Illinois State Capitol

The Illinois State Capitol, located in

When the capitol was constructed, several empty shafts were included for the future installation of elevators. The original water-operated elevators were installed in 1887 and were sometimes the subject of ridicule by local newspapers as they were deemed inadequate for a building with the prestige of the State Capitol. Electric elevators were later installed sometime before 1939 when the legislature appropriated $30,000 for their repair.

Renovation

In 2011, the facility underwent a $50 million renovation, primarily focused on the west wing, to upgrade life safety, ADA accessibility and mechanical, electrical and plumbing infrastructure as well as architectural improvements to bring the capitol closer to its original 1870s appearance, the "period of significance" for the building. Improvements included refinishing of interiors and exposed brick arches in the basement; installation of maiden lamp posts for the grand staircase, new chandeliers, and copper-clad exterior doors; and removal of a second floor mezzanine.^[5]

The addition of the maiden statues is particularly notable, since they had been intended for the building since the 1870s when architect

In 2014, the renovation achieved

In December 2021, officials began another renovation program focused on the north wing that will cost of $224 million and last until 2025. Like the earlier work in the west wing, this will focus on updating fire protection systems, mechanical, electrical and HVAC systems and making additional areas ADA accessible.[8] Work will also remove asbestos and add an underground garage and visitor screening area to improve security. During the 1960s and 1970s, mezzanines were constructed in some offices to increase space for legislators. Work will remove these and restore the original paint colors.^[4]

Former capitols

Kaskakia Statehouse

The current Capitol of Illinois is the sixth such building in the history of the state. The first was located in Kaskaskia, Illinois, a city on the Mississippi River founded by the French in 1709. Kaskaskia had been the territorial capital of Illinois since 1809 and had been an administrative center for much of the 18th century, so it was deemed an appropriate location for the capital of the new state. The state leased the first capitol building, a two-story building, for the sum of $4.00 per day.

Wishing to site the capital in the state's interior, the first General Assembly petitioned Congress for a grant of suitable public land. Congress offered, and the state accepted, a land parcel up the Kaskaskia River about eighty miles northeast of Kaskaskia. This location, which would be named Vandalia, Illinois, was selected partly with the hopes of encouraging settlers to locate in expanding areas of the state. The state allowed its lease on the first capital in Kaskaskia expire and relocated to Vandalia.^[9]

Vandalia Statehouses

• Located in Vandalia, 38°57′40″N 89°05′38″W / 38.961199°N 89.093980°W / 38.961199; -89.093980

Vandalia was the location of the second, third, and fourth capitol buildings, where the legislature met between 1820 and 1837. In 1820, with the completion of the new, or "second", capitol, Vandalia became the capital of the state. The structure burned soon thereafter and a third capitol quickly rose in 1824 at a cost of $15,000 (equivalent to $416,182 in 2023). After its construction, many citizens began to advocate relocating the capitol to a location nearer the center of the state. A bill was introduced in 1833 for a statewide vote to determine a new location from a list of several choices including Alton, Jacksonville, Peoria, Springfield, Vandalia, and the state's actual geographic center. While Alton was the victor, the legislature determined the margin too small to be conclusive, and ignored the vote. In 1836, a young lawyer named Abraham Lincoln, along with colleagues of his of the legal profession, advocated moving the capital to Springfield. That summer the Vandalia capitol building was demolished by local citizens and replaced with the fourth capitol—built at a cost of $16,000 (equivalent to $443,927 in 2023)—in an effort to keep the capital in Vandalia. Although the new brick structure was extravagant, the General Assembly ignored the gesture and voted to relocate the capital to Springfield on February 25, 1837.^[10]

Old State Capitol (built 1837)

• Located in Springfield, 39°48′04″N 89°38′55″W / 39.801219°N 89.648569°W / 39.801219; -89.648569

On July 4, 1837, the first brick was laid for Illinois'

As Illinois prospered and experienced several booms in population, the fifth capitol became crowded, especially as a result of relocations after the Civil War. On February 24, 1867, the state voted to construct a new larger capitol. After breaking the ground for the sixth and current Capitol in 1868, the state recouped the costs of the fifth capitol by selling it to Sangamon County for $200,000 (equivalent to $4,578,000 in 2023). It served as the county courthouse until 1961 when the state re-purchased the building and restored it as a historic landmark, the Old State Capitol State Historic Site.

See also

• List of state and territorial capitols in the United States
• List of tallest domes

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Illinois State Capitol.

Preceded by United States Capitol

Tallest building in the United States outside of New York City 1888–1895 110m

Succeeded by Milwaukee City Hall