Then and Now: October/November 2012 | STATE LEGISLATURES MAGAZINE

This Month's Statehouse Photo

This month's photo is of the Indiana Capitol in Indianapolis. It's the fifth building to serve as the statehouse in Indiana. The Indiana General Assembly approved a plan to build a new capitol in 1878 at a cost of no more than $2 million. The governor was able to complete the project for $1.8 million and returned the extra $200,000 to the general fund. The building was designed by Edwin May, an Indianapolis architect, in the shape of a cross. A large central rotunda with a glass domed ceiling connects the four wings. The interior features Italian Renaissance style, and throughout the building Indiana materials were used where possible, including Indiana oak and limestone. The cornerstone is a 10-ton block of limestone quarried in Spencer, Ind.

Sources: Indiana General Assembly, wikipedia

25 Years Ago

Articles from the October 1987 issue of State Legislatures:

COMPETITIVENESS: INFLUENCE IN ’88?
“America’s inability to meet the challenge of economic competition has not yet become the political issue expected a year ago. But it will become one, experts believe, fueled by voters who fear that the ‘land of opportunity’ won’t be there for their children.”

NEBRASKA’S UNICAMERAL: 50 YEARS WITHOUT A CONFERENCE COMMITTEE
“Nebraska embarked on a legislative experiment in 1937 that has become a tradition there after half a century, but so far no other state has copied it.”

PAYING TODAY FOR COLLEGE TOMORROW
“In response to rising tuition costs and cuts in federal aid to students, states are devising plans to help parents save and pay for their children’s education years in advance.”
 

Did You Know?

Louisiana’s State Capitol in Baton Rouge was the brainchild and passion of former Governor and U.S. Senator Huey “Kingfish” Long. He conceived the idea for a new statehouse while running for governor in 1928. He wanted it to be a skyscraper and to reflect Louisiana’s history. Despite the Great Depression, Long  was able to push through the necessary legislation to get it built. After only 29 months, in May 1932, the new capitol, featuring Alabama limestone and Art Deco details, was finished. At the time, it was the tallest building in the South. Long missed the opening festivities, though, as he had been elected to the U.S. Senate and was in Washington, D.C. The capitol has 34 stories, stands at 450 feet, and features sculptures representing statesmen on its tower. Ironically, Long was shot in the Capitol in 1935, by the relative of a political enemy. He died two days later at age 42 and is buried on the capitol grounds. .

—From “A Celebration of State Capitols” by Richard Gibson and the National Park Service