West Virginia Capitol

A few years after we started our fulltiming lifestyle we decided to add touring state capitols to our to do list. When we left Berea we realized we would be passing through Charleston, WV on our way north and we could check West Virginia, our 38th capitol, off our list. It is off our list but we did not plan well. One, we visited on statehood day so access was very limited; two, the building is undergoing a major renovation. Because of that, several pictures are ones I got off the internet.

This is what we excepted to see, the beautiful gold leafed dome at 293 feet is higher than the US capitol.  The statue, Abraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight by Fred Torrey based on a poem by Vachel Lindsay's by the same name. The poem and statue show the strain the president was under leading the war torn country.

Instead, this is what we saw. The dome under a shroud and even Lincoln surrounded by cones and construction barriers. The capitol, designed by Cass Gilbert, was built between 1924 and 1932. It was dedicated on June 20, 1932 the 69th birthday of statehood.    

This is what we expected to see, a beautiful interior dome with a 4000 pound chandelier made of 10,080 pieces of Czechoslovakian crystal. The chandelier hangs from a 54 foot brass and bronze chain suspended 180 feet above the floor.

This is what it looks like during the renovation, scaffolding from the floor to the dome. 

Looking down in to the rotunda from the second floor. It looks beautiful.

In the halls that lead to the legislative chambers these temporary walls block access to the rotunda. These pictures show the capitol being built.

The temporary wall in the opposite legislative hall. The huge pictures are neat but we would rather have seen the rotunda.

Even the visitors' galleries were locked. This is the House of Delegates chamber. There are 100 house members who are elected to two year terms. Both chambers have identical crystal chandeliers.

The senate chamber. There are 34 senators, with half up for election every other year for a four year term. While both chambers are similar, the senate chamber has two rows of coffers on the arches and the house only has one and the senate ceiling is domed. These are to show the senate as the upper body.

There are displays of West Virginia industries throughout the building. I liked this one about Homer Laughlin China Company. My mother used their Fiesta ware dishes all the time. 

Happy Birthday West Virginia. West Virginia is the only state to become a state by presidential proclamation when Lincoln recognized the western counties that seceded from Virginia as a new state.

Beautiful quilts in the culture center that is in the capitol complex.

The West Virginia Veterans Memorial has the names of the more that 11,000 West Virginians who gave the last full measure from WWI through Vietnam. I had a chilling experience related to this memorial. Someone at the wedding asked if I knew what had happened to one of my class of 1964 classmates, George W. Locke. I told him George had been killed in Vietnam and I had seen his name on The Wall in DC.  

We had graduated from Burgettstown High School in Pennsylvania but I knew George had moved there from West Virginia. Sure enough there was his name engraved on the memorial honoring those from his home state. I went to the archives in the cultural center and was able to confirm this was the person I knew in high school. The experience gave me a real chill.

Other statues on the grounds of the capitol complex. The West Virginia Female Veterans statue dedicated to all female veterans was unveiled on November 11, 2011.

This statue honors West Virginia native Booker T. Washington who established Tuskegee University in Alabama.

The Coal Miners statue pays tribute to the state's coal industry and its underground miners. The reliefs on the pedestal show different periods of the industry. 

The Soldiers and Sailors Monument honors the 35,000 West Virginians who fought for the Union during the Civil War. We were glad to add the West Virginia capitol to out list even though we did not get to see much of the building because of the renovations.  Maybe one day we will return.

As I post this we are back in Pennsylvania for the next three months. We have been very busy on our way north so I am more than a couple weeks behind in with the blog. 

Tallahassee - Capitol - Friend - Foe

On our way from Abbeville to Stuart we spent an extra day in Tallahassee to see a former colleague and add the Florida capitol building to our visited list. We also had a unusual encounter at the Moose lodge where we stayed.

Florida Welcomes You  - I'm not so sure.

We have traveled all over the United States and Canada since July 2007. We have met hundreds if not thousands of people and have always been made to feel instantly welcome. Generally, they ask our names and that is usually followed with, “Where are you from?” We always saw Pittsburgh and then explain that we now travel full time in our RV. The conversation then turns to stories about our travels and places that our new friends have visited. Well, as you can see on the sign above, we are back in what will soon be our home state. We stayed for the first time at a Moose Lodge in Tallahassee. As we normally do when we stay at a club, we went into the bar for a drink. There were two people at the bar who introduced themselves and asked where we were from. When we said Pittsburgh they responded, “Oh, maybe we can forgive you for that.” I was a bit taken aback but the conversation turned to stories about our travels and we learned they have been to Cajun Louisiana so we talked about places we had all been. After a few minutes I had to ask what they disliked about Pittsburgh, thinking they must hate the Steelers or something like that. Well, it wasn't that. It turns out they said they did not like Pittsburgh because it was north of the Mason Dixon Line. REALLY?? That response left me in a very unusual position, I was speechless. You don't like someone or someplace you have never visited because it is in a part of the country that your long dead relatives fought against and lost? All I could do was shake my head and move on. I really feel sorry for people who have such a narrow view of the world. Sure hope this is not a reflection of all the people in our new home state.

Jim, Jane, Tom and Nanc at dinner. I worked with Jane in Washington and we were both very active on the union negotiating team. We spent many hours together working to get fair contracts for the staff. Her daughter works at Florida State University, so Jane and her husband Ron moved to Tallahassee a few years ago. Last year Ron passed away so we wanted to make sure we stopped to see Jane. Tom is her brother-in-law who just moved to Tallahassee. We had a great dinner and enjoyed getting caught up with all we have been doing. 

Florida is the 37th capitol we have toured. The new capitol, a 22 story high-rise, was completed in 1977. It is one of only four state capitols that are skyscrapers. After much discussion, it was decided that part of the old capitol that was built in 1845 and expanded several times would be left in place and used as a museum.

This shows how the old capitol was expanded in 1902, 1922 and 1947, then reduced to its 1902 size in 1982. It is interesting that the state capital is almost 500 miles from Florida's largest city Miami. When Tallahassee was chosen as the site of the capital in 1824, it was about half way between the two biggest cities, Jacksonville and Pensacola. 

We always love seeing people demonstrating about the issues when we are visiting the capitols. This is democracy at work. The legislature was in session but no business was being conducted in the chambers the day we were there. 

The first stop is the gallery on the 22nd floor which offers a great view of the city. This is looking down on city hall.

One of the things that really impressed us was all the trees you see out in the city. Jane told us that any developer who removes trees must plant an equal number elsewhere in the city. Great idea.

The Florida House of Representatives chamber. The House has 120 members who are elected to two year terms. Members can only serve eight years and then must sit out two years. If they are elected again they start over with no seniority. The portraits are of Speakers of the House. When a new Speaker is elected the last one on the right is removed and sent to the museum.  All the others are moved over one space and the new portrait is hung in the first spot. 

The murals on the walls of the House floor, painted by Christopher Still, are four of the ten that were put up starting in 2001. They depict scenes of Florida history from the earliest people to the space program. Here is a link to an article about the murals. I find it strange that the murals are on the walls of the House floor, a place that is used only sixty days a year and where few people are allowed to venture.

The Florida Senate Chamber. The Senate has 40 members who are elected to four year terms in staggered years based on the year being divisible by four, so even and odd numbered districts are elected in different years. Due to court ordered redistricting, all forty members were up for election in 2016. By far the craziest system I have ever heard of. 

Like the House, the portraits of the Presidents of the Senate are moved around the chamber when a new one is elected. The glass enclosed area is for the press.

The great seal of the state of Florida depicts the state tree, Sabal palm, a Seminole woman spreading flowers, a ship coming into port and, of course, the state's famous sunshine.

In the Plaza Level are a number of exhibits honoring different Floridians. This display honors those who have earned the Congressional Medal of Honor. I never realized that each branch of the military, Army, Navy and Air Force has a different medal.

In the hall leading to the offices of the Governor and Lt. Governor are portraits of recent governors. On the same level are exhibits honoring Florida women, fallen firefighters, artists, law enforcement officers and civil rights leaders.  

On the floor of the rotunda is the state seal surrounded by seals of the five major powers that ruled the state, the United States, France, Spain, the United Kingdom and the Confederate states.

On the walls of the balcony in the rotunda are the Florida Facts that we need to learn about our new home state.

The fountain in Waller Park on the capitol grounds celebrates the state's official wildlife, dolphins, with a 50 foot stainless steel sculpture.

Beautiful stained-glass in the dome above the rotunda of the old capitol. The pattern is based on glass fragments that were found during the demolition of part of the building.

There are several exhibits of various Florida historical events about civil rights, one person one vote and this one about the infamous 2000 presidential election between Gore and Bush. The election in Florida was won by Bush by a little over 500 votes making him the president. 

The old capitol had all three branches of the government under one roof. This was the Supreme Court Chamber. 

The old House of Representative Chamber.

All of the windows in the old capitol that received direct sunlight had these colorful awnings from the 1890's to the 1920's. Because of the red and white awnings people referred to the building as the ice cream parlor.

The old Senate Chamber.

Monument to the Vietnam veterans is across the street from the capitol. This was an interesting tour made even more interesting by the fact we will soon become official residents of the Sunshine State.

We have been enjoying our time in our new home in Stuart. We have been adding some personal touches to the condo and learning more about our new hometown. 

LSD and Annapolis

No this post is not about drugs. As we travel around the country we always see those oval stickers that let people know the places they love. We have an OBX - Outer Banks and HI - Hatteras Island on Opus. One of my favorites was from Ocracoke's Albert Styron's Store - ASS. The one we saw in Delaware now takes the place as the most unusual we have seen. We had to ask, what is LSD? Well it promotes the unique lifestyle in Lower Slower Delaware far away from the more northern hustle and bustle area of Delaware.  

We are heading south way too slowly. We awoke to temps in the 30's and frost on the CRV. The good news was that it was sunny and warmed up real fast so we did a bit of exploring in LSD.

We went to nearby Milford, an old ship building town on the banks of the Mispillion River. Previously, the old dam powered a sawmill. Today it is part of the river walk, a very interesting little park. We also checked out the Mispillion River Brewery and gave it a thumbs up.

There is an art project along the river walk that celebrates the old ship building industry and the new happenings in Milford. All the ships are a replica of the Augusta, an old ship that was built there. It had sunk and was recovered and restored by the city. We found this part of LSD to be very neat and we did not even make it to the ocean.

On our last day here we ventured back across the Bay Bridge to Annapolis to tour the capitol. This capitol, built in the Georgian style, is the 36th we have toured. The Maryland capitol is the oldest state house in continuous use since 1772. It was also the first peace time capitol of the United States from November 1783 to August 1784.

The dome was constructed between 1785 to 1794. It is the largest wooden dome in North America and is held together with wooden pegs not nails. The model shows the interior rotunda and the outside dome.

Two famous people who visited the capitol are Ben Franklin, who designed the lightening rod system to protect the building, honored here with a bust and Marque de Lafayette, the Frenchman who led troops in the Revolutionary War depicted in the painting. In 1824 he returned to the United States and toured the 24 states to instill the spirit of 1776 in the next generation of Americans.   

Looking up at the interior dome above the rotunda.

The Old Senate Chamber with the "Ladies Balcony" as women were not allowed on the floor. In the balcony is a statue of Molly Ridout. Two important events in American history took place in this chamber. One was in January 1784 when the Congress ratified the Treaty of Paris, which officially ended the Revolutionary War.

The other event was on December 23, 1783 when George Washington resigned as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army. This established the idea that the military of the new country should be under the civilian rule of the president. 

This exhibit in the rotunda has Washington's original resignation speech. I have always liked the idea of seeing the words and signatures of historic figures on display, especially the original documents in the National Archives 

The Old House of Delegates Chamber. It has been restored to its 19th century appearance. The painting. The Planting of the Colony of Maryland depicts the arrival of the first colonists in 1634.

There are exhibits of two Marylanders who were born into slavery and then became important figures in the freedom movement, Harriet Tubman....... 

,,,,,,,and Frederick Douglass. The displays had copies of the records of their birth. There are plans to erect statues of both these famous Americans.

The State House Caucus Room has the silver service from the USS Maryland and portraits of former governors and other political figures. The sliver service from ships is something we had not seen before, but Delaware had the same thing.

Between 1902 and 1905 a new annex was added with larger legislative chambers and more offices on the upper floor. Great effort has been made to keep the Georgian style of the original building.

In the grand staircase of the addition is a painting Washington Resigning His Commission that was done in 1858 by Edwin White.

The new House of Delegates Chamber for the 141 delegates. The assembly meets for 90 days each year. 

The new Senate Chamber for the 47 senators. 

The portraits in this chamber are of  Maryland's four signers of the Declaration of Independence, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Samuel Chase and Charles Carroll.

This is the new, 1905, annex side of the capitol.

Annapolis is a very interesting city with narrow streets and many buildings dating back to Colonial times. 

The rows of businesses and homes give you a look back in time even with the modern amenities. 

Main Street offers a great view of the harbor. Of course, the U.S. Navel Academy is here so it also has a college town feel.

Docked in the harbor was the Lynx, a replica of a ship built in 1812. It was a privateer that was given permission to raid British ships during the War of 1812. Here is a link to the site about the ship. 

Buildings along the waterfront with the capitol dome that overlooks the city. Both the city and the capitol are well worth a visit if you are in the area. 

We are now on Hatteras Island to kick back and celebrate our 49th anniversary before heading south. for the winter.