The Vermont State House, located in Montpelier, Vermont, is the capitol and seat of government of the U.S. state of Vermont. The current Greek revival structure is the third building on the same site to serve as the state house. It was designed in 1857 and opened in 1859. Restored in 1990, it remains largely in the same appearance as when it first opened.

Description

The State House is located on State Street on the western edge of downtown Montpelier, several blocks north of the Winooski River. Set against a wooded hillside (which was deforested at times through the building's history), the building and its distinctive gold leaf dome are easily visible while approaching Montpelier. The small size of Montpelier (the smallest city to serve as the capital of a U.S. state) means that the dome is visible even before own reaches the city limit along U.S. Highway 2. The surrounding forested hillside contains a hiking path that leads upward from the small parking lot along the eastern side.

The current structure was designed by architect Thomas Silloway, following the design of an earlier structure (the second Vermont State House), designed by Montpelier architect Ammi B. Young, supervising architect of the U.S. Treasury, and constructed on the same site between 1833–1838. Young's earlier structure was also of Greek Revival design, in white Barre granite in a two-story cruciform design with a Doric portico and saucer dome lower than the existing one. Young's structure was nearly totally destoryed in a fire in January 1857. Silloway was able to salvage the portico, as well as portions of the granite walls, in his new design. Silloway also heightened the dome (copper with gold leaf) to its current level. The dome is topped by a statue of the Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture. The front entrance is flanked on the outside by a marble statue of Ethan Allen, a Vermont patriot during the American Revolutionary War.

The State House contains two main floors accessible by all visitors the front staircase and doors. The main lobby is flanked by portraits of U.S. Presidents Calvin Coolidge and Chester Alan Arthur, both of whom were from Vermont. The lobby also contains a large portrait of Montpelier native Admiral Dewey on the bridge of his flagship during the Battle of Manila Bay. The office of the Governor of Vermont is located in the west wing of the building. Portraits of Vermont governors, including recent presidential candidate Howard Dean (who is shown in an idiosyncratic pose in a canoe amid a natural setting) are displayed through the first and second floors of the building. The chambers of the two bodies of the Vermont legislature are on the second floor. Unlike many statehouses, the chambers have no overhead galleries on a higher floor, and visitors are permitted to enter the chambers directly.

The west wing of the second floor holds the Cedar Creek Room, which contains a large wall-size painting depicting the Battle of Cedar Creek during the American Civil War. The painting highlights the contributions of Vermont troops in the battle. The room is illuminated by two stained glass windows in the ceilings, one of which depicts the Vermont State Seal, which is topped by the figure of a stag.

Many of the furnishings in the building date to the original opening, including the 30 black walnut chairs in the Vermont Senate chamber, used in 1859 and still used for the same purpose today.

Use of the State House

Vermont's reputation for open state government is reflected in the State House, which is entirely open to visitors with few restrictions when the legislature is not in session. In addition, the front steps of the building serve as a well-used platform for peaceful demonstrations and press conferences for varioius official and non-official groups.

External link

• National Park Service: Vermont State House (http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/travel/centralvermont/cv20.htm)