Golden domes, statues, and state nods at US capitols

State capitols offer a window into regional history and identity. They house each state's legislature and executive offices, but their designs vary widely: Kansas's dome is topped by Ad Astra, a statue of a Kansa warrior, while New Hampshire's State House was built largely from locally quarried granite.

Maryland's State House in Annapolis, completed in 1779, is the oldest building in continuous use as a legislative center. Some capitols recall dramatic moments. Alabama's building in Montgomery served as the first capital of the Confederacy and bears a brass star where Jefferson Davis was sworn in; the current structure was built in 1851 after an 1849 fire, and the grounds include the Avenue of Flags with a native rock from each state.

Alaska's Juneau capitol, completed in 1931, lacks a dome and has long been the subject of relocation debates, including a 1970s measure and a 2022 bill proposing a move to Willow.

United States

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