Wisconsin State Capital

Wisconsin has one of the best capitals in the nation. I have not visited everyone of the 50 state capitals, but I have been to a fair number and Wisconsin is one of the best. The architecture of the capital, the marble, the art work, and just plain beauty of the Wisconsin Capital is hard to beat. The Wisconsin Capital is located in Madison Wisconsin in the center of the Madison Isthmus between two of Madison's lakes. Luckily by Madison law, no Madison building can be built in Madison that is higher than the capital. This law guaranties the capital will be more visible than some of the other state capitals that are located in major cities with tall buildings.

The Wisconsin Capital building is open daily from 8 am to 6 pm, except for weekends and holidays, then closes at 4 pm. There are tours daily six times a day Monday through Saturday and three times on Sunday. The tours last less than an hour and are very informational. If you have any time in Madison, just walking around the Capital building is worth the time.

The Senate Chamber, Assembly Chamber, Supreme Court and many other rooms are open to the public. When they are in session, there are some restrictions.

Walking around each floor is like walking around an art museum. Many of the rooms have murals on the walls that display different times in Wisconsin history.

Wisconsin achieved territorial status in 1836 and then Governor Henry Dodge selected Belmont Wisconsin as the Capital. The first Wisconsin legislators met at the end of 1836 and after stormy 46 day session, they chose Madison as the permanent capital. Wisconsin became a state in 1848. The first capitol begin construction in 1837. It was just a red-brick building with a tin dome and poorly constructed. The legislature decided in 1857 to expand the state capital.

The first expansion was completed in 1869. Two additional wings were added in 1882. Then in 1904 fire destroyed the interior of the Wisconsin's first capital building. Wisconsin did not have insurance because they wanted to start their own insurance fund.

With limited funds, the capital was to be built a wing at a time. Construction of the current capital building started with the West wing in 1906. The East wing was started in 1908, the South wing in 1909, the central portion in 1910 and the North wing in 1914. Construction was completed in 1917.

Marble for the construction of the Capital came from all around the world. The exterior white marble came from Vermont. Some of the interior's colored marble came from Italy, Africa, Norway, Germany and from Greece. Other interior's colored marble came from Tennessee, Missouri, Tennessee, Maryland, Vermont and New York. Some of the granite used in construction came from parts of Wisconsin. All the different marble types makes the Wisconsin Capital one of the most beautiful public buildings in America said the 1917 Architectural Record. I would still have to agree, but being from Wisconsin, I may be a little bit predigest.

The Wisconsin State Capital is the center of many activities in Madison. In the summertime on every Saturday there is one of the best Farmer's Markets in the nation around the Capital square. In July there is a one of the Midwest's largest Art Fairs around the Capital square. Cows on the concourse, and other events take place around the Wisconsin State Capital.

For more information and a virtual tour of the Wisconsin State Capital, visit: http://www.wisconsin.gov/state/capfacts/tour_select.html