North Carolina State Capitol

Last updated

North Carolina State Capitol
2015 North Carolina State Capitol.JPG
USA North Carolina location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
North Carolina State Capitol
Interactive map showing North Carolina State Capitol's location
Location1 E Edenton St, Raleigh, North Carolina
Coordinates 35°46′49.3″N78°38′20.8″W / 35.780361°N 78.639111°W / 35.780361; -78.639111
Built1833
ArchitectMultiple
Architectural styleGreek Revival
Part of Capitol Area Historic District (ID78001978)
NRHP reference No. 70000476
Significant dates
Added to NRHPFebruary 26, 1970 [1]
Designated NHLNovember 6, 1973 [2]
Designated CPApril 15, 1978

The North Carolina State Capitol is the former seat of the legislature of the U.S. state of North Carolina which housed all of the state's government until 1888. The Supreme Court and State Library moved into a separate building in 1888, and the General Assembly moved into the State Legislative Building in 1963. Today, the governor and his immediate staff occupy offices on the first floor of the Capitol.

Contents

History

The building was built following the destruction by fire of the first North Carolina State House in 1831, [3] and today houses the offices of the Governor of North Carolina. It is located in the state capital of Raleigh on Union Square at One East Edenton Street. The cornerstone of the Greek Revival building was laid with Masonic honors by the Grand Master of North Carolina Masons Simmons Jones Baker on July 4, 1833. [4] Construction was completed in 1840. [5] It was designed primarily by the architectural firm of Ithiel Town and Alexander Jackson Davis. Often credited solely to that team, the design of the capitol was actually the result of a sequence of work by William Nichols Sr. and his son William Nichols Jr., Town and Davis, and then David Paton. [6] The Capitol housed the entire state government until 1888, and the North Carolina General Assembly met in the capitol building until 1961. The Grand Lodge of North Carolina laid a second cornerstone on the centenary of the first on July 4, 1933. [7] The legislature relocated to its current location in the North Carolina State Legislative Building in 1963. The North Carolina Supreme Court has also convened in the building in the past, most recently meeting in the capitol's senate chamber in 2005 while the Supreme Court Building was undergoing renovations. The Governor and the governor's immediate staff has continued to occupy offices in the building. [8] The Capitol remains largely unaltered from its 1840 state. Only three rooms have been significantly altered through remodeling: the two committee rooms in the east and west wings of the second floor, which were divided horizontally to provide space for restrooms, and the office in the east wing of the first floor, part of which had to be cut away to permit space for an elevator to be installed in 1951. [9] The Capitol was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1973 and the building is located in the Capitol Area Historic District. [2] [10]

The first assembly to meet in this building was the 63rd North Carolina General Assembly of 1840–1841 on November 16, 1840. The last assembly to meet in this building was the 124th North Carolina General Assembly of 1961, which met from February 8 to June 22, 1961. [11]

Following the heated protests for racial equality of 2020, Governor Roy Cooper ordered the removal of the largest Confederate statue on the State Capitol Grounds. [12]

The 2021 state budget included $10 million to repair the roof, including the dome. Replacement of the roof is planned for 2023. [13]

North Carolina legislature buildings

The North Carolina General Assembly may have initially met in Tryon Palace after being vacated by the British in 1776. The assembly met in various locations until a building dedicated for use by the state government was completed in 1794 in Raleigh. This building was destroyed by fire in 1831. The North Carolina State Capitol building was the home to the assembly from 1840 to 1961. [11]

NameFirst Occupied (Assembly)Last Occupied (Assembly)Picture
Tryon Palace 1777 (1st)1777
Tryon Palace Tryon Palace.JPG
Tryon Palace
North Carolina State House 1794 (19th)1810 (35th)
North Carolina State House North Carolina State House watercolor by Glennie.jpg
North Carolina State House
Renovated North Carolina State House1811 (36th)1831 (55th)
Renovated North Carolina State House North Carolina State House - William Goodacre.jpg
Renovated North Carolina State House
North Carolina State Capitol1840 (63rd)1961 (124th)
North Carolina State Capitol North Carolina State Capitol, Raleigh.jpg
North Carolina State Capitol
North Carolina State Legislative Building 1963 (125th)still in use
North Carolina State Legislative Building T-73-2-1LegBldgbyClayNolan (8271463337).jpg
North Carolina State Legislative Building

Images of the North Carolina State Capitol building

In the rotunda is a statue of George Washington. The rotunda statue is a replica of the original statue by Antonio Canova, which was destroyed by a fire in 1831. A bust of the 29th Governor of North Carolina (18411845), John Motley Morehead, sits inside the capitol. A statue of George Washington is on the south side of the capitol. On the east side of the capitol sits a statue of the three Presidents of the United States from North Carolina: James Knox Polk of Mecklenburg County, Andrew Jackson of Union County sitting on horse, and Andrew Johnson of Wake County. The grounds of the capitol also include statues honoring women of the Confederacy, veterans of the Civil War and Viet Nam War. [14]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Governor of North Carolina</span> Head of government of the U.S. state of North Carolina

The governor of North Carolina is the head of government of the U.S. state of North Carolina. Seventy-five people have held the office since its inception in 1776. The governor serves a term of four years and chairs the collective body of the state's elected executive officials, the Council of State. The governor's powers and responsibilities are prescribed by the state constitution and by law. They serve as the North Carolina's chief executive and are tasked by the constitution with faithfully carrying out the laws of the state. They are ex officio commander in chief of the North Carolina National Guard and director of the state budget. The office has extensive powers of appointment of executive branch officials, some judges, and members of boards and commissions. Governors are also empowered to grant pardons and veto legislation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Carolina General Assembly</span> Legislative branch of the state government of North Carolina

The North Carolina General Assembly is the bicameral legislature of the state government of North Carolina. The legislature consists of two chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives. The General Assembly meets in the North Carolina State Legislative Building in Raleigh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Motley Morehead</span> American politician (1796–1866)

John Motley Morehead was an American lawyer and politician who became the 29th governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina. He became known as "the Father of Modern North Carolina."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wisconsin State Capitol</span> 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgia State Capitol</span> State capitol building of the U.S. state of Georgia

The Georgia State Capitol is an architecturally and historically significant building in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The building has been named a National Historic Landmark which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. As the primary office building of Georgia's government, the capitol houses the offices of the governor, lieutenant governor, and secretary of state on the second floor, chambers in which the General Assembly, consisting of the Georgia State Senate and Georgia House of Representatives, meets annually from January to April. The fourth floor houses visitors' galleries overlooking the legislative chambers and a museum located near the rotunda in which a statue of Miss Freedom caps the dome.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virginia State Capitol</span> State capitol building of the U.S. state of Virginia

The Virginia State Capitol is the seat of state government of the Commonwealth of Virginia, located in Richmond, the state capital. It houses the oldest elected legislative body in North America, the Virginia General Assembly, first established as the House of Burgesses in 1619.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhode Island State House</span> State capitol building of the U.S. state of Rhode Island

The Rhode Island State House, the capitol of the state of Rhode Island, is located at 900 Smith Street just below the crest of Smith Hill, on the border of downtown in Providence. It is a neoclassical building designed by McKim, Mead & White which features the fourth largest structural-stone dome in the world, topped by a gilded statue of "The Independent Man", representing freedom and independence. The building houses the Rhode Island General Assembly – the state House of Representatives is located in the west wing, and the Senate in the east – and the offices of the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, and general treasurer of Rhode Island. Other state offices are located in separate buildings on a campus just north of the State House.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alabama State Capitol</span> 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pennsylvania State Capitol</span> State capitol building of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania State Capitol is the seat of government for the U.S. state of Pennsylvania located in downtown Harrisburg. The building was designed by architect Joseph Miller Huston in 1902 and completed in 1906 in a Beaux-Arts style with decorative Renaissance themes throughout. The capitol houses the legislative chambers for the Pennsylvania General Assembly, made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate, and the Harrisburg chambers for the Supreme and Superior Courts of Pennsylvania, as well as the offices of the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor. It is also the main building of the Pennsylvania State Capitol Complex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Missouri State Capitol</span> State capitol building of the U.S. state of Missouri

The Missouri State Capitol is the home of the Missouri General Assembly and the executive branch of government of the U.S. state of Missouri. Located in Jefferson City at 201 West Capitol Avenue, it is the third capitol to be built in the city. The domed building, designed by the New York City architectural firm of Tracy and Swartwout, was completed in 1917.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oregon State Capitol</span> 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">President pro tempore of the North Carolina Senate</span>

The president pro tempore of the North Carolina Senate is the highest-ranking officer of one house of the North Carolina General Assembly. The president of the Senate is the Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina, but the president pro tempore actually holds most of the power and presides in the absence of the Lt. Governor. The president pro tempore, a senior member of the party with a majority of seats, appoints senators to committees and also appoints certain members of state boards and commissions. From 1777 to 1868, North Carolina had no Lieutenant Governor, and the highest-ranking officer of the Senate was known as the "Speaker". The Speaker of the Senate was next in line if the office of Governor became vacant. This occurred on two occasions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Carolina State Legislative Building</span> Legislative Building in Raleigh, North Carolina

The North Carolina State Legislative Building was opened in 1963 and is the current meeting place of the North Carolina General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of North Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Nichols (architect)</span> English-born architect (1780–1853)

William Nichols, Sr. was an English-born architect who emigrated to the United States and became most famous for his early Neoclassical-style buildings in the American South. He designed statehouses for North Carolina, Alabama and Mississippi.

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Raleigh, North Carolina, USA.

<i>George Washington</i> (Canova) Sculpture by Antonio Canova

George Washington was a life-size marble statue of George Washington, done in the style of a Roman general, by the Venetian-Italian Neoclassical sculptor Antonio Canova. Commissioned by the State of North Carolina in 1815, it was completed in 1820 and installed in the rotunda of the North Carolina State House on December 24, 1821. The building and the statue were destroyed by fire on June 21, 1831. This work was the only one created by Canova for the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Carolina State House</span> Former capitol in Raleigh, North Carolina; destroyed by fire in 1831

The North Carolina State House was built from 1792 to 1796 as the state capitol for North Carolina. It was located at Union Square in the state capital, Raleigh, in Wake County. The building was extensively renovated in the neoclassical style by William Nichols, the state architect, from 1820 to 1824. On December 24, 1821, the statue of George Washington by Antonio Canova was displayed in the rotunda. Both were destroyed by fire in 1831.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Carolina General Assembly of 1860–1861</span>

The North Carolina General Assembly of 1860–1861 met in Raleigh, North Carolina in regular session from November 19, 1860, to February 25, 1861. They met in extra sessions from May 1, 1861, to May 13, 1861, and from August 15, 1861, to September 23, 1861. This General Assembly decided that each county should vote for special delegates who would decide whether North Carolina should secede from the Union. On May 20, 1861, those special delegates convened in Raleigh and voted unanimously that the state would no longer be a part of the United States of America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Governor Morehead School</span> School for the blind in North Carolina

Governor Morehead School (GMS), formerly North Carolina State School for the Blind and Deaf, is a K–12 public school for the blind in Raleigh, North Carolina. In the era of de jure educational segregation in the United States, it served blind people of all races and deaf black people.

The Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of North Carolina, also known as the Grand Lodge of North Carolina, was founded 12 December 1787. Previously, it was the Provincial Grand Lodge of North Carolina, being under jurisdiction of the Premier Grand Lodge of England since 14 Jan 1771. It is currently composed of 354 active lodges across the 100 counties of North Carolina. The Grand Lodge recognizes its Prince Hall counterpart, The Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of North Carolina and its Jurisdictions, Inc., and maintains co-territorial jurisdiction and encourages visitation between the two entities.

References

  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
  2. 1 2 "Capitol (North Carolina)". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Archived from the original on August 22, 2007. Retrieved February 24, 2008.
  3. Miskimon, Scott A. (2010). "The Fires of 1831: Fayetteville and Raleigh in Flames". NCPedia.org.
  4. Smith, Claiborne T. Jr. (1979). Powell, William S. (ed.). Dictionary of North Carolina Biography. Vol. 1 (A-C). Chapel Hill, North Carolina: University of North Carolina Press. pp. 92–93. ISBN   0-8078-1329-X.
  5. "North Carolina Historic Sites: State Capitol". Raleigh, North Carolina: North Carolina Historic Sites. June 14, 2010. Archived from the original on June 7, 2013. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  6. "Nichols, William (1780-1853)". North Carolina Architects and Builders: A Biographical Directory. The NCSU Libraries Digital Scholarship and Publishing Center. Retrieved November 29, 2009.
  7. Grand Lodge of North Carolina (1934). Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free, and Accepted Masons of North Carolina [1934].
  8. "Conservation and Preservation of the State Capitol Historic Site". North Carolina State Capitol Foundation. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  9. North Carolina State Capitol Docent Manual. NC Division of State Historic Sites, NC Department of Cultural Resources, 4/2012
  10. Zehmer, Jack; Ingram, Sherry (April 22, 1970). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Capitol" (pdf). Digital Archive on NPGallery. National Park Service. and Accompanying five photos, exterior and interior, from c. 1940 and 1969  (32 KB)
  11. 1 2 Cheney, John L. Jr., ed. (1975). North Carolina Government, 1585-1974, A Narrative and Statistical History.
  12. WTVD (June 21, 2020). "75-foot North Carolina Confederate monument to be removed from Capitol grounds following Gov. Cooper's order". ABC11 Raleigh-Durham. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  13. Vaughn, Dawn Baumgartner (March 24, 2023). "North Carolina Capitol dome to be replaced, blue color to change". News and Observer . p. 1A.
  14. Williams, Wiley J. (2006). "State Capitol". NCPEDIA. Retrieved November 21, 2019.