Maine State Capitol!

What Is the Maine State Capitol?

It’s the Maine State Capitol building!

What Makes It Historical?

Up until March 15, 1820, what we now call Maine was part of the state of Massachusetts, and so it made sense that, after it became its own state, Maine would have a capitol building like its Bay State neighbor! It took a while to figure this out, though, at least seven years, when the temporary capital of Portland switched to Augusta on February 24, 1827! Private donors deeded thirty-four acres of land to the state for the sum of $10, and the legislature brought in Charles Bulfinch to produce a similar-looking capitol building to the capitol he designed in Boston. The cornerstone went down amid a huge Masonic ceremony on July 4, 1829, and the capitol was up by January 4, 1832!

Built from granite, this capitol building, unlike many others, never burned down, but it did undergo some major renovations, starting with the addition of a three-story wing for more office space and a state library! Further extensions came about from 1909 to 1910 under G. Henri Desmond, who replaced Mr. Bulfinch’s cupola with a huge dome, crowned by a 15-foot gilded statue of the “Lady of Wisdom” who holds a pine bough (symbolizing Maine’s prosperity) in her right hand and a torch in the left!

How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?

Volunteer with the Maine State Museum!
Donate to the Maine State Museum!
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!