Alaska State Capitol
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The Alaska State Capitol is the capitol and seat of government of the U.S. state of Alaska. Located on Main Street in the state capital of Juneau, it houses the Alaska Legislature and provides offices for the governor, lieutenant governor, and legislators.
History
The U.S. Congress authorized funds to construct a capitol building for what was then the Territory of Alaska in 1911. Construction was delayed by World War I and difficulty purchasing the necessary land. Local citizens donated some of the required funds, and construction began on September 18, 1929. The building, originally called the Federal and Territorial Building, was dedicated on February 14, 1931.As the name implies, the building was initially used by federal agencies, including a post office and federal courthouse. Since statehood the building has been used by the state government exclusively.
A competition was held by the Juneau Capitol Planning Commission in 2004 to design a replacement building, but after controversy over the unconventional nature of many of the proposed designs, lack of support from the state government, and lack of funding, all plans were put on hold in 2005.
Architecture and interior
The capitol, designed by U.S. Treasury Department architects, is an example of Art Deco architecture. Unlike most state capitols, it has neither a dome nor large landscaped grounds, and could at first glance appear to be simply an office building.The building is six stories high and made from brick-faced reinforced concrete, with a facade of Indiana limestone on the first two floors. The portico has four columns made of Tokeen marble from Prince of Wales Island, which is also used for interior trim.
Outside the building is a replica of the Liberty Bell, of the type given to all states and territories by the federal government in 1950 to help raise support for savings bond drives.
The lobby features clay murals titled "Harvest of the Land" and "Harvest of the Sea", representing hunting and fishing respectively, as well as a bust of Alaska Native civil rights leader Elizabeth Peratrovich. Offices and committee rooms fill the ground and first floors.
The second floor houses the chambers of the Alaska Senate and Alaska House of Representatives, as well as committee rooms. The walls feature the work of early Juneau photographers Lloyd Winter and Percy Pond, and busts of the first two U.S. Senators from Alaska, Bob Bartlett and Ernest Gruening.
The governor and lieutenant governor's offices are on the third floor. The executive office doors are made of black birch, with hand carvings depicting Alaskan industry. The "Hall of Governors" features portraits of governors and lieutenant governors of Alaska from the district era to the present.
More legislative offices and committee rooms occupy the fourth floor. The fifth floor holds legislative finance committees.
Many areas of the building have been restored to their original 1930s appearance, especially on the second and fifth floors—the latter originally held federal courtrooms.
External links
- [Alaska Legislature Home Page: Alaska's Capitol]
- [Dept. of Community and Economic Development - Our State Capitol Building]
- [Maps and aerial photos]
- * Street map from [Google Maps] or [Yahoo! Maps]
- * Topographic map from [TopoZone]
- * Aerial image or topographic map from [TerraServer-USA]
- * Satellite image from [Google Maps] or [Microsoft Virtual Earth]
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