What Is the Connecticut State Capitol?
It’s the Connecticut State Capitol building!
What Makes It Historical?
After decades of moving the General Assembly back and forth between Hartford and New Haven, the citizens of Connecticut voted to put the government in one capital city: Hartford! In March of 1872, Richard Upjohn won Connecticut’s capitol design contest with his unique Eastlake (French-Gothic Revival) style! The runner-up in the contest, James Batterson, was made the building contractor, and while the estimated cost of Mr. Upjohn’s design was $875,000—well below the $1 million budget—Mr. Batterson made full use of his powers and made some very expensive changes.
First and foremost, he swapped out Mr. Upjohn’s tower with a gold-leafed dome, topped with a 15-foot bronze statue of the “Genius of Connecticut” (removed in 1938) that was surrounded by twelve life-sized statues representing topics like agriculture and science! That nearly tripled the cost of construction to $2.5 million, but it went ahead nonetheless, opening in January of 1879 after nearly eight years of construction!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Become a member of the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History!
- Donate to Connecticut History!
- 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?
210 Capitol Ave
Hartford, CT 06106
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit?
The capitol building is open for tours Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM until 5:00 PM!
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