Legislative Building - Washington State Capitol Historic District - Olympia, Washington
Posted by: 
ddtfamily
N 47° 02.160 W 122° 54.291
10T E 507228 N 5209169
"Pivotal" contributing capitol building completed in 1928
Waymark Code: WMM33X
Location: Washington, United States
Date Posted: 07/13/2014
Views: 13
The centerpiece of the Washington State Capitol campus, the Legislative building features a flat roof with a large central dome. From the ornate Corinthian columns near the dome to the extensive use of four different types of marble-work throughout the interior, this is one of our nation's most impressive state capitol buildings, evoking comparisons to the
Federal Capitol in Washington D.C.
The building was designed by designed by New York architects Walter Wilder and Harry White. It contains a House and Senate Chamber as well as offices for the Governor and Lieutenant Governor. The dome, measuring 80 feet in diameter, is built of brick and faced with cut stones, is similar in design to St. Paul's Cathedral in London.
The building required six years to complete, opening in 1928 at a cost of $6.8 million plus an additional $600,000 for interior furnishings. At 278 feet, the dome is the tallest in North America and 4th tallest masonry dome in the world, behind only St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome, St. Paul's Cathedral in London, and St. Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg.
At the time of the historic district nomination (1979), this building had not underwent many significant alterations since its completion. The original stone lantern at the top of the Capitol Dome was damaged by a severe earthquake in 1949. To cut down on weight, the damaged lantern was replaced by a steel lantern, which changed the appearance due to the difference in materials from the rest of the structure. Performing the work to replace the lantern involved building an incline railroad to the top of the building, which was achieved and then removed without noticeable damage to the structure.
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