North Carolina State Capitol
Encyclopedia
The North Carolina State Capitol is the main house of government of the U.S. state
of North Carolina
. Housing 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 the State Simmons Jones Baker
on July 4, 1833. Construction was completed in 1840. 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.
The Capitol housed the entire state government until 1888, and the North Carolina General Assembly
met in the capitol building until 1963 when the legislature relocated to its current location in the North Carolina State Legislative Building
. The offices of the state Lieutenant Governor were situated in the capitol building continuously until 1969, when the Lieutenant Governor relocated to the Hawkins-Hartness House a few blocks away on North Blount Street. The current Lieutenant Governor has reoccupied an office in the capitol building.
The North Carolina Supreme Court
has also convened in the building in the past. The Governor and the governor's immediate staff has continued to occupy offices in the building.
The Capitol was declared a National Historic Landmark
in 1973.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. Housing the offices of the Governor of North Carolina
Governor of North Carolina
The Governor of North Carolina is the chief executive of the State of North Carolina, one of the U.S. states. The current governor is Bev Perdue, North Carolina's first female governor.-Powers:...
, it is located in the state capital of Raleigh
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
on Union Square at One East Edenton Street. The cornerstone of the Greek Revival building was laid with Masonic honors
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
by the Grand Master of the State Simmons Jones Baker
Simmons Jones Baker
Simmons Jones Baker was a physician, planter, legislator, and slave owner in North Carolina.-Early life and education:...
on July 4, 1833. Construction was completed in 1840. It was designed primarily by the architectural firm of Ithiel Town
Ithiel Town
Ithiel Town was a prominent American architect and civil engineer. One of the first generation of professional architects in the United States, Town made significant contributions to American architecture in the first half of the 19th century. He was high-strung, sophisticated, generous,...
and Alexander Jackson Davis
Alexander Jackson Davis
Alexander Jackson Davis, or A. J. Davis , was one of the most successful and influential American architects of his generation, in particular his association with the Gothic Revival style....
. Often credited solely to that team, the design of the capitol was actually the result of a sequence of work by William Nichols
William Nichols (architect)
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...
, Sr. and his son William Nichols, Jr., Town and Davis, and then David Paton.
The Capitol housed the entire state government until 1888, and the North Carolina General Assembly
North Carolina General Assembly
The North Carolina General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The General Assembly drafts and legislates the state laws of North Carolina, also known as the General Statutes...
met in the capitol building until 1963 when the legislature relocated to its current location in the North Carolina State Legislative Building
North Carolina State Legislative Building
The North Carolina State Legislative Building is the current meeting place of the North Carolina General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of North Carolina. It was opened in 1963, replacing the North Carolina State Capitol as the home of the legislature...
. The offices of the state Lieutenant Governor were situated in the capitol building continuously until 1969, when the Lieutenant Governor relocated to the Hawkins-Hartness House a few blocks away on North Blount Street. The current Lieutenant Governor has reoccupied an office in the capitol building.
North Carolina Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of North Carolina is the state's highest appellate court. Until the creation of the North Carolina Court of Appeals in the 1960s, it was the state's only appellate court. The Supreme Court consists of six associate justices and one chief justice, although the number of justices...
has also convened in the building in the past. The Governor and the governor's immediate staff has continued to occupy offices in the building.
The Capitol was declared a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1973.