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Summary of Facts Concerning the Capitol

Contents

› The Early Capitol Locations
› Planning the Capitol Complex
› West Virginia Executive Mansion
› Building the Capitol: Part 1
› Building the Capitol: Part 2
› Building the Capitol: Part 3
› The Architect's Description
› Biographical Sketch of the Architect
› Capitol Building Commission Members
› The West Virginia Capitol: Project of Five Governors
› Mythological Figures in the Carved Heads
› Summary of Facts Concerning the Capitol
› Glossary of Architectural Terms Used
› Bibliography and Photographic Credits

Chronology of early capitol locations

  • Wheeling - 1863-1870 (Linsly Institute Building)
  • Charleston - 1870-1875 (first downtown capitol)
  • Wheeling - 1875-1885 (Linsly Institute May 1875 to December 1876; structure built by city of Wheeling December 1876 to May 1885)
  • Charleston - 1885-present (second downtown capitol May 1885 to January 1921; Pasteboard Capitol March 1921 to March 1927)

    Chronology of present capitol complex

  • West wing - groundbreaking January 1924 laying of cornerstone May 1924 completion March 1925
  • East wing - groundbreaking July 1926 laying of cornerstone November 1926 completion December 1927
  • Main unit - groundbreaking March 1930 laying of cornerstone November 1930 completion February 1932
    dedication June 20,1932

    Costs per unit

  • West wing - $1,218,171.32 (7l¢ per cubic foot)
  • East wing - $1,361,425.00 (77¢ per cubic foot)
  • Main unit - $4,482,623.21 (65¢ per cubic foot)
  • Total outlay including land acquisition and beautification - $9,491,180.03

    Dimensions

  • West wing - 300 feet by 60 feet (four stories and basement)
  • East wing - 300 feet by 60 feet (four stories and basement)
  • Main unit - 558 feet by 120 feet (three stories and basement)
  • Connecting wings - 95 feet by 56 feet (one story and basement)
  • Dome - 292 feet high, 75 feet in diameter

    Materials

  • Exterior walls (wings and main unit) - Indiana select buff limestone
  • Dome - lead coated with copper, covered with gold leaf
  • Interior floors and walls (wings) - Tennessee marble
  • Interior walls (main unit) - Imperial Danby Vermont marble
  • Interior floors (main unit) - Italian travertine inlaid with Imperial Danby
  • Exterior columns and carvings - Indiana select buff limestone
  • Interior columns and carvings - Imperial Danby
  • Lighting pedestals (rotunda and foyers) - Belgian black and gold marble
  • Lighting pedestals (Senate chambers) - Italian brown marble
  • Lighting pedestals (House chambers) - Pink Georgian marble from France
  • Light bowls - Italian alabaster
  • Chambers' wainscotting, and steps to daises - verd antique marble
  • Legislative desks and daises - black walnut
  • Supreme Court bench and all furnishings - American walnut
  • Interior doors and woodwork - quartered oak

    Significa

  • Ground occupied - sixteen acres
  • Floor space - 535,000 square feet
  • Outside walls - 314,000 cubic feet; 700 carloads
  • Steel construction - 4,640 tons; 160 carloads
  • Chandelier in dome - weighs 4,000 pounds; 15,000 candle power
  • Chandeliers in legislative chambers - 10,000 pieces of rock crystal each
  • Columns in porticoes - limestone; 86 tons each
  • Columns in foyers - solid marble; 34 tons each
  • Bronze doors on porticoes - 2,800 pounds each

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