First
Floor - From the center of the rotunda on the
ground floor, one can look upward to the dome to
see thirteen large stars which represent the thirteen
original colonies and forty-three smaller stars
which indicate that Idaho was the forty-third state
to enter the union. In the rotunda is a large statue
entitled "the Patriot", sculpted with a welding
torch by Kenneth Lonn, a resident of the Silver
Valley. He dedicated this work to the men and women
of Idaho's mining industry. In the east wing is
the office of the state treasurer, where an original
vault containing a large 1905 manganse safe is still
in use. Portraits of previous treasurers are displayed
in the office.
Second
Floor - There are three impressive entrances
to the second floor, from the east, the south, and
the west. On the south side of the rotunda is the
portico, or main entrance. This is also known as
the ceremonial entrance, for it is here that important
visitors are greeted and inaugurations are held.
A replica of the Liberty Bell, molded in France,
stands at the base of the stairs. The bell was given
to the State by the Department of the Treasury in
1950. Two giant spheres of Vermont granite flank
the thirty-three steps of this entrance. Just inside
the portico stands a replica of the statue "Winged
Victory of Samothrace." It was sent by France in
1949. The original marble statue stands in the Louvre
in Paris. The governor's suite of offices is located
in the west wing. On the wall of the hallway adjacent
to the governor's office hang portraits of previous
governors of the state. The opposite wall holds
a display of flags which were carried by Idaho regiments
in France during World War I. There is also a glass
case containing a sample of the governor's official
china, all of which was donated to the state. The
lieutenant governor's office is also located in
the west wing, just opposite the governor's office.
On the north side of the second floor rotunda is
the statue of George Washington astride a horse.
This work was carved from a single piece of pine
by Charles Ostner, a German immigrant. Ostner, working
at night by candlelight from a postage stamp likeness,
took four years to carve the figure. The statue
was bronzed and presented to the Territory of Idaho
in 1869. It stood on display on the capitol grounds
until 1934, when due to weather damage, it was brought
indoors and covered with gold leaf. To the rear
of the George Washington statue is the attorney
general's suite of offices. These offices were used
by the Idaho supreme court justices until the new
supreme court building was constructed in 1970.
Many of the original lamp fixtures, some with very
rare fire opal glass globes are visible in the main
office. A fire broke out in the attorney general's
office on January 1, 1992, causing approximately
$3,400,000.00 in damage. In the east wing is the
office of the secretary of state. In the reception
area is the official copy of the Great Seal of the
State of Idaho. The original is in safe keeping
at the state historical museum. Portraits of previous
secretaries of state are displayed in the office
lobby.
Third
Floor - The legislative chambers are located
on the third floor, the senate in the west wing
and the house of representatives in the east wing.
Committee rooms and offices surround each chamber.
Both chambers were remodeled in 1968. Also on this
floor is the former Idaho Supreme Court room. All
of the furnishings and decorations are symbolic
of justice, law and mercy. Ten torch like lights
mimic those in the U.S. Supreme Court chambers.
This room is now used for hearings and committee
meetings of the legislature's Joint Finance and
Appropriations Committee (JFAC). Fourth Floor -
On the fourth floor are balcony entrances to the
senate and house chambers. From these galleries
the public can watch the legislature when it is
in session. On the south side of the fourth floor
rotunda is a large painting of Shoshone Falls on
the Snake River near the city of Twin Falls. It
is by artist J. C. Cowles . Three historic murals
by Dana Boussard, one each for the three geographical
regions of the State, hang in the northeast, northwest,
and southwest corners of the fourth floor. The representation
of North, Southwest, and Southeast Idaho will remind
viewers of the state's diversity as well as its
unity.
Basement
- Sections of the basement have been remodeled
to provide office space for legislative support
staff. The Secretary of State's Uniform Commercial
Code division utilizes the west end of the basement.
Recent remodeling has added office space for the
news media. Much of the space is still used for
storage and building services.
Grounds
- The grounds contain several notable trees,
some of which were planted by U.S. Presidents. Among
them are the Water Oak planted by President Benjamin
Harrison on May 8, 1891, the Sugar Maple planted
by President Theodore Roosevelt on May 28, 1903,
and the Ohio Buckeye planted by President William
Howard Taft on October 9, 1911. On the east lawn
is an oak tree planted in memory of Governor C.
Ben Ross and a maple tree planted in memory of Martin
Luther King, Jr. On the west lawn is an oak tree
from the Tree of Gernika brought to Idaho in 1981
from the Basque Country in northern Spain, as a
symbol of Basque freedom and independence. Just
to the east of the ceremonial entrance is the Ruth
G. Moon Rose Garden, in honor of the former state
treasurer who served from 1945-46, 1955-59. There
are two monuments on the grounds. On the east lawn
is the Pioneer Monument erected by 2,777 school
children of Boise on May 8, 1906 to perpetuate the
memory of the Old Oregon Trail. On the west lawn
is a monument erected by the ladies of the Grand
Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) in August of 1935
in honor of the Grand Army of the Republic (the
Union Army). On the west lawn near Jefferson street
is an old "Model 1840" cast iron sea coast gun used
by the confederacy in the Civil War. This was obtained
by State Treasurer C.A. Hastings with the help of
Senator Borah. Directly across Jefferson street
from the main entrance is the Steunenberg Monument.
The statue of Governor Frank Steunenberg, who was
assassinated in 1905, was cast by Gilbert P. Riswold
and dedicated in 1927. The monument, and the adjacent
Frank Church Capitol Park to the east, are owned
by Boise City. The city was granted the land by
the state in exchange for the closure of Seventh
street to allow for the enlargement of the capitol
building site.
