In 1886, the Ninth Territorial Legislative Assembly authorized construction of the State Capitol; to be erected in the City of Cheyenne at a cost not to exceed $150,000.

A five-member Commission, appointed by Governor Francis E. Warren, was charged with the selection and purchase of the site, selection of an architect and accepted the lowest bids for construction of the building. The Commission chose the firm of David W. Gibbs & Company, Architects, to draw plans and specifications. These were accepted in July 1886, and the contract was awarded to the lowest bidder, Adam Feick & Brothers, who bid $131,275.12 and broke ground on September 9, 1886.

The architecture of the building is pseudo-Corinthian, reminiscent of the National Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.

The first two courses of the building proper are of sandstone from the quarries of Fort Collins, Colorado the remainder of the building is of sandstone from the quarries at Rawlins, Wyoming.

The building’s cornerstone was laid on May 18,1887, with maps, a roster of territorial officers and other papers placed within the cornerstone. During the Centennial of the Capitol in 1987, the cornerstone was removed and these documents replaced and the cornerstone reset.

The Tenth Territorial Legislative Assembly convened in the still-to-be completed building. The second portion of the building, small wings on the east and west, was completed in April 1890. Crowded conditions persisted with the growth of the state and in 1915, the Thirteenth State Legislature approved the construction of the House and Senate Chambers, which were completed in March 1917.

The Dome of the Capitol is real gold leaf. The 24-carat gold leaf dome is visible from all roads entering the city. It has been gilded six times, the first in 1900 and the last in 1988. A highly skilled person is needed to put this leaf in place because, if touched by fingers in handling, it will disintegrate. The peak of the dome is 146 feet high, and the base is 50 feet in diameter.

The 42nd Legislature in 1974 appropriated funds for the first phase of a renovation of the Capitol. At a cost of $7.6 million, the project was completed in 1980. Work included stripping and staining all woodwork, painting walls in the original designs, replacing wooden floor beams and floors with steal and concrete and modernizing the wiring, heating, plumbing and air conditioning.

Dome Interior
While standing in the center of the rotunda, look upward at the base of the dome directly overhead and see the blue and green stained glass, Imported from England. It sparkles with blue and green hues from underneath, but the upper side glistens with red, orange and yellow shades. Normal sunlight cannot penetrate and Illuminate the glass. Electric spotlights were installed in the dome to shine downward.

Four of Wyoming’s five elected officials — Governor, Secretary of State, Auditor and Treasurer — have their offices surrounding the Capitol Rotunda on the first floor. The Superintendent of Public Instruction is housed In the Hathaway Building.

The mounted Bison specimen on display in the hallway was raised with the state herd In Hot Springs State Park near Thermopolis. While living, the animal weighed approximately 3,000 pounds and holds the distinction of being the third largest bison ever to be enrolled in the Boone and Crocket Book of Records. In 1985, the state legislature enacted a bill designating the American Bison as the State Mammal of Wyoming. This American Bison is an excellent specimen of Wyoming’s monarch of the plains. The Bison was a key to the Indian economy, and when it began to disappear because of the white man, the Indian’s independence diminished.

“Here in this Rocky Passage “ an oil painting by Wyoming artist, John Giarrizzo, hangs in the rotunda near the Secretary of State’s Office. The painting, which honors the diverse national and ethnic groups who settled the State of Wyoming, was formally unveiled on February 22, 1988.

Chief Washakie
“Washakie stood for bravery and courage, he was a peacemaker a strong leader and above all a wise and generous man.” John Washakie, Chairman, Eastern Shoshone Business Council

As you leave the first floor, mention should be made of the wood used in the Capitol. The wood in the basement is maple, while the wood In the rotunda is cherry. In the House and Senate the wood is oak.

House Of Representatives
The House of Representatives Chamber is in the East Wing, and was completed In March 1917. Allen True painted the four murals. Two oil paintings were done by William Gollings who has many paintings featured in the Whitney Gallery of western art in Cody, Wyoming. In the ceiling, the State Seal is embedded in Tiffany stained glass.

Wyoming presently has 60 representatives. The 40th Legislature, in 1969, had a woman Speaker of the House for the first time in the state’s history. She was Miss Verda James of Casper. Representatives come from the state’s 23 counties and are elected to two-year terms. They must be 21 years old and a United States citizen and must have lived in the county for at least 12 months. The number of members is controlled by legislative apportionment. The number is never to be less than twice nor more than three times the members of the Senate. The House has the sole power of Impeachment of state and judicial officers except justices of the peace. All revenue bills must originate in the House.

Senate
The Senate Chamber is housed in the West Wing, which was also completed in March 1917. The four murals were painted by Allen True. The State Seal is embedded In the Tiffany stained glass in the ceiling. (See House Gollings Information)

Wyoming currently has 30 Senators, who are elected for four-year terms. To be eligible to run for the Senate, a person must be 25 years old, a resident of Wyoming and a United States citizen. The Governor’s appointments are confirmed by the Senate. It sits as a Court of Impeachment of state and judicial officers (except for justices of the peace) after charges are brought by the House.

Balconies
The balconies are usually open for visitors at all times. Again, you should note the Corinthian architecture here, which the columns graphically depict. The Tenth Legislature was the first to convene in the Capitol in 1888. The First State Legislature convened in November 1890.

Stained Glass Ceilings
The ceilings of both House and Senate chambers are inlaid with beautiful Tiffany-style glass and the Wyoming State Seal is prominently displayed in the center.

Allen Tupper True Murals
The Senate and House of Representatives chambers are in the building’s two wings—the Senate In the West and the House of Representatives in the East. Each chamber has four large murals depicting industry, pioneer life, law and transportation. The Senate murals are titled “Indian Chief Cheyenne,” “Frontier Cavalry Officer,” “Pony Express Rider,” and “Railroad Builders/Surveyors” Those in the House are named “Cattlemen”, “Trappers,” “Homesteaders:’ and “Stagecoach.” They are the works of Allen True who contracted to paint them In August 1917 for a price of $500 each.

Legislative Conference Room 302
Ornate and uniquely designed hinges were installed during the construction of the Capitol in 1887, Their beauty and craftsmanship add to the handsome cherry wood doors found on entering Room 302.

A 1,000-lb. tiffany chandelier, which was originally located elsewhere in the Capitol, hangs beneath a beautiful four-pane stained glass ceiling insert.

The 8’ by 22’ mural painted by artist Mike Kopriva, a Wyoming native dominates the north wall. Entitled “Wyoming, the Land of the People, Past and Present” the art work depicts “real Wyoming and also some secrets”.

Outside Points of Interest
A replica of the Liberty Bell stands on the Capitol grounds at the corner of 24th and Carey. Wyoming is one of the few states given a replica of the Liberty Bell that keeps it outside for all to see. On the Capitol grounds at the corner of 24th and Central Avenue stands a statute dedicated to those who served in the Spanish American War.

Spirit Of Wyoming
Conceived as a symbol to represent Wyoming’s people, “The Spirit Of Wyoming” depicts a cowboy and his horse at odds against nature and it’s elements. This handsome bronze statue stands prominently near the Capitol and the Herschler Building and is the work of national and international award winning sculptor and artist Edward J. Fraughton. The statue weighs nearly 4,500 pounds and stands on a five-foot, precast base for a combined height of over 18 feet.

Bison
On the east lawn of the Capitol grounds stands a bronze bison statue. It was a gift to the State of Wyoming made possible by donations from Wyoming citizens. The handsome statue is the work of Cheyenne native Dan Ostermiller.

Esther Morris Statue
Commanding a prominent position in front of the Capitol is a statue of Esther Hobart Morris, a replica of which stands in Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol. Mrs. Morris played a role in granting women equal suffrage. The Act to grant women suffrage was introduced November 27, 1869, during the First Territorial Assembly and was signed by Governor J.A. Campbell on December 10, 1869. Wyoming was the first government in the world to grant women suffrage and was thus named the “Equality State”. A resident of South Pass City and later Cheyenne, Mrs. Morris was appointed the first woman Justice of the Peace in 1870.

Tree Walk
In 1876 Mrs. Nannie Steel reported that there were only 12 trees in Cheyenne! Almost all of the trees in Cheyenne today were planted by someone. The Wyoming State Forestry Division provides a guide to the specimens around the Capitol grounds. The guide is available at the Capitol Information Desk.

Capitol Tours
The Capitol is open to the public from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Visitor’s services are provided at the Information Desk between 8:30 am. and 4:30 p.m. All tours for groups and schools require prior notice. Tours are available year round. Groups can call 777-7220 for reservations.

Wyoming State Flag
The Wyoming State Flag, designed by Mrs. A.C. Keyes, Casper, was adopted by the 14th Legislature on January 31, 1917. The original sketch is in the possession of the Wyoming State Archives and Historical Department.

The Great Seal of the State of Wyoming is the heart of the flag. On the bison, once the monarch of the plains is the seal representing the custom of branding. The colors of the flag are the same as those of the United States Flag. The red border represents the Red Men, also the blood the pioneers shed in giving their lives to claim the soil. White is the emblem of purity and uprightness over Wyoming. Blue, the color of the sky and mountains, is symbolic of fidelity, justice and virility.

The State Seal
The Great Seal of the State of Wyoming was adopted in its present design by the second state legislature in 1893. The original design was submitted in 1891, but the main objection to the seal was that the figure of the woman was unclothed. Therefore, for two years, the state was without an official state seal. The two dates of the seal, 1869 and 1890, commemorate the organization of the Territorial Government and Wyoming’s admission into the Union. The number 44 signifies that Wyoming was the 44th State to be admitted to the Union. The draped figure in the center symbolized the political status women have always enjoyed in the state. The male figures typify the livestock and mining industries of Wyoming.

The motto displayed on the Territorial seal was “Cedant Arma Togae, “translated: “Let arms yield to the gown,” or more literally, “Force must yield to law.”

Reprinted from State of Wyoming brochure.