| What makes it historical? |
In the years after the Civil War, while the South burned, the Empire State of New York thrived! In fact, it was doing so well that it set off to build a massive new capitol building in Albany! In case you were wondering why Albany became the capital instead of New York City, Albany is much more centrally located in the state with a great port on the Hudson River for shipping goods from across the state to the sea, Europe, and beyond!
Anyway, construction on this building started in 1865 and took 28 years from the laying of its cornerstone to its official declaration of completeness! The process changed hands among five different architects (Thomas Fuller, Leopold Eiditz, Henry Hobson Richardson, Frederick Law Olmsted, and Isaac G. Perry) and was so over budget in time and money, notwithstanding the ceiling collapse in 1888, that the building was declared “finished” without the originally planned dome on top! That would be left to a future generation, though so far, no one has approached that project!
One of the highlights inside the capitol is the Great Western Staircase, also known as the “Million Dollar Staircase,” because it cost over a million dollars ($28 million by today’s standards) to build! It took 500 stonecutters and carvers 14 years, at a wage of $5 a day, to create this stunning staircase, which not only features the intricately carved faces of presidents and historical figures, but also the faces of workers’ family members and even strangers they met on the street! |
