Exterior It was the tallest structure in Des Moines, and possibly the entire state, from its erection in 1884 until 1924. The rotunda beneath the dome measures 80 feet (24 meters). Four smaller domes of basic form rise from the Capitol's four corners. They are 38 feet high, made of Indiana limestone, and covered with a layer of asphalt and gravel.
The total height of the building including its dome is 115 feet (35 meters). Its diameter at the base is 90 feet (27 meters), and it tapers to 57 feet (17 meters) at the top. There are windows in the wall between the second and third floors for viewing the legislative proceedings below. The capitol is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Inside the Capitol, eight rooms with mahogany paneling and silk wallpaper line the first floor. On the second floor are more chambers, all with marble desks and chairs where members wrote their laws. A large room on this floor is called the "Caucus Room," because that's where the Democrats and Republicans meet to decide which candidates will appear on the ballot for elections. Above the Caucus Room is a balcony with views of the city and the surrounding area.
The Iowa State Capitol was built as an imitation of the British Parliament in London. Each state legislature is given the choice of having a capitol building like the one in Des Moines or a traditional white house-like building.
As a visitor stands beneath the dome on the first floor, the interior's beauty, dignity, and organization become obvious. Broad, soaring passageways go west, north, and south. They lead to other rooms used for legislative business: a library, a hearing room, a committee chamber, etc.
The rotunda was designed by William H. Harrison, who also designed the Indiana State House. It was built between 1847 and 1850 at a cost of $150,000 ($1.5 million in today's dollars).
Harrison was a young man in his early 30s when he was hired to design the Capitol. He had never been to Iowa but based his design on those of other famous architects such as George Washington Carver and John Haviland.
Harrison began with a simple rectangular box. But he wanted to include some kind of entrance signifying the importance of the building and its purpose, so he added a portico with Doric columns. The arrangement creates a long, narrow hall with the desk of the governor at one end and the door to the speaker's office at the other. A large skylight above the governor's head allows sunlight into the room during winter sessions.
Harrison also designed the doors and windows, which are made of oak with pine trim.
Davenport's Ladies' College Building, 1856; afterwards Mount Ida Female College. The dome that was erected in 1858 inspired the name Mount Ida Female College. There appears to have been no attempt to chronicle Iowa's tallest structure prior to the erection of the State Capitol in 1884. That year the State House was declared the official "Tallest Structure in Iowa." In 1990 the capitol was remodeled and restored to its original beauty. Today it serves as the home of the Iowa Legislature.
The State Capitol is an impressive structure with 91 feet of top floor-to-ceiling window glass and a gold-domed roof. It is located on North Dubuque Street in Des Moines, which is adjacent to the campus of Iowa State University. A sculpture by Gutzon Borglum (the man who sculpted Mt. Rushmore) stands outside the entrance to the capitol building. It is a replica of the Temple of Athena at Athens and is 32 feet high. Borglum traveled to Europe to study Greek and Roman architecture before creating this piece of art.
Before the construction of the State Capitol, Davenport had two other tall buildings. One was a Baptist church built in 1855. The other was a hotel called the Davenport Hotel built in 1857. Both buildings were destroyed by fire. Today nothing remains of these structures except some bricks used for other buildings in town.
Des Moines, Iowa Governor James W. Grimes declared Des Moines to be the state capital in 1857, and governmental papers and functions were moved there. The temporary Capitol remained in operation for 30 years until it was destroyed by fire, although in the interim, the new Capitol was being designed and built.
The current Iowa State Capitol is a magnificent Greek Revival structure that was completed in 1855. It was originally known as the "Capitol Building" because that is what its first owner intended it to be used for - a building with legislative chambers. But when the new governor ordered the removal of the existing walls to make more room for offices, galleries, and other facilities, a statehouse was also created out of this action. Today, the capitol serves as both a meeting place for the Iowa General Assembly and a residence for the governor.
There are actually two United States Congresses represented in Iowa: a House district and a Senate district. The state is divided into three congressional districts, which are drawn by a federal court system. Each district has equal representation in the House of Representatives, and one senator is elected from each district. Voters can influence which party controls each chamber by voting for individual candidates or parties.
Both the Iowa House and Senate have 100 seats. Seats are apportioned based on population, with some exceptions.
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