Capitol Recaps

The Legislative Hall in Dover is a red brick, Colonial style building with white windows and a two tiered Cupola or bell tower on top of it.  It has a grand (split) staircase visible from the entrance with stained wooden steps and railings (another first) and painted to match the rest of the interior. From the moment I walked in, I was stepping back in time, especially when I entered the House and Senate Chambers.  […]

The New Jersey State House looks like a government building with its Romanesque columns, balconies and sculpted stone and less like a traditional capitol than the other ones so far. Also unusual was its narrow streets in the center of downtown and its street level entrance.   (I couldn’t even get back far enough to see the dome on top!) This is one of the oldest capitol buildings in use today and security was so […]

The Connecticut State Capitol could be easily seen from the highway/exit ramp off of Interstate 84.  It had a faint resemblance to the one in New York and a cross between a medieval castle and the Vatican from a distance. The grounds were even more impressive as I got close to the marble and granite building with stained glass windows, only eclipsed by the helpfulness of capitol police officers Scott Driscoll and Jan Horan.   […]

The drive to Providence was the shortest distance between any two capitols: only 50 miles.  On top of a Smith Hill, the Rhode Island State House is visible from Interstate 95 and was easy to find. Besides the warm greeting that I received from the capitol policeman through a door left open to take advantage of the warm breeze, the things that stood out most were the marble staircases, balconies and Roman columns and a […]

The drive to Boston was relatively short and my goal was to get to three capitols today (because they were close together), so I started in New Hampshire early and got here by noon.  (Having practiced at this capitol earlier in the year and previously made it easier.)  Located in the heart of the city and across from the Boston Commons, this capitol building is very unique with a black rod iron fence, and capped […]

There was a sense of patriotism as soon as I got to Concord, starting at the gas station and when I learned that state moto is: Live Free or Die.  I even met a couple at the Marriott Courtyard; Glenn and Linda were glad to meet someone who was doing something so patriotic and spiritual and insisted on praying for me.  Located in a downtown, neighborly setting on its own city block (2.6 acres), it […]

The drive to Augusta, Maine was a bit circuitous with no direct route, but was easier being done mid-day.  As I drove past the front of their capitol building, I noticed it was on a hill and the main entrance was toward the back, adjacent to the Legislative Library. From the moment I walked in to the Maine State House, I ran into some very helpful and professional staffers who offered direction, tours and answers.  […]

By the time that I got to the capitol building in Vermont with its large gold dome, I felt like a beaten warrior.  But my energy was revived when I looked up an old friend who now works across the street at the Secretary of State’s office. Michelle Bean’s words of encouragement and reflection gave me new energy as she toured me around the capitol and we admired historical and patriotic items on display, including […]

When I arrived in Albany, it was right around 4:00 p.m.  The good news was that parking was plentiful but unfortunately, the capitol was emptying out since it was quitting time and a building loses a lot of energy without many people around. The New York State Capitol is castle-like and something you’d expect to see in Europe. Its grand, stately architecture was even more obvious when one very helpful woman guided to me to […]

Wow, my first capitol was just as I had hoped…and even better! Joined by my sister (Jolly) and brother (Joe) at the Pennsylvania State Capitol, I had a warm greeting by Capitol Policeman Rick Smith and found references to what I was looking for even before I entered. On a concrete bench to the right of the front door, it reads: “May God Preserve the Constitution and the Union” and there is an incredible statue […]