Welcome Senate Chamber

Welcome to the Wyoming Capitol. The Wyoming The Senate Chamber is located in the West wing Legislature’s Chambers are historical and dynamic of the Capitol. This portion of the building was works of art. Every detail within the Chambers are completed in 1917. There are 30 senators elected The Wyoming designed to recognize and promote the solemnity to serve in the Wyoming Legislature. Senators are and significance of the legislative process. The elected to four-year terms. To be eligible to run Chambers are a sacred place, which reinforce the Legislative for the Senate, a person must be at least 25 years significance of the work of the Wyoming Legislature old, must have resided within the district they as it deliberates impacts of changes to the laws of represent for at least one year prior to the Chambers Wyoming upon her residents. The Senate and election, and must be a United States citizen. House of Representatives Chambers include many interesting features: House Chamber • The new desks that were recently commissioned by the Legislature. The House of Representatives Chamber is located in the East wing of the Capitol. This wing was • The stained glass in the ceilings of the also completed in 1917. The Wyoming Legislature Chambers. has 60 representatives who serve for two-year • The art and murals in the House and terms. To serve in the House, a person must be Senate Chambers. at least 21 years old, must reside within the Again, welcome to the Wyoming State Legislature district for at least one year prior to the election, and enjoy the unique opportunity you have today and must be a United States citizen. to tour our State Capitol.

Designed By: Capitol Information Service State of Wyoming Looking from the Senate Balcony into the Wyoming Senate Chamber Dept. of Administration & Information General Services Division

Information about the desks, Published By: Wyoming Legislative Service Office 213 State Capitol Building Cheyenne, WY 82002 stained glass, and artwork (307) 777-7881 http://legisweb.state.wy.us located in th e Chambers of the Wyoming Senate Looking from the House Balcony into the and House of Representatives Wyoming House of Representatives Chamber The Desks wainscoting. Over 6,000 board feet of wood were The Artwork needed to construct the desks. Each desk has over The desks in the Chambers represent not only the 120 separate pieces and required over 360 The Chambers each feature murals painted by Allen location for legislative floor deliberation, but also machining operations. The desks were constructed True in 1917. According to historical documents each legislator’s individual workstation. Other than in 12 weeks with 5,000 man-hours. from Wyoming State Archives, the murals represent some members of legislative leadership, Wyoming The granite desktops were quarried by Raven various themes in Wyoming’s history. Senate pieces legislators do not have office space in the Capitol or Quarries of Wheatland at their quarry in northeast include “Indian Chief Cheyenne,” “Frontier Cavalry within the Capitol Complex. Legislators work at Albany County. Strid Marble and Granite Company Officers,” “Pony Express Rider” and “Railroad their desks in the Senate and House Chambers in Cheyenne Builders-Surveyors.” In the House Chambers, during legislative sessions. cut the slabs True’s works include, “Cattlemen,” “Trappers,” “Homesteaders” and “Stagecoach.” The Wyoming Legislature appropriated $300,000 and Buffalo during the 2001 General Session from the General Stone, Inc. in The Chambers also feature original oil paintings by Fund to replace the legislative desks in the House Sheridan E.W. “Bill” Gollings of Sheridan. Two Gollings oils and Senate Chambers. In the legislation assembled hang in each Chamber. In the Senate Chamber, appropriating the funds for the construction of the and finished works include, “Smoke Signal” and “Wagon Box new desks, the the tops. Fight.” The House Chamber includes “Overland Legislature Stage” and “Emigrants on the Platte.” The desks in Legislator’s Desk in the Senate Chamber specified, “The the Senate furnishings shall Chamber feature a black desktop called Raven The Stained Glass be designed to Black. The desks in the House Chamber feature accommodate mottled brown, green, black and salmon tops called The stained glass ceilings in each Chamber the functional Raven Mirage. After being blasted out of the quarry highlight the Wyoming State Seal. Total restoration and in the late fall of 2001, the granite was cut into of the stained glass ceilings above the House and technological slabs and then further cut to the dimensions of the Senate chambers was completed in mid-2004 by Legislator’s Desk in the House of Representatives needs of the desktops. Each of the desktops passed through an First Glass Images of Cheyenne. The project took Legislature, but shall also aesthetically complement 11-step polishing and finishing process. The three years and each panel was taken apart, the historic architecture of the Chambers.” desktops required more than 1,800 man-hours to cleaned, and re-leaded. There were more than The Wyoming Legislature’s Select Committee on complete. 20,000 individual pieces of glass in all. Legislative Facilities steered the project through all The desks were not only designed to complement phases of the design and construction process. The the historic décor of the Chambers, but also to allow desks were designed and built by Wyoming legislators to work efficiently with all of the companies. conveniences of the 21st Century. The desks The Legislature hired The Design Studio from include task lighting, electrical outlets, a phone Cheyenne to design the desks, develop layout outlet, and a data line. In addition, the desks in the options for the Chambers, prepare millwork and Senate include a microphone system. granite bids, and coordinate the completion and Delivery of the desks to the Capitol began in installation of the desks in the Chambers. January 2002. The desks were installed in time for The desks were built by Eggli Bros. Millwork, Inc. in the opening of the 2002 Budget Session of the 56th Lander, Wyoming. The desks are crafted from Wyoming Legislature in February 2002. quarter-sawn white oak to match each Chamber’s Stained Glass Ceiling Above the Senate Chamber