Then and Now: January 2011

This Month's Statehouse Photo

The detail photo in the January 2011 issue of State Legislatures shows a part of the dome of the New Mexico Capitol in Santa Fe.

The Capitol, also called the Roundhouse, is the only round statehouse in the United States. It was designed to resemble the Zia Sun Symbol when viewed from above, and combines New Mexico territorial and neoclassical styles. The dome is stained glass and represents an Indian basket weave pattern. The building, dedicated in December 1966, houses the semicircular House and Senate chambers in a below-ground first floor. The second story, at ground level, includes galleries where people can look down into the House and Senate chambers. The rotunda in the center of the building is 49 feet in diameter and 60 feet high. It includes marble native to New Mexico and inlay of turquoise and brass mosaic of the Great Seal of New Mexico.

25 Years Ago

Articles from the January 1986 issue of State Legislatures:

• Top State Fiscal Issues of 1986: financing education, reforming taxes, balancing budgets, building prisons
• The Legislators Behind the Personal Computers: “Enthusiasts envision the day when legislators take their personal computers as much for granted as their telephones.
• Three Pensioners for Every 10 Workers in 1984: Average monthly pensions income was $780 for men and $440 for women.”
• Rationing the Health-Care Surplus (Opinion): Americans have never quite agreed on the social role of health care.

Did You Know?

Helena, the capital of Montana, was founded in 1864 by four gold miners who struck it rich at the what they then called “Last Chance Gulch.” Home now to about 30,000 people, it is the only town with that name that is pronounced Hell-e-na (accent on first syllable). Towns with that name in 21 other states use the “Hel-ee-na” (accent on second syllable) pronunciation.

—From A Celebration of State Capitols, by Richard R. Gibson