Benicia Capitol State Historic Park
Encyclopedia
Benicia Capitol State Historic Park is a state park in Benicia, California
. The park is dedicated to California
’s third capitol building, where the California State Legislature
and bureaucracy convened from February 3, 1853 to February 24, 1854. It is the only pre-Sacramento
capitol that survives.
, relocated the state capital to nearby Benicia that same year. The Legislature would convene in the Benicia City Hall for a little more than a year, when again complaints over poor weather conditions, inadequent and uncomfortable sleeping quarters, and "the insecure condition of the public archives" arose in January 1854.
After a proposal by Sacramento
to use the Sacramento County Courthouse free of charge as a capitol building, the Assembly
and Senate
passed an enabling act, voiding all previous legislation, to move the state capital to its new location upriver in Sacramento. On February 25, 1854, Governor Bigler signed the act into law, moving the capital to its current location. The Legislature and governor climbed aboard the steamship William G. Hunt to take up its new quarters.
The Greek Revival
-Palladian
building was listed as a California State Historic Landmark on January 11, 1935. The National Register of Historic Places
placed the Benicia capitol building on the federal list on February 12, 1971.
. The desks, four of which are originals from the Benicia
period or earlier, are furnished with a candlestick
, a 19th century newspaper
, a quill pen, blotting sand, a spitoon, and a top hat
.
The historic park is located at 115 West G Street in Benicia, not far from Vallejo
.
On February 16, 2000, the California State Legislature
met in a symbolic session to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Legislature's first meeting.
as part of a deficit reduction program, since rescinded following public outcry. It is currently on the Governor's list of two hundred parks to close in Fall of 2009 in response to the ongoing budget crisis and is now (under Governor Jerry Brown
on the 2011 list of seventy parks for closures in the (still) continuing budget crises.
Benicia, California
Benicia is a waterside city in Solano County, California, United States. It was the first city in California to be founded by Anglo-Americans, and served as the state capital for nearly thirteen months from 1853 to 1854. The population was 26,997 at the 2010 census. The city is located in the San...
. The park is dedicated to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
’s third capitol building, where the California State Legislature
California State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
and bureaucracy convened from February 3, 1853 to February 24, 1854. It is the only pre-Sacramento
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
capitol that survives.
History
Following large complaints by state legislators of inadequent furniture and sleeping quarters in Vallejo in early 1853, the Legislature, with the consent of Governor John BiglerJohn Bigler
John Bigler was an American lawyer, politician and diplomat. A Democrat, he served as the third Governor of California from 1852 to 1856 and was the first California governor to complete an entire term in office successfully, as well as the first to win re-election...
, relocated the state capital to nearby Benicia that same year. The Legislature would convene in the Benicia City Hall for a little more than a year, when again complaints over poor weather conditions, inadequent and uncomfortable sleeping quarters, and "the insecure condition of the public archives" arose in January 1854.
After a proposal by Sacramento
Sacramento
Sacramento is the capital of the state of California, in the United States of America.Sacramento may also refer to:- United States :*Sacramento County, California*Sacramento, Kentucky*Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta...
to use the Sacramento County Courthouse free of charge as a capitol building, the Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
and Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
passed an enabling act, voiding all previous legislation, to move the state capital to its new location upriver in Sacramento. On February 25, 1854, Governor Bigler signed the act into law, moving the capital to its current location. The Legislature and governor climbed aboard the steamship William G. Hunt to take up its new quarters.
The Greek Revival
Greek Revival architecture
The Greek Revival was an architectural movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in Northern Europe and the United States. A product of Hellenism, it may be looked upon as the last phase in the development of Neoclassical architecture...
-Palladian
Palladian architecture
Palladian architecture is a European style of architecture derived from the designs of the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio . The term "Palladian" normally refers to buildings in a style inspired by Palladio's own work; that which is recognised as Palladian architecture today is an evolution of...
building was listed as a California State Historic Landmark on January 11, 1935. The National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
placed the Benicia capitol building on the federal list on February 12, 1971.
Present day
The original building has been restored with reconstructed period furnishings and exhibits. The interior includes a board-for-board reconstruction of the building’s original floor with ponderosa pinePonderosa Pine
Pinus ponderosa, commonly known as the Ponderosa Pine, Bull Pine, Blackjack Pine, or Western Yellow Pine, is a widespread and variable pine native to western North America. It was first described by David Douglas in 1826, from eastern Washington near present-day Spokane...
. The desks, four of which are originals from the Benicia
Benicia, California
Benicia is a waterside city in Solano County, California, United States. It was the first city in California to be founded by Anglo-Americans, and served as the state capital for nearly thirteen months from 1853 to 1854. The population was 26,997 at the 2010 census. The city is located in the San...
period or earlier, are furnished with a candlestick
Candlestick
A candlestick, chamberstick, or candelabrum is a holder for one or more candles, used for illumination, rituals, or decorative purposes. The name 'candlestick' derives from the fact that it is usually tall and stick-shaped.Candlesticks are also called candle holders...
, a 19th century newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
, a quill pen, blotting sand, a spitoon, and a top hat
Top hat
A top hat, beaver hat, high hat silk hat, cylinder hat, chimney pot hat or stove pipe hat is a tall, flat-crowned, broad-brimmed hat, predominantly worn from the latter part of the 18th to the middle of the 20th century...
.
The historic park is located at 115 West G Street in Benicia, not far from Vallejo
Vallejo, California
Vallejo is the largest city in Solano County, California, United States. The population was 115,942 at the 2010 census. It is located in the San Francisco Bay Area on the northeastern shore of San Pablo Bay...
.
On February 16, 2000, the California State Legislature
California State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
met in a symbolic session to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Legislature's first meeting.
Proposed for closure
The Benicia Capitol State Historic Park is one of the 48 California state parks proposed for closure in January 2008 by California's Governor Arnold SchwarzeneggerArnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
as part of a deficit reduction program, since rescinded following public outcry. It is currently on the Governor's list of two hundred parks to close in Fall of 2009 in response to the ongoing budget crisis and is now (under Governor Jerry Brown
Jerry Brown
Edmund Gerald "Jerry" Brown, Jr. is an American politician. Brown served as the 34th Governor of California , and is currently serving as the 39th California Governor...
on the 2011 list of seventy parks for closures in the (still) continuing budget crises.