First Minnesota State Capitol

Last updated
First Minnesota State Capitol, 1853-1872. 1stMNstatecapitol-1860.jpg
First Minnesota State Capitol, 1853–1872.

The first state capitol building was completed in 1853 and served as the seat of Minnesota's territorial and early state government until it burned in 1881.

Minnesota Territory was created when Congress passed the Organic Act of 1849 which gave the president of the United States power to appoint a territorial governor, secretary, chief justice, and other officials; called for the election of a nine-member council and an eighteen-member House of Representatives; and provided for a temporary seat of government in St. Paul until a capital city could be determined. Congress approved $20,000 to erect government buildings in the new capital. [1]

The territorial legislature set up a temporary headquarters in the Central House Hotel in September 1849 and continued to meet in nonpermanent locations during the next three sessions. It wasn't until the second session that lawmakers turned their attention to the question of a permanent seat of government. The territorial government accepted an offer from Charles and Annie J. Bazille of a building site bounded by Tenth, Wabasha, Exchange, and Cedar Streets for the token price of one dollar. [1]

In 1851, work began to oversee finances and the hiring of contractors to build the Capitol. [2]

Its architect, N. C. Prentiss drew up specifications for the new Capitol that included digging a foundation measuring 125 feet by 65 feet and a stone foundation 4 feet high by 3 feet thick. Exterior details included brick work, cut stone floors and steps for the porches, a wood pediment, wood Ionic-style columns, and a well-framed roof covered with fireproof material. Interior work called for Norway pine flooring and staircases of oak and ash with oak handrails and turned balusters. The plan for the House of Representatives featured a viewing gallery on three sides of the chamber supported by columns. The specifications required the contractors to complete the work in a "good, substantial, workmanlike manner." [1]

The legislature moved into the new Capitol in time for the 5th territorial legislative session on January 4, 1854.

First Minnesota Capitol building, expanded. ca. 1873 First Minnesota Capitol building, ca. 1873.jpg
First Minnesota Capitol building, expanded. ca. 1873

As more people moved to the territory, the number of lawmakers needed to represent them grew. On May 11, 1858, Minnesota becomes the thirty-second state to enter the union. The population boomed when Minnesota became a state, and the small Capitol building needed improvements. Gas lighting replaced candles in 1867. Four years later, steam heat replaced wood-burning stoves and new plumbing brought city water into the building. Architect Abraham Radcliffe was hired to expand the Capitol with a new wing on the Exchange Street side of the building in 1873 and a second wing facing Wabasha Street in 1878. It was redesigned in the Italianate style popular at the time. [1]

Despite efforts to make the Capitol fire-resistant, the threat of fire remained a concern. During repairs conducted a few days before the Minnesota Constitutional Convention in July 1857, a fire started on the west side of the cupola. There was little damage to the building, but the fire consumed some of the Minnesota Historical Society's collections stored there. While legislators met on the evening of March 1, 1881, another fire broke out in the dome of the capitol and quickly spread. Legislators and nearby residents rescued furniture, many important documents, and historical collections. No lives were lost, but efforts to save the building failed. Newspapers estimated the total loss at $180,000. [3]

The newly completed Market House at Seventh and Wabasha Streets became the temporary home of state government the following day. The building housed government offices until the opening of a new state capitol in 1883. [1]

See also

Related Research Articles

Minnesota Senate Upper house of the Minnesota legislature

The Minnesota Senate is the upper house of the Legislature of the U.S. state of Minnesota. At 67 members, half as many as the Minnesota House of Representatives, it is the largest upper house of any U.S. state legislature. Floor sessions are held in the west wing of the State Capitol in Saint Paul. Committee hearings, as well as offices for senators and staff, are located north of the State Capitol in the Minnesota Senate Building. Each member of the Minnesota Senate represents approximately 80,000 constituents.

Wisconsin State Capitol State capitol building of the U.S. state of Wisconsin

The Wisconsin State Capitol, located in Madison, Wisconsin, houses both chambers of the Wisconsin legislature along with the Wisconsin Supreme Court and the Office of the Governor. Completed in 1917, the building is the fifth to serve as the Wisconsin capitol since the first territorial legislature convened in 1836 and the third building since Wisconsin was granted statehood in 1848. The Wisconsin State Capitol is the tallest building in Madison, a distinction that has been preserved by legislation that prohibits buildings taller than the columns surrounding the dome. The Capitol is located at the southwestern end of the Madison Isthmus. The streets surrounding the building form the Capitol Square, which is home to many restaurants and shops.

Minnesota Legislature Legislative branch of the state government of Minnesota

The Minnesota Legislature is the bicameral legislature of the U.S. state of Minnesota consisting of two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives. Senators are elected from 67 single-member districts. In order to account for decennial redistricting, members run for one two-year term and two four-year terms each decade. They are elected for four-year terms in years ending in 2 and 6, and for two-year terms in years ending in 0. Representatives are elected for two-year terms from 134 single-member districts formed by dividing the 67 senate districts in half. It is the only state legislature in the country to be split, with the Republicans controlling the state Senate and the Democrats controlling the state House.

Minnesota State Capitol State capitol building of the U.S. state of Minnesota

The Minnesota State Capitol is the seat of government for the U.S. state of Minnesota, in its capital city of Saint Paul. It houses the Minnesota Senate, Minnesota House of Representatives, the office of the Attorney General and the office of the Governor. The building also includes a chamber for the Minnesota Supreme Court, although court activities usually take place in the neighboring Minnesota Judicial Center.

Wyoming State Capitol State capitol building of the U.S. state of Wyoming

The Wyoming State Capitol is the state capitol and seat of government of the U.S. state of Wyoming. Built between 1886 and 1890, the capitol is located in Cheyenne and contains the chambers of the Wyoming State Legislature as well as the office of the Governor of Wyoming. It was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1987. The Capitol underwent an extensive three-year renovation and reopened to the public on July 10, 2019.

Iowa State Capitol State capitol building of the U.S. state of Iowa

The Iowa State Capitol, commonly called the Iowa Statehouse, is in Iowa's capital city, Des Moines. As the seat of the Iowa General Assembly, the building 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, although court activities usually take place in the neighboring Iowa Supreme Court building. The building was constructed between 1871 and 1886, and is the only five-domed capitol in the country.

Oklahoma State Capitol State capitol building of the U.S. state of Oklahoma

The Oklahoma State Capitol is the house of government of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It is the building that houses the Oklahoma Legislature and executive branch offices. It is located along Lincoln Boulevard in Oklahoma City and contains 452,508 square feet of floor area. The present structure includes a dome completed in 2002.

New Mexico State Capitol State capitol building of the U.S. state of New Mexico

The New Mexico State Capitol, located in Santa Fe at 490 Old Santa Fe Trail, is the seat of government of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the only round state capitol in the United States, and is known informally as "the Roundhouse".

Alabama State Capitol State capitol building of the U.S. state of Alabama

The Alabama State Capitol, listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the First Confederate Capitol, is the state capitol building for Alabama. Located on Capitol Hill, originally Goat Hill, in Montgomery, it was declared a National Historic Landmark on December 19, 1960. Unlike every other state capitol, the Alabama Legislature does not meet there, but at the Alabama State House. The Capitol has the governor's office and otherwise functions as a museum.

Illinois State Capitol State capitol building of the U.S. state of Illinois

The Illinois State Capitol, located in Springfield, Illinois, houses the legislative and executive branches of the government of the U.S. state of Illinois. The current building is the sixth to serve as the capitol building since Illinois was admitted to the United States in 1818. Built in the architectural styles of the French Renaissance and Italianate, it was designed by Cochrane and Garnsey, an architecture and design firm based in Chicago. Ground was broken for the new capitol on March 11, 1868, and the building was completed twenty years later for a total cost of $4.5 million.

Maine State House State capitol building of the U.S. state of Maine

The Maine State House in Augusta, Maine, is the state capitol of the State of Maine. The building was completed in 1832, one year after Augusta became the capital of Maine. Built using Maine granite, the State House was based on the design of the Massachusetts State House.

Idaho State Capitol State capitol building of the U.S. state of Idaho

The Idaho State Capitol in Boise is the home of the government of the U.S. state of Idaho. Although Lewiston briefly served as Idaho's capital from the formation of Idaho Territory in 1863, the territorial legislature moved it to Boise on December 24, 1864.

North Dakota State Capitol State capitol building of the U.S. state of North Dakota

The North Dakota State Capitol is the house of government of the U.S. state of North Dakota. The capitol, a 21-story Art Deco tower, is located in Bismarck at 600 East Boulevard Avenue, and is the tallest habitable building in the state. On a 160-acre (0.6 km2) campus that also houses many other government buildings, the capitol building and the surrounding office buildings house the state's legislative and judicial branches, as well as many government agencies.

Oregon State Capitol State capitol building of the U.S. state of Oregon

The Oregon State Capitol is the building housing the state legislature and the offices of the governor, secretary of state, and treasurer of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located in the state capital, Salem. Constructed from 1936 to 1938 and expanded in 1977, the current building is the third to house the Oregon state government in Salem. The first two capitols in Salem were destroyed by fire, one in 1855 and the other in 1935.

Michigan State Capitol State capitol building of the U.S. state of Michigan

The Michigan State Capitol is the building that houses the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is in the portion of the state capital of Lansing which lies in Ingham County. The present structure, at the intersection of Capitol and Michigan Avenues, is a National Historic Landmark that 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.

First Capitol Historic Site (Wisconsin) United States historic place

First Capitol Historic Site is a free-admission historic museum located outside Belmont, Wisconsin, United States. The museum includes two of the buildings first used by legislators to meet in Wisconsin Territory. Currently owned and operated by the Wisconsin Historical Society, the site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

First Territorial Capitol of Kansas United States historic place

The First Territorial Capitol of Kansas is the sole remaining building of the ghost town of Pawnee, Kansas. The city served as the capital of the Kansas Territory for five days before it was moved to present day Fairway, Kansas, and the town became part of neighboring Fort Riley. The building was the meeting place for the first elected Territorial Legislature in 1855. After falling into disrepair, the structure was restored in 1928 and today it serves as a history museum operated by the Kansas Historical Society and supported through The Partners of the First Territorial Capitol.

LeRoy Buffington American architect (1848–1931)

LeRoy Sunderland Buffington (1847–1931) was an American architect from Minnesota who specialized in hotels, public and commercial buildings, churches, and residences. He was born September 22, 1847, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He studied architecture and engineering at the University of Cincinnati and graduated in 1869. He later moved to Saint Paul, becoming a partner of Abraham Radcliffe, and worked on the remodeling of the original Minnesota State Capitol. After the first capitol burned down, Buffington designed a replacement that served as the State House until 1904. In 1881 he claimed to have invented the method of building skyscrapers using load-bearing iron frames. He applied for a patent in November 1887 and received it in May 1888. Even though many subsequent builders used this method of construction, Buffington was mostly unsuccessful in collecting royalties from his patent. Buffington remained in private practice in Minneapolis until his death on February 15, 1931.

Second Minnesota State Capitol

After fire destroyed Minnesota's first capitol building on March 1, 1881, the second capitol, completed in 1883, served as the seat of Minnesota state government for just 10 years before state officials began planning a grander, more efficient Capitol. The second Capitol building stood on the site of the first Capitol for 55 years until its demolition in 1937.

Minnesota State Capitol construction Construction of the Minnesota State Capitol

From 1896 to 1907, dozens of companies and hundreds of workers participated in the Minnesota State Capitol construction in Saint Paul.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Cameron, Linda A. (September 6, 2017). "Minnesota's First State Capitol". MNOpedia. Retrieved 2021-02-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) CC-BY icon.svg Material was copied from this source, which is available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported. License.
  2. ↑ "Appendix. Minnesota Territorial Statutes". Minnesota Legislature. 1851. Retrieved 2021-02-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ↑ "Destroyed by Fire. The Capitol in Flames and Laid in Ruins". Princeton Union. March 10, 1881 – via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.

Coordinates: 44°56′59″N93°05′51″W / 44.9496°N 93.0976°W / 44.9496; -93.0976

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.