California State Capitol History & Facts

California State Capitol is the state's working seat of government. The basement of the building also has a museum with various exhibits, displaying all parts of California history and geography. The grounds and buildings of the California State Capitol are often referred to as the California State Capitol Museum. The building is home of the office of the governor and the bicameral state legislature.

The Capitol is a lovely state capitol building, featuring a portico opening into a central rotunda rising into a dome. Once you get to the Capitol, you can experience California's rich history. Another bonus for your visit is to witness the making of the state history though the modern lawmaking process.

Homepage of California Sate Capitol Museum

http://capitolmuseum.ca.gov

California State Capitol has a long history since its construction. The Capitol and grounds are designated a California Historical Landmark in 1974. Afterwards the buildings underwent many renovations and expansions. All the efforts were made to restore the Capitol to its former grandeur and beauty. Generally, California State Capitol has experienced several different stages.

- Planning

California did not have its permanent seat of government until 1860. The plans to build a capitol for the 31st state in the union were approved at the 1849 Constitutional Convention. Delegates argued for the suitable location for the seat of California's government during the convention. It took five years for California's Capitol to move to its final location: Sacramento.

As the 31st state to join the Union, the design for the California State Capitol was deeply influenced by the architectural styles employed in American public buildings, like the Virginia State Capitol and the Massachusetts State House. After several controversies over the Capitol's design, California State Capitol was finally designed by architects M.F. Butler and Reuben Clark. Three branches of government were included in Reuben Clark's design: Legislative, Executive and Judicial. Today, the legislative and executive branches are based at the Capitol. The Judicial branch can be found across the street in the Library and Courts building.

- Construction

The construction of the Capitol began four years after the approved architectural designs. The groundbreaking ceremony took place on December 4, 1860. It took almost 14 years and several administrations to complete the building project with funds, politics and other problems during the process.

The Capitol was partially completed in 1869. At that time, the building could accommodate the Legislature and several other state officers, including the Governor. It took five more years to finish the building. Completed in 1874, the Capitol cost a total of $2.5 million.

- Growth

Additional space at the Capitol was needed with the growth of the California State and expanding government responsibility. The California Sate Capitol has made several expansion efforts to accommodate the continual expansion of the prosperous state.

1928Library and Courts Building

Expansion was desperately needed for the Capitol by the early 1920s. The Library and Courts was moved off-site after the exquisite building completed in 1928. The new Library and Courts building features pediment and Neo-classical design, complementing the Classical Revival style of the Capitol perfectly. The new building boasts grand entrance lobby, majestic murals and various attractive decorative features.

19281949: Apse

After the Library and Courts moved out the semicircular apse, the Controller's Office moved in. But with the growth and modernization of the Capitol building, the entire apse was destroyed completely to accommodate the new expansion.

1949 -1952: East Annex

It took four years for the construction of the East Annex, which was completed in 1952. The Governor, Lieutenant Governor, legislators and other state officials moved to the newly built East Annex after construction.

- Restoration

The California State Capitol underwent a major renovation from 1975 to 1982. The restoration was aimed to restore the capitol to its former glory and beauty. The restoration created one of the largest projects of its kind in California's history. The whole building was blended with modern technology while retaining its original appearance and splendor.

The newly restored building reopened to the public in January 1982. Now, most of the rooms in the Capitol are used as state offices. During the restoration, some key rooms, like the Governor's offices, were fortunately set aside for the Museum. They were restored to their 1906 appearance.

Architecture of Capitol Buildings

http://capitolmuseum.ca.gov/architecture.aspx