North Carolina State Capitol | |
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 Interactive map showing North Carolina State Capitol's location | |
| Location | 1 E Edenton St,Raleigh, North Carolina |
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| Coordinates | 35°46′49.3″N78°38′20.8″W / 35.780361°N 78.639111°W /35.780361; -78.639111 |
| Built | 1833; 193 years ago (1833) |
| Architect | Multiple |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Part of | Capitol Area Historic District (ID78001978) |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000476 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | February 26, 1970[2] |
| Designated NHL | November 6, 1973[1] |
| Designated CP | April 15, 1978 |
TheNorth Carolina State Capitol is the former seat of the legislature of theU.S. state ofNorth Carolina which housed all of the state's government until 1888. The Supreme Court and State Library moved into a separate building in 1888, and the General Assembly moved into theState Legislative Building in 1963. Today, the governor and his immediate staff occupy offices on the first floor of the Capitol.
The building was built following the destruction by fire of the firstNorth Carolina State House in 1831,[3] and today houses the offices of theGovernor of North Carolina. It is located in the state capital ofRaleigh on Union Square at One East Edenton Street. The cornerstone of theGreek Revival building was laid withMasonic honors by the Grand Master of North Carolina MasonsSimmons Jones Baker on July 4, 1833.[4] Construction was completed in 1840.[5] It was designed primarily by the architectural firm ofIthiel Town andAlexander Jackson Davis. Often credited solely to that team, the design of the capitol was actually the result of a sequence of work byWilliam Nichols Sr. and his son William Nichols Jr., Town and Davis, and thenDavid Paton.[6]The Capitol housed the entire state government until 1888, and theNorth Carolina General Assembly met in the capitol building until 1961. TheGrand Lodge of North Carolina laid a second cornerstone on the centenary of the first on July 4, 1933.[7] The legislature relocated to its current location in theNorth Carolina State Legislative Building in 1963. TheNorth Carolina Supreme Court has also convened in the building in the past, most recently meeting in the capitol's senate chamber in 2005 while the Supreme Court Building was undergoing renovations. The Governor and the governor's immediate staff has continued to occupy offices in the building.[8] The Capitol remains largely unaltered from its 1840 state. Only three rooms have been significantly altered through remodeling: the two committee rooms in the east and west wings of the second floor, which were divided horizontally to provide space for restrooms, and the office in the east wing of the first floor, part of which had to be cut away to permit space for an elevator to be installed in 1951.[9]
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The Capitol was declared aNational Historic Landmark in 1973 and the building is located in theCapitol Area Historic District.[1][10]
The first assembly to meet in this building was the 63rd North Carolina General Assembly of 1840–1841 on November 16, 1840. The last assembly to meet in this building was the 124thNorth Carolina General Assembly of 1961, which met from February 8 to June 22, 1961.[11]
Followingthe heated protests for racial equality of 2020, GovernorRoy Cooper ordered the removal of the largestConfederate statue on the State Capitol Grounds.[12]
The 2021 state budget included $10 million to repair the roof, including the dome. Replacement of the roof is planned for 2023.[13]
The North Carolina General Assembly may have initially met in Tryon Palace after being vacated by the British in 1776. The assembly met in various locations until a building dedicated for use by the state government was completed in 1794 in Raleigh. This building was destroyed by fire in 1831. The North Carolina State Capitol building was the home to the assembly from 1840 to 1961.[11]
| Name | First Occupied (Assembly) | Last Occupied (Assembly) | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tryon Palace | 1777 (1st) | 1777 |  |
| North Carolina State House | 1794 (19th) | 1810 (35th) |  |
| Renovated North Carolina State House | 1811 (36th) | 1831 (55th) |  |
| North Carolina State Capitol | 1840 (63rd) | 1961 (124th) |  |
| North Carolina State Legislative Building | 1963 (125th) | still in use | .jpg) |
In the rotunda is a statue of George Washington. The rotunda statue is a replica of the original statue by Antonio Canova, which was destroyed by a fire in 1831. A bust of the 29th Governor of North Carolina (1841–1845),John Motley Morehead, sits inside the capitol. A statue ofGeorge Washington is on the south side of the capitol. On the east side of the capitol sits a statue of the threePresidents of the United States from North Carolina:James Knox Polk of Mecklenburg County,Andrew Jackson of Union County sitting on horse, andAndrew Johnson of Wake County. The grounds of the capitol also include statues honoringwomen of the Confederacy, veterans of the Civil War andViet Nam War.[14]
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