By Kae Warnock

In December 2015, the Wyoming Capitol was closed to begin a three-year renovation project. The last major renovation at the Capitol in Cheyenne was in 1917 when wings were constructed to hold the current legislative chambers.

The structure has suffered significant damage due to the ravages of time and the elements. Nearly all the building’s infrastructure—wiring, plumbing, HVAC, life safety-systems—had begun to fail by the time the Legislature decided to renovate. In fact, more than a quarter of the building had no HVAC. It was clear the building needed major repair.

Cooling towers on the northeast corner of the building bombarded the delicate limestone exterior with moisture causing substantial erosion. Moving the cooling towers and electrical transformers to the Hershler building will reduce damage to the historic capitol and upgrade those systems so they can adequately serve the five Capitol Plaza buildings. The site of the Wyoming Capitol has a high water table and during storms groundwater floods the basement and the tunnel between the capitol and the Hershler building. Sumps, moisture barriers and other flood control measures are being incorporated into the restoration project.

Since 1917, the need for technology and space grew, but the building didn’t. As was common in the 1970s, some rooms on the second floor with high ceilings were divided horizontally to create half floors. While this created some space, these structural changes altered the original design in ways that detracted from the functionality and beauty of the building.

One example of this was the Supreme Court Chamber—originally the Territorial House Chamber—that was once a grand two-story room with a stained glass laylightand a chandelier. After the Supreme Court moved out of the capitol, a half floor was built creating a low-ceilinged, dark workspace. It also badly damaged a room that holds great historical significance for Wyoming. The Capitol’s historic landmark status stems from the state Constitutional Convention and significant suffrage debates that were held here. Wendy Madsen, special projects manager for the Wyoming Legislature, told us “how awe-inspiring that chamber is to stand in when you think of its pivotal role in women’s suffrage in the state, nation and the world.”

One of the driving goals of the current project is to create larger meeting rooms so that all citizens who wish to participate in the legislative committee process can attend. The restoration of the Supreme Court Chamber will return it to its’ original two-story design including the laylight, chandelier and a ADA accessible public balcony, making this a large committee space.

The original architects, David W. Gibbs & Company, designed the building to utilize as much natural light as possible, as electric light would not arrive in Cheyenne for several years. The windows in the halls behind the legislative chambers were tall to allow natural light to illuminate large areas. When dropped ceilings were added to those areas, windows were covered over, necessitating artificial lights. Removal of these dropped ceilings are revealing huge windows, coffered ceilings, crown moldings and arched doorways. These architectural featured, covered for decades, will finally be restored.

Upon completion, 11 of the original 15 skylights will illuminate their corresponding laylights, the stained glass panels beneath the skylights, as they did in 1917.

The tunnel connecting the capitol to the Hershler building will be expanded to create an extension of the Capitol, including committee and conference rooms, a student and visitors’ center, a 300-seat auditorium and a visitor entrance.

Historic buildings, like the Wyoming Capitol, were designed before fire suppression, smoke evacuation technology and backup emergency lighting were developed. These safety measures will be incorporated into the building. Public restrooms will be added to every floor and modern elevators large enough to accommodate an ambulance gurney will be relocated into the building’s core so that historic spaces and corridors outside the chambers can be restored to allow for better flow. Madsen talked with us about the biggest surprises of the restoration.

 “For me, the biggest shock and surprise was the grandeur of the 1888 original building and 1890 addition,” she said. “It is a testament to the vision for the potential of Wyoming that our founders had for our state and I think that has been lost with all of the changes to the building over the years. Wyoming invested in itself heavily at that time and clearly believed in the future of statehood, which occurred in 1890.”

Madsen also remarked on “the ornateness of decorative paint, brass elevator panels, and opera posters on the floorboards that were likely reused from nearby fencing. Think about how little wood was available on the high plains of southeast Wyoming in 1888!”

Madsen gave us her top 10 suggestions for anyone embarking upon a capitol restoration.

Kae Warnock works in NCSL’s Legislative Staff Services program.

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