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The Kansas Statehouse is the state capitol building of the U.S. state of Kansas. Housing the Kansas Legislature, it is located in the state capital of Topeka.
The Statehouse sits on approximately 20 acres in downtown Topeka. The Statehouse grounds include several statues and monuments, including a replica of the Statue of Liberty, a monument to pioneer families, and a statue of Abraham Lincoln. A large mural in the east wing, painted by Kansan John Steuart Curry, centers on an image of abolitionist John Brown. This is believed to be the only instance of a person convicted of treason being featured in a state capitol.
Dome tours are held daily on the half-hour. Besides being home to one of the largest capitol domes in the United States - at 304 feet, it even surpasses the United States Capitol - the Kansas dome is the only one in the United States that continues to offer dome tours[1]. The dome is currently closed to visitors until 2012, as the Statehouse is being renovated. There are 296 steps leading up from the fifth floor to the top of the dome[2].
History
[edit]The land was donated by Cyrus K. Holliday in 1862. Construction on the East Wing began in 1866, using native limestone from Geary County, Kansas. Construction began on the West Wing in 1879 using native limestone from Cottonwood Falls, Kansas. In 1881, the Kansas Legislature authorized and appropriated funds for the construction of a central building to link the east and west wings. Construction on this central building began in 1886, and the dome was let in May, 1889.[3] Almost 100 years later, in 1988, a design for the sculpture to stand atop the dome was finally approved. Ad Astra, a 22-foot, 2-inch tall bronze sculpture weighing 4402 lbs, was installed atop the dome on October 10, 2002[4].
In popular culture
[edit]The building was featured prominently on Kansas license plates issued from January 2001 until April 2007.
References
[edit]- ^ Schuster, Harland J. [1] Retrieved on 2009-04-06
- ^ Kansas State Capitol dome tours Kansas State Historical Society. Retrieved on 2009-04-06
- ^ Statehouse Information [2] Kansas Department of Administration. Retrieved on 2010-06-26.
- ^ Kansas State Capitol Stories - Ad Astra [3] Kansas State Historical Society. Retrieved on 2010-06-26
External links
[edit]- Kansas State Capitol - tours operated by the Kansas Historical Society
39°02′53″N 95°40′41″W / 39.048009°N 95.678155°W
