Sign Text for North Carolina Landmark #H-4:
Built 1833-40. Ithiel Towne, A. J. Davis and David Paton, architects. First State House built here, 1796; burned, 1831.
More about the North Carolina State Capitol:
In terms of government, North Carolina had a loosey goosey start! Governors lived in their own private homes, while the legislative branch met in courthouses and private homes, all the while trying to agree on a capital city! Edenton was the first choice in 1722, then New Bern in 1766, then a whole new city built over the plantation land of Joel Lane, which came to be called Raleigh after Sir Walter!
The first State House went up between 1792 and 1794 but like many capitol buildings, burned down in 1831! So, the General Assembly recruited William Nichols, Jr. to draft plans for a new building, then, true to Tar Heel tradition, replaced him the following year with the firm of Ithiel Town and Alexander Jackson Davis, then replaced them with David Paton!
Once construction was actually underway, the new capitol took on a distinctly Classical look with Doric columns resembling the Parthenon’s, the House chamber built to resemble a Greek theatre, and the Senate chamber built to resemble another Acropolis building: the Erectheum! Completed in 1840 at three times the cost of the state’s yearly income, it was mostly constructed by enslaved labor from stone brought in via the state’s first railway, the Experimental Railroad!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Volunteer with the North Carolina Division of State Historic Sites!
- Donate to the North Carolina Division of State Historic Sites!
- Be a responsible visitor! Please respect the signs and pathways, and treat all structures and artifacts with respect. They’ve endured a lot to survive into the present. They’ll need our help to make it into the future!
How Do I Get There?
1 E Edenton St
Raleigh, NC 27601
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit?
The capitol building is open to visitors Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM and on Saturdays from 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM!
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