building that houses the Rhode Island General Assembly and the offices of the governor of Rhode Island as well as the lieutenant governor, secretary of state, and General Treasurer of Rhode Island.

Independent Man

The State House was constructed from 1895 to 1904. The building had a major renovation in the late 1990s. It is composed of 327,000 cubic feet (9,300 m3) of white Georgia marble, 15 million bricks, and 1,309 short tons (1,188 t) of iron floor beams. The dome of the State House is the fourth-largest self-supporting marble dome in the world, after St. Peter's Basilica, the Minnesota State Capitol, and the Taj Mahal.

‘Independent Man’ stands on top of the dome.  This is a gold-covered bronze statue and this  statue weighs more than 500 pounds (230 kg), is 11 feet (3.4 m) tall and stands 278 feet (85 m) above the ground. ‘Independent Man’ represents freedom and independence.

This postcard is one of three sent by rhino44 (25 November 2014) Swap-bot.

US-3042803 Oregon State Capitol in Salem

The Oregon State Capitol in Salem, the capital of Oregon, houses the state legislature and the offices of the governor, secretary of state and treasurer of Oregon. The current building, constructed from 1936 to 1938, and expanded in 1977, is the third to house the Oregon state government. Two former capitol buildings were destroyed by fire, one in 1855 and the other in 1935.

The design of the Oregon State Capitol was labelled a combination of Egyptian simplicity and Greek refinement. Overall it is Art Deco in style and is one of only three state capitols in the United States constructed in that architectural style.

The central portion of the building includes a dome of 166 feet (51 m). The wings, which doubled the floor space of the building to about 233,750 square feet (21,716 m2), were added later.

The grounds outside the capitol building contain artwork, fountains, and flora, including the state tree (Douglas-fir) and state flower (Oregon-grape).

This postcard came from Janis (5 Nov 2014) Postcrossing.

SW EA-328 Arkansas State Capitol

The Arkansas State Capitol is located in Little Rock, the capital of the state of Arkansas. It was built in 1899-1915 in neoclassical style.

The exterior of the Capitol is made of limestone. Total construction cost was $2.2 million or $320 million in 2014 dollars. The front entrance doors are made of bronze, which are 10 feet (3 metres) tall, four inches (10 cm) thick and were purchased from Tiffany's in New York for $10,000. The cupola is covered in 24 karat gold leaf.

The Arkansas State Capitol grounds has multiple monuments and memorials representing various parts of the state's past and present. They include the Monument to Confederate Soldiers, Liberty Bell replica, Bauxite and Granite Boulders, Confederate War Prisoners Memorial, Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Arkansas Medal of Honor Memorial, Memorial Fountain, Monument to Confederate Women, and Little Rock Nine Civil Rights Memorial.

This postcard came from Wilma P. (21 October 2014) Swap-bot.

SW DT-301 West Virginia State Capitol

The West Virginia State Capitol is the seat of government for West Virginia and houses the West Virginia Legislature and the office of the Governor of West Virginia. It is located in Charleston, the capital of West Virginia. The building was built in 1925 and dedicated in 1932.

The style of the West Virginia State Capitol is Colonial Revival, Italian Renaissance. Beside the main capitol, there are two wings which lie perpendicular to the east and west ends of the building, forming an open-ended quadrangle centred on a fountain, one of three in the plaza. The two wings are connected by low causeways on the basement level. The Governor's mansion and buildings housing a cultural centre as well as several state departments and a parking garage, all occupy the area of the plaza.

The grounds include several statues, including Abraham Lincoln on the front plaza and Stonewall Jackson, a native of the state, near the southeast corner of the plaza

This postcard came from Aimee D.E. (30 September 2014) Swap-bot.

SW DS-297 Montana State Capitol

The Montana State Capitol is located in Helena, the capital of Montana. The State Capitol houses the Montana State Legislature and was constructed between 1896 and 1902 with wing-annexes added between 1909 and 1912.

The building, constructed of Montana sandstone and granite, is in Greek neoclassical architectural style. The exterior of the dome is covered with copper. Atop the dome is a feminine statue affectionately dubbed "Lady Liberty."

The most notable feature inside the centre of the Capitol building is the massive rotunda, with four circular paintings surrounding it. These paintings, were painted for the Capitol opening in 1902 and depict four important archetypes of people of Montana's early history: a native American, an explorer and fur trapper, a gold miner and a cowboy.

This aerial view of the Capitol was sent by Sue (18 September 2014) Swap-bot.

SW DE-256 South Dakota State Capitol

The South Dakota State Capitol is located in the state capital of Pierre. It is the best example of Neoclassical architecture in South Dakota and the symbol of State government for nearly 100 years. The building houses the South Dakota State Legislature and offices of most state officials, including the Governor of South Dakota.

The building was constructed between 1905 and 1910 and features a copper dome, Corinthian columns, rusticated walls of granite and Bedford limestone, and a decorative interior. The floor in the capitol building is made of terrazzo tile. The floor is said to have been laid by 66 Italian artists. To give these artists a chance to place a mark in the building (without allowing them to actually sign their names to the floor), each is said to have been given a blue stone to place in the floor. Only 55 of these tiles have been found, however. It is thought that the remaining stones may have been placed in locations now covered by walls, doors, or carpeting.

The First Lady Gown Collection

From the first floor, a marble staircase leads upstairs. In front of the staircase, display cases house the First Lady Gown Collection. Miniature replicas have been made of the gown worn by each first lady to the state inaugural ball. These replicas are worn by dolls in the display case. Along with the doll, a picture of each governor's family and other mementos are also displayed.

 

This postcard came from dakotadee (25 August 2014) Swap-bot.

 

 

Georgia State Capitol

 

The Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta, Georgia is an architecturally and historically significant building. It was completed in 1889. It is the main office building of Georgia's government. The offices of the governor, lieutenant governor, and secretary of state are on the second floor, while the General Assembly meets on the third floor from January to April. There are also visitors' galleries and a museum on the fourth floor. Like many U.S. state capitols, the Georgia State Capitol is designed to resemble the Classical architectural style of the United States Capitol, in Washington, D.C..

The façade features a four-story portico, with stone pediment, supported by six Corinthian columns set on large stone piers. Georgia's coat of arms, with two figures on each side, is engraved on the pediment. The Capitol's interior represents the 19th century style of its time. It was among the earliest buildings to have elevators, centralized steam heat, and combination gas and electric lights. Classical pilasters and oak paneling are used throughout the building. The floors of the interior are made of marble.

The Capitol building has undergone frequent renovations to adapt to the growth and change of government. Originally constructed from terra cotta and covered with tin, in a 1958 renovation the present dome was gilded with native gold leaf. For this reason, legislative business is often referred to as what is happening "under the gold dome" by media across the state. The statue “Miss Freedom” has adorned the dome since the building's opening.

“Miss Freedom”, sometimes referred to as Goddess of Liberty, was commissioned in 1884. The hollow copper statue is painted white, weighs over 1600 lbs and is over 26 feet tall. She was sculpted with a torch in her right hand and a sword in her left. The torch is a functioning Mercury vapor lamp, casting a blue-green light at night.

This postcard came from Denise L. (13 Aug 2014) Direct Swap Postcrossing. Interestingly the State Flag (1956-2001) shown on the postcard is an old one. There has since been two more changes of the State Flag.

 

SW CB-183a Kansas State Capitol

The Kansas State Capitol, known also as the Kansas Statehouse, is the building housing the executive and legislative branches of government for the state of Kansas. It is located in Topeka, capital of Kansas. It is the second building to serve as the Kansas Capitol and was built 1866-1903.

The dome is 304 ft (93 m) high with a diameter of 50 ft (15 m). It is one of the few capitols in the United States that continues to offer tours that go to the top of the dome. Visitors enter the dome by climbing 296 steps leading from the fifth floor to the top.[

Also shown on this postcard is the famous painted mural “The Settlement of Kansas” on the second floor of the Capitol.  It was painted by John Steuart Curry in the 1930s and depicts an an oversized and raging John Brown wedged between flames and a tornado.

The other inset on the left depicts the 22’ 2” (6.8 m) statue “Ad Astra” which sits on top of the dome of the Capitol.  “Ad Astra” means “To the stars thru difficulties”.

 This postcard (and a state map postcard) were sent by Barbara S. (9 July 2014) Swap-bot.