West Virginia's majestic State Capitol ranks among the nation's most significant examples of 20th century classical architecture. Designed by Cass Gilbert (1859-1934), architect of the United States Treasury Annex and United States Supreme Court Building, the Capitol holds an honored place in the history of the nation's architectural accomplishments as the last monumental Capitol of the Renaissance design constructed in America.
West Virginia is the only state in the Union to have acquired its sovereignty by proclamation of the President of the United States. Statehood was proclaimed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, midway in the most bitter chapter of American history-the Civil War. Only seven years later, West Virginia's seat of government began traveling intermittently between Wheeling, site of the inauguration of the state's first governor, and Charleston, the choice for the state capital.
A Permanent Home
The history of the state capital began in Wheeling, where the State's first Legislature convened in the Linsly Institute building. A subs
equent Legislature, however, voted to move the capital to Charleston, effective April 1, 1870. To make the move, a special packet boat was used to float the capital, state officials, archives and all down the Ohio River and east on the Kanawha River to Charleston. Upon their arrival, state officials took up residence in churches, schools and other available buildings while a new, three-story building was being constructed.
The move was short-lived, however, because in 1875, yet another Legislature voted to return the capital to Wheeling. State officials again were moved into the Linsly Institute building and, shortly thereafter, into an $82,000 stone building donated by Wheeling.
Still not satisfied with the choice of Wheeling, the 1877 Legislature decided that the citizens of West Virginia should choose their capital city by popular election on August 7 of that year. Ironically, Wheeling was not among the choices, and West Virginians were offered the options of Charleston, Clarksburg or Martinsburg. They chose Charleston.
Eight years later, on May 1, 1885, a $390,000 Capitol building was opened in Charleston. This time, however, state officials and records were transported from Wheeling via two steamers and a barge. The new building served as the State Capitol for 36 years until, on January 3, 1921, it was destroyed by fire. For 
the next six years, West Virginia's state government was run from a "pasteboard Capitol," a temporary structure which had been thrown up hastily in the wake of the fire.
The make-shift Capitol was to meet the same fate on March 2, 1927, but fortunately, the 1921 Legislature had responded to the first fire by creating a Capitol Building Commission which authorized construction of the present Capitol on the North Bank of the Kanawha River in East Charleston.
During the eight years the Capitol was under construction, the total cost, including land, architect's fees and furnishings, amounted to slightly less than $10 million. The three stages of construction included the west wing, 1924-25; east wing, 1926-27; and main unit, 1930-32. The Capitol was dedicated by Governor William G. Conley on the State's 69th birthday, June 20, 1932.
Encompassing more than 14 acres of floor space, the Capitol is made of buff limestone over a steel frame. It is dominated by a 293-foot-high dome, which is five feet higher than that of the United States Capitol. The building required more than 700 carloads of limestone and 160 carloads of steel weighing 4,640 tons.
Limestone pillars, each weighing 86 tons, support matching Roman Corinthian porticos at the north and south entrances. Beneath each portico are 2,800-pound brass and copper doors decorated with elm, hickory, beech and maple leaves representing West Virginia's native hardwood trees. Gracing the east and west entrances are limestone heads of Greek and Roman deities, which were sculpted in place.
In 1988 a Massachusetts-based firm, International Restorations Inc., began the laborious task of gilding the exterior of the Capitol dome. Besieged by weather problems, the job was in progress for nearly three years. Total cost for the gilding project was $500,000, the majority of which was paid from donations.
