A capitol, or seat of government, is the building or complex of buildings from which a government such as that of a U.S. state, the District of Columbia, or the organized territories of the United States, exercises its authority. Although most states (39 of the 50) use the term capitol, Indiana and Ohio use the term Statehouse, and eight states use State House: Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Vermont. Delaware has a Legislative Hall. The state of Alabama has a State Capitol, but since 1985 its legislature has met in the State House.

A capitol typically contains the meeting place for its state's legislature and offices for the state's governor, though this is not true for every state. The legislatures of Alabama, Nevada, and North Carolina meet in other nearby buildings, but their governor's offices remain in the capitol. The Arizona State Capitol is now strictly a museum and both the legislature and the governor's office are in nearby buildings. Only Arizona does not have its governor's office in the state capitol, though in Delaware, Ohio, Michigan, Vermont, and Virginia, the offices there are for ceremonial use only.

In ten states, the state's highest court also routinely meets in the capitol: Indiana, Kentucky, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma (both civil and criminal courts), Pennsylvania (one of three sites), South Dakota, West Virginia, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The other 40 states have separate buildings for their supreme courts, though in Michigan and Utah, the high court also has ceremonial meetings at the capitol.

Most U.S. capitol buildings are in the neoclassical style with a central dome, a style based on the U.S. Capitol, and are often in a park-like setting.

Eleven of the fifty state capitols do not feature a dome: Alaska, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee, and Virginia.

Forty-four capitols are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, marked with NRHP. Nineteen of those are further designated as National Historic Landmarks, marked with NHL.

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State capitols Photograph Capitol name Location Address Years of construction Height (feet) Notes Alabama State CapitolAlabama State House Montgomery600 Dexter Avenue (capitol)11 S Union Street (state house) 1850–18511885 (East wing)1903–1906 (South wing)1911–1912 (North wing) 1960 (State House; the Legislature moved into the building in 1985)119; NHL, NRHPOriginal meeting site for the Provisional Confederate Congress (1861)The State Capitol is only used for ceremonial meetings; actual government meetings are held in the State House Alaska State Capitol Juneau 120 4th Street 1929–1931118 Arizona State CapitolArizona House of RepresentativesArizona SenateArizona Executive Tower Phoenix1700 W Washington Street 1899–1900 (State Capitol)1960 (House of Representatives and Senate buildings)1974 (Executive Tower)92; The branches of the state government have relocated from the original capitol to adjacent buildings and additions. NRHPThe State Capitol Building no longer hosts government meetings; The office of the governor is located in the Executive tower Arkansas State Capitol Little Rock500 Woodlane Street 1899–1915230 NRHP California State Capitol Sacramento1010 L Street 1860–1874247 NRHP Colorado State Capitol Denver200 E Colfax Avenue 1886–1907272 NRHPExactly one mile above sea level Connecticut State Capitol Hartford210 Capitol Avenue 1872–1879257 NHL, NRHP Delaware Legislative Hall Dover410 Legislative Avenue 1933 1965–1970 (north and south wings)1994 (expansion of east wings) 70 (est.)Estimate of 70 based on photograph Only capitol in the Colonial Revival architectural styleOnly capitol that is named a "Hall" and does not use the term "State"The Old Statehouse, used from 1792 to 1932, is listed on the NRHP. Florida State Capitol Tallahassee400 S Monroe Street 1973–1977322 NHL, NRHPNewest state capitolSecond-largest state capitol Georgia State Capitol Atlanta206 Washington Street SW 1883–1889272 NHL, NRHP Hawaii State Capitol Honolulu415 S Beretania Street 1960–1969100 (est.)This appears to be an estimate that is used in Hawaii. Part of NRHP Hawaii Capital Historic DistrictSecond-newest state capitol Idaho State Capitol Boise700 W Jefferson Street 1905–19131919–1920 (wings)2008–2010 (underground wings)208 NRHP Illinois State Capitol Springfield401 S 2nd Street 1868-1888361 NRHPTallest non-skyscraper capitol, including Washington, DC Indiana Statehouse Indianapolis200 W Washington Street 1877–1888256 NRHP Iowa State Capitol Des Moines1007 E Grand Ave1871–1886 275NRHP Kansas State Capitol Topeka300 W 10th Avenue1866–1873 (east wing) 1879–1881 (west wing) 1884–1906 (center) 326NRHP Kentucky State Capitol Frankfort700 Capitol Avenue1905–1910 210NRHP Louisiana State Capitol Baton Rouge900 N Third Street1930–1932 450NHL, NRHPTallest state capitol Maine State House Augusta210 State Street1828–1832 1889–1891 (wing) 1909–1911 (wings) 185NRHP Maryland State House Annapolis100 State Circle1772–1797History of the State House and Its Dome. msa.maryland.gov (Maryland State Archives), 2007. Retrieved on April 5, 2014. 181NHL, NRHPOldest active state capitol Massachusetts State House Boston24 Beacon Street1795–1798 200 (est.)Estimate based on photographNHL, NRHPU.S. Historic District Contributing property Michigan State Capitol Lansing100 N Capitol Avenue1872–1878 (opened in 1879) 270NHL, NRHP Minnesota State Capitol Saint Paul75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard1893–1905 223NRHP Mississippi State Capitol Jackson400 High Street1901–1903 180NRHP Missouri State Capitol Jefferson City201 W Capitol Avenue1911–1917 238NRHP Montana State Capitol Helena1301 E 6th Avenue1896–1902 1909–1912 (wings) 165NRHP Nebraska State Capitol Lincoln1445 K Street1919–1932 400NHL, NRHPSecond-tallest state capitol Nevada State CapitolNevada Legislature Carson City101 N Carson Street (state capitol)401 S Carson Street (legislative building)1869–18711971 (new legislative building) 112NRHPThe State Capitol is no longer used for government meetings, which are now held in the Nevada Legislature building. New Hampshire State House Concord107 N Main Street1815–1818 150NRHPU.S. Historic District Contributing propertyThe State House has been listed on the NRHP since 1983 as part of the Concord Civic District. New Jersey State House Trenton125 W State Street1792 145NRHPU.S. Historic District Contributing property New Mexico State Capitol Santa Fe490 Old Santa Fe Trail1964–1966 35 (est.)Estimate based on photograph.Only round state capitol New York State Capitol AlbanyState Street & Washington Avenue1867–1899 220NHL, NRHPU.S. Historic District Contributing property North Carolina State CapitolNorth Carolina State Legislative Building Raleigh1 E Edenton Street (capitol)16 W Jones Street (legislative building)1833–18401963 (Legislative Building) 98NHL, NRHPU.S. Historic District Contributing propertyThe State Capitol is no longer used by the state legislature, which now meets in the State Legislative building North Dakota State Capitol Bismarck600 E Boulevard Avenue1920–1924 1931–1934 (office tower & wing) 242 Ohio Statehouse Columbus1 Capitol Square1837–1861 158NHL, NRHP Oklahoma State Capitol Oklahoma City2300 N Lincoln Boulevard1914–1917 2000–2002 (dome) 255NRHP Oregon State Capitol Salem900 Court Street NE1935 1977 (wings) 162NRHP Pennsylvania State Capitol Harrisburg501 N 3rd Street1904–1906Pennsylvania Manual p. xiv 272NHL, NRHPU.S. Historic District Contributing property Rhode Island State House Providence82 Smith Street1895–1904 223NRHP South Carolina State House Columbia1100 Gervais Street1855–1907 180NHL, NRHP South Dakota State Capitol Pierre500 E Capitol Avenue1905–1911 161NRHP Tennessee State Capitol Nashville600 Dr. M.L.K. Jr. Boulevard1845–1859 206NHL, NRHP Texas State Capitol Austin1100 Congress Avenue1881–18881993 (underground extension) 311; ; NHL, NRHPLargest state capitol Utah State Capitol Salt Lake City350 State Street1912–19162004–2008 (major restoration and renovation) 286NRHP Vermont State House Montpelier115 State Street1834–1836 136NHL, NRHP Virginia State Capitol Richmond1000 Bank Street1785–1790 1904–1906 (wings);restored, renovated and expanded 2004–2007 83NHL, NRHPSecond-oldest active state capitol and meeting site for the Confederate Congress (1861–1865) Washington State Capitol Olympia416 Sid Snyder Avenue SW1919–1928 (legislative building) 287NRHPU.S. Historic District West Virginia State Capitol Charleston1900 Kanawha Boulevard E1924–1932 292NRHPU.S. Historic district Contributing property Wisconsin State Capitol Madison2 E Main Street1906–19171988–2002 (major renovation and restoration) 284NHL, NRHP Wyoming State Capitol Cheyenne200 W 24th Street1886–18901915–1917 (House and Senate chambers) 146NHL, NRHP

Territorial and federal district capitols Photograph Capitol name Location Years of current capitol construction Notes American Samoa Fono Building Fagatogo 1973 Demolished in 2017; replacement is under construction. John A. Wilson Building District Building Washington, D.C. 1904–1908 NRHP Originally called the District Building until renamed in 1994 after district councilor John A. Wilson Guam Congress Building Hagåtña1949NRHP Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature Building Capitol Hill 1948 Puerto Rico Commonwealth Capitol San Juan 1921–1929 NRHP United States Virgin Islands Legislature Building Charlotte Amalie1828

See also List of capitals in the United States Cherokee National Capitol Choctaw Nation Capitol Chickasaw Nation Capitol Creek National Capitol

References

External links

Cupolas of Capitalism State Capitol Building Histories. Cupola.com.