Arizona State Capitol
Encyclopedia
The Arizona State Capitol in Phoenix
, Arizona
, United States
, formerly housed the Territorial and State Legislatures
, as well as various executive offices. These have relocated to adjacent buildings, and the Capitol is now maintained as the Arizona Capitol Museum.
. It also has the gravesite of Arizona Governor Wesley Bolin
.
One impressive display shows the enormous silver and copper punchbowl service from the USS Arizona
, as well as a silver sculpture that was ensconced outside the Admiral's stateroom. Both of these historical artifacts survived the sinking of the Arizona because they had been removed from the ship for cleaning prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor
. The punchbowl service is the only one of its kind and is composed of etched copper panels depicting desert scenes set into a silver bowl ornamented with mermaids, dolphins, waves, and other nautical themes.
Of particular interest is the display of a collection of gifts received by Arizona as part of the "Merci Train" sent by France to the United States following World War II. The French wanted to thank America for sending 250 railroad cars full of fuel, oil, and food in 1948 during a time that the European countries were devastated by World War II. Tens of thousands of French citizens donated objects to be sent to the United States and it was decided that because the outpouring of goods was so great, one boxcar would be sent to each state with one being shared between the District of Columbia and the Territory of Hawaii. All of the items were to be loaded in "Forty and Eight"-type boxcars, named after the sign painted on them which stated that 40 men or 8 horses could be loaded inside. Each car was to be adorned with the coats of arms of all of the provinces of France.
In all, 52,000 gifts were collected, ranging from worn wooden shoes to a jeweled Legion of Honor medal that belonged to Napoleon. The collection also included a Louis XV carriage, children's drawings, and tree seedlings. They were gathered throughout 1948 and crammed into the railroad cars. The 50-car train was shipped to America aboard the ore carrier Magellan, which sailed into New York Harbor on February 3, 1949 amidst a fleet of small boats with Air Force planes flying overhead while thousands of New Yorkers watched from the shore. A huge sign on the side of the Magellan read simply "Thank You, America."
Congress had passed a resolution allowing the gifts to enter the country duty-free, and longshoremen volunteered their servéices to bring the cars ashore. Of too narrow a gauge for American rails, the cars were loaded onto flatcars in New Jersey for delivery, at no charge, by the nation's railroads to state capitals across the country. On reaching their destinations, the cars were greeted by dignitaries at special ceremonies. Their contents, after being displayed for a time, were distributed in a variety of ways. Many were sold at auction, with the proceeds going to charity, while some especially significant items went to public institutions.
This train has had a long lasting impact in Arizona and its boxcar has been given a great home at Scottsdale's McCormick Stillman Railroad Park. However, the train's mission is now largely forgotten, a curious relic of two incredible displays of goodwill which followed the horrors of World War II. Unfortunately, few of the gifts lovingly placed in the cars by the citizens of France can be traced today. Arizona is the rare exception and it publicly remembers in its capitol museum this great expression of friendship and caring between the peoples of France and the United States who fought side by side for a common goal over half a century ago. The museum proudly displays a selection of the gifts that it received, ranging from a beautiful Majolica oil and vinegar cruet set to a light blue handknit infant sweater and cap with a note pinned to it saying that it was intended "Pour un Americane Bébé" to a simple handmade Valentine of thanks.
was ready for statehood. A design contest was won by James Riely Gordon
, whose original plan called for the Capitol to be much larger, with a more prominent rotunda and large wings for both houses of the legislature on each side of the current building. Funding deficits meant the project had to be reduced, so the legislative wings were discarded from the plan and a small lead-alloy top substituted for Gordon's decorative dome.
The grand mosaic
of the state seal
suffered from a blunder by the private contractor who forgot to include two of Arizona's "five C's": to this day, "cattle" and "citrus" are notoriously missing from the depiction of the seal on the main floor.
Construction of the Capitol began in 1898, and it began operation in 1901. In 1918 and 1938, expansions were added on the west side of the building, which had the same architecture and increased the total square footage from the original 40,000 to a final 123,000. It was home to the Legislature until 1960, when the current house and senate buildings were constructed, and the Governor's Office until 1974, when the executive tower was built. The state at that time had a plan of converting the original Capitol into a museum dedicated to Arizona's history. After a restoration, the building was re-opened as a museum in 1981. In the 1990s, more than $3 million was spent to renovate the Capitol and rooms were restored to their original design. Again, due to budget deficits construction was stopped on a few rooms on the third floor and they remain incomplete. The Capitol is on the National Register of Historic Places.
On January 14, 2010, the Arizona State Department of Administration reported that it had sold the surrounding state buildings to private investors: the tower, the two flanking legislative buildings, and other state structures. The old capitol was not part of this transaction.
The building is made largely from materials indigenous to Arizona, including malapai, granite
, and the copper
dome. The design is optimized for the desert climate of Arizona, with thick masonry walls that insulate the interior, skylights, and round "bullseye" clerestory
windows to let heat out of the legislative chambers. The building is topped with a windvane similar to the Winged Victory of Samothrace
, visible through a skylight from within the rotunda
.
Recent proposals are for relocating some office and meeting space back into the Capitol, while it maintains at least some function as a museum. The House and Senate buildings have been recommended to undergo either a drastic rebuilding and expansion, or a complete demolition and construction of new facilities for the House and Senate. A recent Arizona State University
study planned a comprehensive redesign for the entire Capitol mall and complex.
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, formerly housed the Territorial and State Legislatures
Arizona Legislature
The Arizona Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Arizona. It is a bicameral legislature that consists of a lower house, the House of Representatives, and an upper house, the Senate. There are 60 Representatives and 30 Senators...
, as well as various executive offices. These have relocated to adjacent buildings, and the Capitol is now maintained as the Arizona Capitol Museum.
Museum exhibits
Exhibits at the Arizona Capitol Museum emphasize the history and culture of Arizona from early times to the present. Topics include Arizona state symbols, historical figures, natural history, the role of government and the story of Arizona's statehood, and photographs from Edward S. CurtisEdward S. Curtis
Edward Sheriff Curtis was a photographer of the American West and of Native American peoples.-Early life:...
. It also has the gravesite of Arizona Governor Wesley Bolin
Wesley Bolin
Wesley Bolin was a Democratic Party politician who served as the 15th governor of the U.S. state of Arizona between 1977 and 1978. His five months in office mark the shortest term in office for any Arizona governor....
.
One impressive display shows the enormous silver and copper punchbowl service from the USS Arizona
USS Arizona (BB-39)
USS Arizona, a , was built for the United States Navy in the mid-1910s. Named in honor of the 48th state's recent admission into the union, the ship was the second and last of the Pennsylvania class of "super-dreadnought" battleships. Although commissioned in 1916, the ship remained stateside...
, as well as a silver sculpture that was ensconced outside the Admiral's stateroom. Both of these historical artifacts survived the sinking of the Arizona because they had been removed from the ship for cleaning prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
. The punchbowl service is the only one of its kind and is composed of etched copper panels depicting desert scenes set into a silver bowl ornamented with mermaids, dolphins, waves, and other nautical themes.
Of particular interest is the display of a collection of gifts received by Arizona as part of the "Merci Train" sent by France to the United States following World War II. The French wanted to thank America for sending 250 railroad cars full of fuel, oil, and food in 1948 during a time that the European countries were devastated by World War II. Tens of thousands of French citizens donated objects to be sent to the United States and it was decided that because the outpouring of goods was so great, one boxcar would be sent to each state with one being shared between the District of Columbia and the Territory of Hawaii. All of the items were to be loaded in "Forty and Eight"-type boxcars, named after the sign painted on them which stated that 40 men or 8 horses could be loaded inside. Each car was to be adorned with the coats of arms of all of the provinces of France.
In all, 52,000 gifts were collected, ranging from worn wooden shoes to a jeweled Legion of Honor medal that belonged to Napoleon. The collection also included a Louis XV carriage, children's drawings, and tree seedlings. They were gathered throughout 1948 and crammed into the railroad cars. The 50-car train was shipped to America aboard the ore carrier Magellan, which sailed into New York Harbor on February 3, 1949 amidst a fleet of small boats with Air Force planes flying overhead while thousands of New Yorkers watched from the shore. A huge sign on the side of the Magellan read simply "Thank You, America."
Congress had passed a resolution allowing the gifts to enter the country duty-free, and longshoremen volunteered their servéices to bring the cars ashore. Of too narrow a gauge for American rails, the cars were loaded onto flatcars in New Jersey for delivery, at no charge, by the nation's railroads to state capitals across the country. On reaching their destinations, the cars were greeted by dignitaries at special ceremonies. Their contents, after being displayed for a time, were distributed in a variety of ways. Many were sold at auction, with the proceeds going to charity, while some especially significant items went to public institutions.
This train has had a long lasting impact in Arizona and its boxcar has been given a great home at Scottsdale's McCormick Stillman Railroad Park. However, the train's mission is now largely forgotten, a curious relic of two incredible displays of goodwill which followed the horrors of World War II. Unfortunately, few of the gifts lovingly placed in the cars by the citizens of France can be traced today. Arizona is the rare exception and it publicly remembers in its capitol museum this great expression of friendship and caring between the peoples of France and the United States who fought side by side for a common goal over half a century ago. The museum proudly displays a selection of the gifts that it received, ranging from a beautiful Majolica oil and vinegar cruet set to a light blue handknit infant sweater and cap with a note pinned to it saying that it was intended "Pour un Americane Bébé" to a simple handmade Valentine of thanks.
History
The building was created as part of an effort to demonstrate that the Arizona TerritoryArizona Territory
The Territory of Arizona was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 24, 1863 until February 14, 1912, when it was admitted to the Union as the 48th state....
was ready for statehood. A design contest was won by James Riely Gordon
James Riely Gordon
James Riely Gordon was an architect of courthouses throughout the United States and the state of Texas in particular. Gordon's specialty was constructing public buildings mainly in the Romanesque Revival style. His most successful plan was that of a Greek cross with a square central stairwell and...
, whose original plan called for the Capitol to be much larger, with a more prominent rotunda and large wings for both houses of the legislature on each side of the current building. Funding deficits meant the project had to be reduced, so the legislative wings were discarded from the plan and a small lead-alloy top substituted for Gordon's decorative dome.
The grand mosaic
Mosaic
Mosaic is the art of creating images with an assemblage of small pieces of colored glass, stone, or other materials. It may be a technique of decorative art, an aspect of interior decoration, or of cultural and spiritual significance as in a cathedral...
of the state seal
Seal of Arizona
The Great Seal of the State of Arizona is ringed by the words “Great Seal of the State of Arizona” on the top, and 1912 the year of Arizona’s statehood. In the background is a range of mountains with the sun rising behind the peaks. At the right side of the mountains is a water storage reservoir...
suffered from a blunder by the private contractor who forgot to include two of Arizona's "five C's": to this day, "cattle" and "citrus" are notoriously missing from the depiction of the seal on the main floor.
Construction of the Capitol began in 1898, and it began operation in 1901. In 1918 and 1938, expansions were added on the west side of the building, which had the same architecture and increased the total square footage from the original 40,000 to a final 123,000. It was home to the Legislature until 1960, when the current house and senate buildings were constructed, and the Governor's Office until 1974, when the executive tower was built. The state at that time had a plan of converting the original Capitol into a museum dedicated to Arizona's history. After a restoration, the building was re-opened as a museum in 1981. In the 1990s, more than $3 million was spent to renovate the Capitol and rooms were restored to their original design. Again, due to budget deficits construction was stopped on a few rooms on the third floor and they remain incomplete. The Capitol is on the National Register of Historic Places.
On January 14, 2010, the Arizona State Department of Administration reported that it had sold the surrounding state buildings to private investors: the tower, the two flanking legislative buildings, and other state structures. The old capitol was not part of this transaction.
Architecture
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
, and the copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
dome. The design is optimized for the desert climate of Arizona, with thick masonry walls that insulate the interior, skylights, and round "bullseye" clerestory
Clerestory
Clerestory is an architectural term that historically denoted an upper level of a Roman basilica or of the nave of a Romanesque or Gothic church, the walls of which rise above the rooflines of the lower aisles and are pierced with windows. In modern usage, clerestory refers to any high windows...
windows to let heat out of the legislative chambers. The building is topped with a windvane similar to the Winged Victory of Samothrace
Winged Victory of Samothrace
The Winged Victory of Samothrace, also called the Nike of Samothrace, is a 2nd century BC marble sculpture of the Greek goddess Nike . Since 1884, it has been prominently displayed at the Louvre and is one of the most celebrated sculptures in the world.-Description:The Nike of Samothrace,...
, visible through a skylight from within the rotunda
Rotunda (architecture)
A rotunda is any building with a circular ground plan, sometimes covered by a dome. It can also refer to a round room within a building . The Pantheon in Rome is a famous rotunda. A Band Rotunda is a circular bandstand, usually with a dome...
.
Capitol Mall Renovation Proposal
As Arizona's population has grown, the Capitol complex itself has become increasingly crowded. The Senate and House buildings, opened in 1960, have been deteriorating. The Senate in particular is prone to constant plumbing problems, and occasionally a broken pipe floods the entire building. The Capitol itself is now used exclusively as a museum, and serves over 60,000 visitors each year, including more than 30,000 school children. In addition, many complaints have been made that the current site is not pleasing aesthetically, and compare the Senate and House buildings as oversized "bunkers" which eclipse the beauty of the Capitol. A task force appointed by the state legislature in 2007 reported that the complex is "barely" adequate to suit the state's current needs and "wholly" inadequate to suit the state's future needs. As a result, proposals are now being made to renovate or rebuild the Capitol site, to a grander site, as well as a site that will serve the needs of the government more adequately.Recent proposals are for relocating some office and meeting space back into the Capitol, while it maintains at least some function as a museum. The House and Senate buildings have been recommended to undergo either a drastic rebuilding and expansion, or a complete demolition and construction of new facilities for the House and Senate. A recent Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
study planned a comprehensive redesign for the entire Capitol mall and complex.