The Wyoming State Capitol is located in the city of Cheyenne. Cheyenne is the seat of government for the U.S. state of Wyoming, also hosting the workspace for the governor, Mark Gordon, and his staff. Built between 1886 and 1890, the capitol is located in Cheyenne and contains the chambers of the Wyoming State Legislature as well as the office of the Governor of Wyoming. It was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1987. The Capitol underwent an extensive three-year renovation and reopened to the public on July 10, 2019.
History
The construction of the capitol began prior to Wyoming gaining statehood. Cheyenne was born in 1867 in the path of the transcontinental railroad, when the Union Pacific crews arrived to lay tracks westward. Cheyenne soon laid claim to a higher status than older Wyoming settlements such as those at Fort Laramie, Fort Bridger, and the mining town of South Pass City, changing Cheyenne from a village to a city in a matter of months. The seat of the new Territorial government was established in Cheyenne in 1869.
In 1886, the Ninth Territorial Legislative Assembly authorized construction of the State Capitol. A five-member commission, appointed by Governor Francis E. Warren, was charged with the selection and purchase of the site, selection of an architect and accepting the lowest bids for construction of the building. The commission chose the firm of David W. Gibbs & Company, Architects, to draw plans and specifications. These were accepted in July 1886 and a contract issued to the lowest bidder, Adam Feick & Brother, who broke ground on September 9, 1886.
The Tenth Territorial Legislative Assembly convened in the unfinished building. The two small wings on the east and west were completed in 1890. Crowded conditions persisted with the growth of the state and in 1915 the Thirteenth legislature approved the construction of the House and Senate Chambers, which were completed in March 1917.
The 42nd Legislature in 1974 appropriated funds for the first phase of renovation of the capitol and the project was completed in 1980. Work included stripping and staining all woodwork, painting walls in the original designs and colors, replacing wooden floor beams with steel, concrete and modernizing the wiring, heating, plumbing and air conditioning.
In 2013, the Wyoming State Legislature created a task force to examine potential renovations to the building. The Legislature authorized the renovation project in 2014 with work on the Capitol, the Herschler Building, the utility plant and the tunnels to be completed as a unified project with a budget of $299 million. The project was completed in 2019.
The building was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987, for its role in Wyoming's history, including specifically the role it played in hosting conventions that ensured woman's suffrage in the state constitution. Another major part of the restoration project was to gain back some of the visibility of the dome on the building. To be able to view the dome from North Capitol Avenue, a large atrium on an adjacent building was demolished.
The Dome
The dome is one of the key architectural features of the Capitol building. It stands out above the skyline, representing Wyoming's values.
The Vaults
On the Garden Level of the Capitol, there sit six vaults that were covered in layers of paint. During the restoration, this paint was carefully removed, to reveal unique paintings hiding beneath, one for each vault door. These vaults were found to have been made by Mosler Safe and Lock Company, which was a well-distinguished safe company at the time. This company was originally called Mosler, Bahmann and Company and was located in Cincinnati, Ohio. Mosler's sons would later take over the business and move it to Hamilton, Ohio, where it would be run under the name Mosler Safe and Lock Company.