Madison in Dane County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Wisconsin State Capitol

Photographed By Bart Cianciolo, September 5, 2009

1. Wisconsin State Capitol Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Wisconsin State Capitol
has been designated a
National Historic Landmark The Wisconsin State Capitol possesses national significance as an exceptionally intact example of the architectural values that embody the American Beaux-Arts tradition, popular during the late nineteenth to early twentieth centuries. It exemplifies that period’s emphasis on constructing monumental state capitols patterned on the National Capitol in Washington, D.C.

Erected 2001 by National Park Service of the United States Department of the Interior.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Government & Politics • Notable Buildings. In addition, it is included in the National Historic Landmarks series list.

Location. 43° 4.465′ N, 89° 23.046′ W. Marker is in Madison, Wisconsin, in Dane County. Marker can be reached from the intersection of East Main Street and Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, on the left when traveling east. The marker

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is located at the SE entrance of the building. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2 East Main Street, Madison WI 53702, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Hans Christian Heg (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); What would you have seen here 14,000 years ago? (about 400 feet away); Grace Episcopal Church (about 400 feet away); a different marker also named Grace Episcopal Church (about 500 feet away); This city was planned in 1836 (about 500 feet away); Capitol Square has long been the heart of the city (about 500 feet away); Outdoor markets are a Madison tradition (about 500 feet away); American House (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Madison.

More about this marker. When traveling northeast on E. Main St, the Capitol Building is on the left hand side. The SE entrance is across from the intersection of E. Main St and Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. The marker is at the base of the stairway on left hand newel.

Regarding Wisconsin State Capitol. According to the Madison Landmarks Commission, which designated the Capitol and its park grounds as a landmark (no. 129) in 1994, "The present State Capitol building is the third built on this site. The first, begun in 1837 and completed in 1848, outlived its usefulness and was demolished around 1862, and the second, built shortly thereafter, burned in 1904. This building, built in five phases over eleven years, is a masterpiece of Renaissance Revival architecture as interpreted through American Beaux-Arts sensibilities. [The] cruciform plan with a

Wisconsin State Capitol Building image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bart Cianciolo, September 5, 2009

2. Wisconsin State Capitol Building

The National Historic Landmark marker is on the left and the State Register of Historic Places marker is on the right.

dome at the crossing [by George Brown Post and Sons, architects,] may be described as a Greek Cross or a St. Andrew's Cross The Corinthian colonnades above the entrances at the end of each of the four wings carry traditional classical entablatures and pediments, which feature sculptures also arranged in a classical manner, conveying themes particular to Wisconsin. The four wings are identically designed and correspond to the cardinal compass directions. The massive granite dome was completed in 1915, and remains the only granite dome in the United States. It was intentionally designed to be a few inches lower than the dome on the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C."

Additional keywords. Architecture

Photographed By Bart Cianciolo, September 5, 2009

3. Wisconsin State Capitol Marker

This property is also listed in the Wisconsin State Register of Historic Places.

Credits. This page was last revised on August 10, 2021. It was originally submitted on November 17, 2009, by Diane Booth of Madison, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 1,364 times since then and 102 times this year. Last updated on August 23, 2010, by William J. Toman of Green Lake, Wisconsin. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 17, 2009, by Diane Booth of Madison, Wisconsin. • Kevin W. was the editor who published this page.