Built: 1886-1908 Cost: US$2,800,000.00 Designed by: E.E. Myers, W.D. Richardson, and R.C. Greiner Type: Government Building Maximum Height: 272 feet / 83 meters Maximum length: 384 feet / 117 meters Denver, United States
T he city of Denver gets its nickname "The Mile High City" because of the state capitol. It is 5,280 feet above sea level. This is actually the third state capitol for Colorado, but the first in Denver. It was moved there when Colorado was still a territory, to put the legislators at the center of commerce. While the private industry was prospering, the territory was not. It had just $25,000 when the capitol was proposed -- a project at the time expected to cost $1,000,000. The government had to rely on donated land, but still the project languished until Colorado decided to join the United States. Though there were some who wanted the project to proceed, there was a sense among most of the state leaders that building a capitol was not a priority. A contest was held to solicit designs from architects across the nation. But the time frame was too short for most, and others decried the process as pointless since there would be no prize for the winning entry. Again, the leaders waffled and did little else except tour other state capitols. By now it had been 20 years since the state was given the land and no work had been done. Finally, the legislature passed a law requiring the capitol to be built by January, 1890. That didn't happen, in part because the project managers were only allowed to spend $200,000 a year. The state again tried to get its capitol project moving. This time offering a $1,500 prize for the best entry in its architectural contest. A winner was chosen and construction began, but not without controversy. The original cost estimate was $930,485.00. But by the time the building was completed, it cost $2,800,000.00. W.D. Richardson, it turns out, was in a bad financial situation and had low-balled his price, then submitted claims in excess of his estimate. One scandal followed the other, but the building was finally finished in 1908. Following instructions from the legislature the building was made from native material whenever possible, including a foundation of sandstone from Fort Collins, granite from Gunnison, Pillars of Colorado onyx. Inside a time capsule in the northeast corner stone are copies of the United States and Colorado constitutions, a Bible, an American flag, a city directory, a state map, newspapers, a drawing of what the capitol was expected to look like when complete, and gold coins.
Brent Kampert
Wednesday, July 30th, 2008 @ 12:37pm
Rating: Five stars. I like it's gold dome and how it compliments the skyline of Denver. I still remember it from seeing it in 2002.
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New York, United States
Brent Kampert
Five stars.