Domes, Domes, Domes

by Kae Warnock

When we think of capitols, many of us immediately conjure up an image of a dome similar to the federal-style domed building, where the U.S. Congress meets.  But state capitols, just like the states themselves, are unique and none is an exact replica of the U.S. Capitol, nor should it be.  As noted earlier in The Thicket, the unique nature of capitols is what makes them iconic symbols to their citizens rather than cookie cutter copies of the federal example.

So, what is a dome? A dome is usually the top half of a large sphere, though some domes are shallower. Some capitol domes are even octagonal. They can also be smaller and sit atop a cupola tower. Most capitol domes are hollow to create the high curved ceilings that we typically equate with rotundas.

Historically, domes have been used in churches and other religious structures for at least two thousand years. They have played a part in U.S. civic architecture such as capitols and courthouses primarily since the construction of the Maryland (1788) and Massachusetts (1798) statehouses. The architect for the capitol in Boston, Charles Bullfinch, also added a dome to the U.S. Capitol in 1822. The dome we all know today, a large painted cast iron half sphere on a massive drum tower, was built in 1866.

A few states built their capitols with the federal model in mind. Twelve capitols have a large central dome made of painted cast iron, stone or concrete. These look the most like the U.S. Capitol. Michigan and Texas have painted cast iron domes. Minnesota's dome is the second largest self supporting marble dome in the world.  Only St. Peter's Basilica in Rome is larger.  Rhode Island has the fourth largest self supporting marble dome in the world.

Dome Facts

• 10 are gilded - Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming
•  Nine are copper clad - California, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Montana, North Carolina, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah
• Seven are made of stone - Arkansas, Idaho, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Rhode Island and Wisconsin
• Two are terra cotta - Kentucky and Pennsylvania
• One is brick & concrete – Washington
• One is zinc – Illinois
• The newest dome belongs to Oklahoma.  It was added in 2001-02
• Two capitols have a cupola tower – Delaware, Nevada
• Only one domes is made of wood – Maryland         

No Dome?
As I said at the beginning, state capitols are unique.  So, it should come as no surprise that another 9 capitols have no dome or cupola - Alaska, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, and Virginia. Three states, Ohio, Oregon and Tennessee, used a Greek style drum tower as the central architectural feature of the capitol instead of a dome. One state, Arizona, built an executive tower for the governor and House and Senate buildings adjacent to the old capitol building that has a copper dome.

Interested in more facts about capitol domes? 

Domes pictured: Vermont and Colorado 

Comments

[Anne Dunn]

And if you are wondering why your NCSL calendar clearly pictures a "dome" from Louisiana, while this article says Louisiana's capitol has no dome, the "dome" on the calendar is actually from the Old State Capitol and is not really a dome but a stained glass skylight in the structure Mark Twain dubbed the "monstrosity on the Mississippi"