Walking Tour Brochure: Idaho State Capitol Commission
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resident Abraham TERRITORIAL works to enact or execute laws. PLincoln signed the act BEGINNINGS The legislative branch makes creating Idaho Territory in the laws; they might make new 1863. The territorial capital contracts, and approve archi- or change old laws. The moved from Lewiston to Boise tectural plans for Idaho’s State legislature is comprised of in 1865. In 1886, at a cost Capitol. The commission senators and representatives. of $80,000, the Territorial was responsible for The judicial branch interprets Capitol building was acquiring the site and laws and settles disputes. The completed. The overseeing construction trial and appeals courts Norman-style building of the building. interpret laws in criminal and was made of red brick, civil trials. The Supreme Court had five floors, and had Idaho’s Constitution of Idaho is the state’s highest no indoor plumbing. gives our state three court. The Territorial Capitol branches of was razed for government. Idaho’s Territorial Capitol ISHS 76-138.18; Lincoln, ISHS 477-c,; seal, ISHS 63-5.18b construction of the east For many wing of the new State years, all three Capitol. had offices in the Capitol. Idaho became the 43rd The executive state in the Union in 1890; branch carries out the President Benjamin Harrison laws. With seven was in office at the time. In elected officers, 1905 the Idaho State Legislature including the created the Capitol Building Governor, and Commission with the power to seventeen depart- issue bonds, negotiate and sign ments, this branch ISHS 76-114.9 he design, acquisition of CONSTRUCTION Tmaterials, and construction OF OUR of Idaho’s capitol was STATE CAPITOL conducted over a 15-year period. The first phase of included the central portion of construction began in 1905 and the State Capitol and the dome. ISHS 2347 Described by architect J. E. Tourtellotte as neoclassic, it is patterned after the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. When the central section and dome were completed in 1912, Tourtellotte and Charles Hummel of Boise were J. E. Tourtellotte surveys the city ISHS 187-47 from the State Capitol. ISHS 60-52.204 contracted to design the wings for the building. Construction on the wings began in 1919 and was completed in 1920. The Central School building was demolished to make way for the west wing, much as the Territorial Capitol building was razed for construction of the east wing. A SOLID FOUNDATION he building’s deep Tfoundation rests upon river gravel more than 15 feet below ground. The concrete founda- tion holds a granite base which was shipped from Vermont. Barre (pronounced berry) granite has large grain, is hard, and has a notable salt-and- pepper appearance. Native sandstone from nearby Table Rock is the material used for most of the superstructure. Sandstone blocks weighing up to ten tons were transported by Idaho Penitentiary Above: gang saw convicts from the cutting stone for the state-owned Table central portion of the Rock quarry. Capitol building. Right: Nick Sionis These tools belonged and his State Capitol to a mason who construction crew, worked on the State 1904-1905. Capitol. MARBLE cost and weight. An imitation AND SCAGLIOLA form of the stone came into use. This special art was crafted for our different types of the Capitol’s columns by an Fmarble were used in Italian family who traveled to creating the interior of Idaho’s Idaho from New York. In 1976, State Capitol. The red marble the pillars were repaired by is from Georgia, while the black drilling holes and injecting a you see is Italian marble. The liquid adhesive. A polyure- green swirled marble thane finish was then applied decorating the walls is from to the surface for protection. Vermont, and the grey marble comes from Alaska. You may The sixty-foot-high columns are be surprised to learn the pillars adorned with Corinthian are not made of marble at all! capitals featuring acanthus Rather they are composed of leaves. Doric and Ionic scagliola (pronounced columns are also found skalyola)—a mixture of throughout the building. The gypsum and glue, marble dust three styles represent different and granite dyed to look like time periods of Greek marble. Scagliola came from a architecture. special plastering art which originated in Italy during the sixteenth century. Polished marble was popular for building interiors; however, it was inconvenient to use due to Doric Ionic here are many impressive • Step into the center of the 1ST FLOOR Tfeatures to be seen on the rotunda on the ground floor, first floor of the State Capitol, and look upward to view the such as the symbolic sundial. Bunker Hill Mining Company breathtaking interior of the Designed and donated by Gys in northern Idaho. dome. Look down to see the Jansen van Beek, the sundial compass rose beneath your symbolizes Idaho’s abundance • Displays located in the east feet. of natural resources and its and west wings of the first floor major industries. highlight the diversity of the • The office of the State state and the talents of its Treasurer is in the east wing. • The statue of a miner, entitled people. An original vault containing a “The Patriot,” was large safe made by sculpted with a the Manganese Steel welding torch by Safe Co. of New miner Kenneth York is still in use. Lonn of the Silver Legislative Services Valley. It is dedi- also occupies office cated to the men space in the east and women of wing. The Division Idaho’s mining of Financial industry in memory Management of the 91 miners occupies offices who lost their lives located in the west in the 1972 wing. Sunshine Mine disaster. The statue is on loan from the ISHS 74-3.155 fter walking up the stairs, gifts to the capital cities in the 2ND FLOOR Ayou will see an equestrian United States. The “Merci statue of George Washington. Train” gifts were a gesture of This beautiful statue, crafted by island of Samothrace in the thanks to the U.S. from France German immigrant Charles Aegean Sea in 1863 and is following World War II. Ostner, was carved from pine. estimated to have been Idaho’s “Merci Train” gifts According to popular folklore, sculpted around 300 B.C. It were distributed among the it took Ostner four years to now stands in the Louvre in state’s 44 counties. The boxcar carve the figure using a Paris, France. In 1949, France itself is on exhibit at the Old postage-stamp likeness of sent 49 box cars laden with Idaho Penitentiary. ISHS 138 Washington as reference. The statue was painted bronze and presented to the Territory of Idaho in 1869. It stood on display on the Capitol grounds until 1934 when it was brought inside to prevent further weather damage. It was refinished, covered with gold leaf, and placed in its glass case in 1966. Moving around the rotunda, you will see a replica of the “Winged Victory of Samothrace.” The original The George Washington statue dedication is shown in this drawing by marble statue was found on the Charles Ostner, in the white hat at right below the statue. he Governor’s suite of of offices. These offices were 2ND FLOOR Toffices is located in the west used by the Idaho Supreme wing on the second floor of the Court until the new Supreme State Capitol. The Governor’s The Lieutenant Governor’s Court building and library official portrait may be seen office is located in the west were built in 1970. A devastat- here. A portrait gallery of all wing opposite the Governor’s ing fire occurred in this portion previous governors of the state office. Flags flown by the First of the Capitol on January 1, is displayed in the hallway Regiment Idaho Infantry in the 1992. Nearly all of the outside the offices. Philippines during the Spanish Attorney General’s suite was American War are presented in destroyed. Restoration of the Notice the display on the wall this office. The flag with the offices took two and a half opposite the offices. blue background and years. Great attention was It holds flags repre- a seal similar to our given to reproducing all of the senting Idaho state’s was designed building elements with regiments in France by these soldiers and historical accuracy. Mahogany during World War I. was the inspiration woodwork Each flag was carried for the Idaho flag. and decora- in a different offen- tive plaster sive. Also on this The office of the cornices are side of the hall is a display Secretary of State is in the present containing a setting of the east wing. The “official throughout Governor’s official china. All copy” of the Great Seal of the the struc- 26 place settings of the china, State of Idaho is kept in the ture. silver, and crystal were donated reception area. to the state by various groups Exterior and individuals. The second floor also houses damage from the Attorney General’s suite State Historic Preservation Office, Idaho State Historical Society the 1992 fire. n the third floor of the minute news during the 3RD FLOOR OState Capitol are the legislative session. The legislative chambers, the Senate Information Center also in the west wing and the House terms. The legislature is in oversees distribution of of Representatives in the east session three months each year. information from the public to wing. Committee rooms and the legislators. Pages work offices surround each chamber. The large room on the north from this location. side of the rotunda once The House has 70 members housed the Idaho Supreme The first women were elected to and the Senate has 35 members.