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60-655: The Hmong Archives was founded by Marlin LeRoy Heise ( Minnesota Historical Society retiree), Yuepheng Xiong (founder of Hmong ABC), Tzianeng Vang (founder of Hmong Professional Network) and other Hmong professionals in February 1999. It was first housed at Metropolitan State University in Saint Paul. It later relocated to a Hmong business strip in the "Minnehaha Mall", the Hmong Archives then found its way to

120-544: A 1903 letter to the Board. Responding to popular demand, the Board of State Capitol Commissioners authorized six paintings by four nationally known artists. Gilbert prepared plans for a more ornate room to accommodate paintings of historical subject matter, which were originally considered for the lunettes over the grand stair halls. In 1968 the red drapes and leather furnishings were replaced with gold velvet curtains and modern armchairs covered in mustard yellow upholstery. With

180-562: A collection of nearly 550,000 books, 37,000 maps, 250,000 photographs, 225,000 historical artifacts, 950,000 archaeological items, 38,000 cubic feet (1,100 m ) of manuscripts, 45,000 cubic feet (1,300 m ) of government records, 5,500 paintings, prints and drawings; and 1,300 moving image items. Since 2011, MNopedia : The Minnesota Encyclopedia , has been an online "resource for reliable information about significant people, places, events, and things in Minnesota history." The work

240-456: A comprehensive restoration project from 2013 to 2017, the first major renovation since the building first opened. Work began in 2013, with the project estimated at that time to cost $ 241 million, funded via a series of appropriations made by the Minnesota legislature. The project repaired and modernized deteriorating building systems, restored the building to Cass Gilbert 's original architectural vision, increased public meeting space (including

300-403: A dozen languages. As of March 2013, over 150,000 items had been accessioned. Current staff are volunteers. This article related to a non-profit organization is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Minnesota Historical Society The Minnesota Historical Society ( MNHS ) is a nonprofit educational and cultural institution dedicated to preserving the history of

360-519: A homage to Minnesota's nickname, the "Gopher State", life-sized cast iron gophers rear up on balustrades in the rotunda. The Lady Slipper was adopted as the state flower in 1902, during the Capitol's construction. Gilbert had many of the Corinthian capitals adjusted to feature larger-than-life renditions of the wild orchid found in Minnesota's northern forests. The dome electrolier (chandelier)

420-627: A modern term not in use when the Capitol was built, but a style made popular in part by the architecture at the Chicago World's Columbian Exposition in 1893. In addition to being influenced by his time at the World's Columbian Exposition, the State Capitol's architect Cass Gilbert was inspired by McKim, Mead & White's Rhode Island State House . Gilbert wrote a note in the margins on a 1912 article on his work stating that his plan of

480-525: A new classroom for the Minnesota Historical Society to host school groups and provide information about the building), updated life safety systems, and improved accessibility for people with disabilities. 3-D modeling was used to incorporate details about materials and other characteristics of particular parts of the structure. It was used to help with aspects of planning which included the positioning of new HVAC units that required

540-537: A resolution to assess annual members five dollars in order to pay for the protection of the building foundation against winter frosts at the cost of $ 100. The society approved a search for an architect who could draft a structure that could be built for $ 15,000 or less. Following the protection of the foundation, work on the building ceased as the Panic of 1857 resulted in the impoverishment of many formerly wealthy Minnesotans. The Society would continue to operate out of

600-551: A similar place, plans were made to begin a two-year building construction On June 24, 1856, the Society held a gala with invitations sent to scientific and literary guests from across the nation to celebrate the laying of the cornerstone of the building. The gala was reported in the Pioneer and Democrat as the "grandest gala day in the history of our city". Two weeks later, the building committee had exhausted their funds and passed

660-485: A space shortage in the Capitol, Governor LeVander decided the room should be converted to office use and closed off to the public. There was strong public objection to this temporary solution. Legislators and civic leaders worked to dissuade LeVander, and kept the Reception Room open to visitors. This controversy helped facilitate the recognition for the historic preservation and restoration of many Capitol spaces in

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720-615: A temporary headquarters in the Central House Hotel. In 1851, work began to oversee finances and the hiring of contractors to build the Capitol. Its architect, N. C. Prentiss drew up specifications for the new Capitol. Exterior details included brick work, cut stone floors and steps for the porches, a wood pediment, wood Ionic-style columns, and a well-framed roof covered with fireproof material. Interior work called for Norway pine flooring and staircases of oak and ash with oak handrails and turned balusters. The legislature moved into

780-571: Is funded through a Legacy Amendment Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund grant and administered by the Minnesota Historical Society. The Minnesota Historical Society Press (MNHS Press) publishes books on the history and culture of Minnesota and the Upper Midwest with the goal of advancing research, supporting education, and sharing diverse perspectives on Minnesota history. MNHS Press is the oldest publishing company in

840-418: Is lit every Statehood Day on May 11, commemorating when Minnesota became the 32nd state in the union on May 11, 1858. Gilbert had originally planned that art decorating the capitol interior would be mainly allegorical in nature. However, the Board of State Capitol Commissioners was approached by American Civil War veterans and Minnesota legislators who felt the artwork in the Capitol should depict real events in

900-741: Is the seat of government for the U.S. state of Minnesota , in its capital city of Saint Paul . It houses the Minnesota Senate , Minnesota House of Representatives , the office of the Attorney General and the office of the Governor . The building also includes a chamber for the Minnesota Supreme Court , although court activities usually take place in the neighboring Minnesota Judicial Center . There have been three State Capitol buildings. The present building

960-455: Is the second largest self-supported marble dome in the world, behind Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican , on which Gilbert based his design. The dome itself is actually made up of three domes or layers. The outer layer is a self-supporting dome made of Georgia marble blocks resting upon their own weight. Hidden inside is a brick and steel cone that supports the lantern and golden sphere at

1020-472: Is then topped by a finial globe covered in gold leaf. Because it was just over 30 years after the American Civil War when the building was designed, Gilbert drew ire for choosing marble from Georgia rather than native Minnesota granite for the exterior. Gilbert insisted on using Georgia white marble, saying that the use of a darker color would make it look "glooming and forbidding." A compromise

1080-487: The Minnesota History Center , in 1992. The Minnesota Historical Society operates 31 historic sites and museums, 26 of which are open to the public. MNHS manages 16 sites directly and 7 in partnerships where the society maintains the resources and provides funding. 6 sites are being held for preservation but are closed to public access, and five are self-guided sites with interpretive signage. Seven of

1140-571: The Minnesota Territory . Ramsey stated "the preservation by a community, of materials for the composition of its history, when a future time shall require it to be written, is a task not without its uses; and, when early commenced, easily accomplished." Charles K. Smith , the first Secretary of the Minnesota Territory, drew up the act and following the Society's charter, Smith and 18 other incorporators formally organized

1200-624: The U.S. state of Minnesota . It was founded by the territorial legislature in 1849, almost a decade before statehood . The Society is named in the Minnesota Constitution . It is headquartered in the Minnesota History Center in downtown Saint Paul . Although its focus is on Minnesota history , it is not constrained by it. Its work on the North American fur trade has been recognized in Canada as well. MNHS holds

1260-483: The $ 4.5-million project budget. Over the years, more art has been added to the Capitol, totaling nearly 150 pieces in 2017. Gilbert sought out many of the finest artists of the period, such as Kenyon Cox , Elmer Garnsey, Edwin Howland Blashfield , Henry Oliver Walker , Edward Emerson Simmons , John La Farge , Douglas Volk , Francis D. Millet , Howard Pyle , and Rufus Fairchild Zogbaum . Much of

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1320-440: The 1970s. In 1978, when farmers converged on the Capitol to protest powerline construction on their farms , the message "we want a moratorium on powerlines" was carved into one of the antique tables after several hundred protesters crowded into the Reception Room. One of several signature features of the Capitol is the brass and translucent glass eight-pointed star symbolizing Minnesota's motto, " L'Étoile du Nord " (The Star of

1380-435: The Capitol housed all the executive offices and the three branches of state government, state agencies and commissions, and the Minnesota Historical Society. Expansion of offices and meeting rooms, reconstruction of chambers, and subdivision of corridors occurred as early as the 1930s. As needs expanded, the state agencies and commissions, and over half of the executive offices, moved out of the Capitol to other buildings. One of

1440-561: The Capitol until the Minnesota State Legislature appropriated $ 500,000 for the construction of a fireproof historical building via an act passed in 1913 and amended in 1915. The building was completed in 1917 and the Society finished the process of moving its collections on March 1, 1918. The building currently serves as the Minnesota Judicial Center . The Society moved to its current location,

1500-656: The Center of Hmong Studies at Concordia University, Saint Paul . Overcrowding led the organization in May 2008 to 298½ University Avenue West, Saint Paul, MN, above the Hmong ABC (Arts, Books & Crafts) store. Since early 2012 Hmong Archives had relocated to 343 Michigan Street, Saint Paul, MN. Regular office hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10AM to 6PM. Collections range from rare Hmong record albums to Hmong embroidery, Hmong children's drawings, videos and books in over

1560-564: The Civil War were added between the 1920s and 1930s as the result of lobbying done by veterans groups and legislators. While there is no official designation, quality and volume of American Civil War art and historic artifacts in the capitol building gives the semblance the Capitol being a memorial to Civil War veterans. On the Capitol's south front is the State Capitol Mall, which includes eighteen acres of green space. Over

1620-484: The Governor's Reception Room included Civil war themes, as did the two paintings in the Governor's Anteroom. Gilbert originally seemed to want any statues in the second floor rotunda niches to be Minnesota Senators or U.S. Presidents; however, the statues finally installed between 1909 and 1914 were of Civil War veterans. Years after the construction was done, more plaques and benches memorializing Minnesotans who served in

1680-593: The Governors Reception Room was partly a response to Minnesotans' suggestions for pictures from their own history which gave Gilbert the opportunity to upscale his plans for the room and to include six large paintings that span 200 years of the area's history. In 1944, the custom of displaying governors' portraits in the public corridors was initiated. In 1971, the Capitol Area Architectural Planning Board and

1740-466: The Minnesota Historical Society were entrusted to approve design, structural composition and location of all works of art. The Governors Reception Room, arguably the most elaborately decorated in the building, is a ceremonial room, designed for state receptions, proclamations, and press conferences. Gilbert designed the elaborately decorated room, which was inspired by his earlier vacation in Europe, on

1800-528: The Minnesota capitol had been greatly influenced by the one in Rhode Island. The building's structure consists of a steel and cast iron frame on rough limestone foundation walls resting on concrete footings. Guastavino tile vaulting forms the ceilings on both the ground and first floor. The structural elements of a building primarily consist of load-bearing brick and stone masonry walls and piers supporting steel-framed floor and roof systems. Care given in

1860-577: The North), which is set in a circle on the floor of the rotunda below the central dome. The star motif is then repeated in the marble floor of the rotunda with the points of the star using red Numidian marble from the Nile River . The star's glass floor provides natural light to a State Capitol hearing room below. The motto can be seen in other areas of the Capitol stenciled on the walls. Additional state symbols appear as details in unexpected settings. In

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1920-553: The Society on November 15, 1849. Upon organization, the Society had no headquarters. The Society initially used the Territorial Secretary's office, hotel rooms, and store lofts. In 1855, the Society was granted a room in the Minnesota State Capitol . Enabled by an 1856 amendment to the Society's charter allowing the Society to own unlimited property, the Society began a capital campaign to fund

1980-536: The World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 in Chicago. Gilbert saw this quadriga group at the Exposition and made plans to have artists adapt it for Minnesota. As work continued on the interior, multiple groups, notably American Civil War veterans, the Minnesota Historical Society, and some politicians, demanded that the artwork in the Capitol illustrate historic events of Minnesota's past. The current ornate look of

2040-527: The aging neighborhood surrounding the Capitol increasingly deteriorated. Work to transform the area and to develop at least partially Gilbert's vision of landscaped grand boulevards providing key approaches to the capitol began after World War II. The work was largely complete by 1955, leaving the State Capitol Mall with the overall form that still provides the setting for the Minnesota State Capitol. The Minnesota State Capitol underwent

2100-478: The construction of its own building. . Daniel A. Robertson , former editor and proprietor of the Minnesota Democrat served as chairman of the building committee. Robertson raised $ 1,500 via the sale of sixty-two lifetime memberships to the Society in order to fund the acquisition of two lots to serve as the site of a building to house the society. On the expectation that fundraising would continue at

2160-540: The construction of the original structure was so great that even far removed mechanical spaces not intended to be seen by the public were designed and built with a high standard of finish and design. East to west, the Capitol is more than 430 ft (130 m) long. From ground level to the top of the dome's lantern measures 220 ft (67 m). Inside, the building has more than 300,000 square feet (28,000 m ) of floor space, or about 5,000,000 cubic feet (140,000 m ) of space. The Minnesota State Capitol dome

2220-473: The discovery of dry rot made the building increasing unacceptable. Additionally, poor ventilation led in the push for a new Capitol building in 1893. It had served as the seat of Minnesota state government for just 10 years before state officials began planning a grander, more efficient Capitol. After the completion of the third State Capitol in 1905, the state used the old Capitol for meeting space, storage, and parking until its demolition in 1937. The site for

2280-506: The doubling of ductwork in order to meet modern code requirements but not be noticed or mar the historic character of the building. The laser scanning done to confirm the accuracy of the digital model also showed that Gilbert's original architectural drawings proved to be very accurate to what was built. The original Georgia marble stone on the exterior had badly deteriorated from weathering, and underwent comprehensive restoration that included 20,000 repairs with 6,000 pieces replaced. The stone

2340-406: The evening, fire broke out in the dome of the Capitol and quickly spread. There were no deaths, but efforts to save the building failed. It was replaced on the same site in 1883 by the second Capitol building. After fire destroyed Minnesota's first Capitol building, the second Capitol, a three-story, Romanesque, masonry building designed by Leroy Buffington , was completed in 1883 on the site of

2400-403: The expenditures, acquiring property, setting building specifications, selecting the architect and general contractor, and giving final approval for the type of stone to use on the exterior, as well as the art and artists. The site selected by the commission was "Wabasha Hill", bounded by Park Avenue, University Avenue, Cedar and Wabasha Streets, and Central Avenue. While this was the costliest of

2460-517: The exterior; cleaning historic paintings, murals, and sculptures; and adding safety and accessibility features. The building is set in a landscaped campus with the Capitol Mall on its south front, Leif Erikson Park on its west, and Judicial Plaza to its east. Various monuments and memorials are located in these green spaces. The current State Capitol building is the third building to serve this purpose. The territorial legislature first met in

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2520-445: The first Capitol. Buffington designed the new building in the shape of a Greek cross. It featured a foundation of cut stone and walls of red brick with Dresbach sandstone trim. Each wing measured 150 feet in length. The main entrance on the southwest from Wabasha Street opened onto the first floor, where the governor, attorney general, auditor, treasurer, and secretary of state had offices. The Assembly (House of Representatives) chamber in

2580-438: The first and second Capitol buildings eventually became home to the former Arts and Science Building and McNally Smith Music Academy. The present state Capitol was designed by Cass Gilbert , whose design was selected by the Board of State Capitol Commissioners over 41 other submissions. Butler-Ryan Construction was selected as the contractor. Work began on the capitol in 1896, its corner-stone laid July 27, 1898, and construction

2640-597: The first to leave was the Minnesota Historical Society, which relocated to its own building (now the Minnesota Judicial Center ) next to the Capitol in 1915. Most recently, the offices of the Senate moved to the newly constructed Minnesota Senate Building in January 2016. The structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. The Minnesota Capitol is usually described as " Beaux-Arts ",

2700-617: The four sites considered for the Capitol, it was the largest, and the Commission concluded that it was the best location for the building. Dozens of companies and hundreds of workers worked to complete the statehouse. Six workers were killed in accidents between 1898 and 1903 as a result of unsafe working conditions. Upon completion, the building drew praise from the architecture community, leading to requests for Gilbert to design Capitol buildings for other states, such as West Virginia and Arkansas, and other notable structures. Originally,

2760-458: The grand staircases are made from Breche Violette marble from Italy. In the rotunda, the giant columns in the four open spaces are made from Minnesota granite. The deep bronze columns on the north and south were quarried near Ortonville, Minnesota and the purplish gray columns on the east and west were quarried near Rockville, Minnesota. Dividing the statuary niches and the Kasota stone walls in

2820-447: The lines of a Venetian Council Chamber, with stained white oak woodwork and heavy molding gilded with gold leaf framing historical paintings. The room's ornate look was partly a response to Minnesotans' suggestions for pictures from their own history. Originally Gilbert had planned for the room to be much more modest. "The executive rooms should be finished in perfectly plain color without elaborate decoration of any kind," Gilbert wrote in

2880-503: The new Capitol in time for the 5th territorial legislative session on January 4, 1854. The population boomed after Minnesota became a state on May 11, 1858, and the Capitol building was expanded with a new wing on the Exchange Street side of the building in 1873 and a second wing facing Wabasha Street in 1878. Despite efforts to make the Capitol fire-resistant, it was destroyed by fire on March 1, 1881. While legislators met in

2940-628: The original art is allegorical . Gilbert's trips to Europe encouraged his ideas, but he was more directly influenced by the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. In particular, the inspiration for the Minnesota quadriga, a group of figures entitled Progress of the State , was the Columbus Quadriga , a statue depicting Christopher Columbus standing in a four horse chariot guided by two maidens carrying staffs of victory, that Daniel Chester French and Edward Clark Potter had modeled for

3000-646: The rotunda from the "Civilization of the Northwest" murals above them is a line of Sioux Quartzite from a quarry in Jasper, Minnesota. Previously it was thought to be Catlinite/Pipestone, which is prized by Native Americans, primarily those of the Plains nations for use in making ceremonial pipes. During the 2013-2017 renovation, the stone was tested and found not to be Catlinite. The State Capitol opened in 1905 with roughly 60 artworks that totaled $ 300,000, or 7% of

3060-675: The sites are National Historic Landmarks and 16 others are on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Seven sites lie within Minnesota state parks , and three are elements of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area . These publications are described in more detail in an online format (without the downloadable document formats available above), at the MHC's own Digital History Books page. Minnesota State Capitol The Minnesota State Capitol

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3120-432: The southeast wing featured a twenty-five-foot ceiling with a large stained glass skylight. The Senate chamber in the southwest wing was finished in yellow birch and birdseye maple. The Supreme Court chamber in the southeast wing featured woodwork of cherry and Hungarian ash. Shortly after it opened, deficiencies of the new building were becoming clear. Overcrowding due to a lack of space, a lack of adequate fireproofing, and

3180-604: The state of Minnesota and the largest historical society press in the nation, with more than 500 books in print. MNHS Press also produces the quarterly magazine, Minnesota History (journal) . The Minnesota Historical Society was established on October 20, 1849, as the fifth act of the Minnesota Territorial Legislature . The Society was established earlier than was common for historical societies in other states. As Territorial Governor, Alexander Ramsey recommended saving every newspaper published in

3240-406: The states past rather than allegorical imagery. In particular they wanted recognition of Minnesota's military units. Additional funds were lacking to build a desired immense obelisk outside the Capitol that was to be the memorial to veterans. These issues convinced Gilbert to amend his vision and include Civil War homages inside the Capitol building. Four of the six paintings originally installed in

3300-420: The top of the dome and provides an internal water drainage system, which helps avoid the heaving problem created by the freezing and thawing of Minnesota winters. Below that is the decorative masonry dome that can be seen from the inside, looking up from the rotunda. At the dome's base are 12 marble eagles paired with the columns surrounding the drum of the dome. At the dome's top is a columned stone lantern which

3360-522: The years, monuments and memorials have been added to the mall. The mall and the Capitol building itself are overseen by the Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board (CAAPB), a small state agency consisting of twelve members. Cass Gilbert envisioned his State Capitol building in a setting of plazas and axial and radial avenues, but his commission was initially limited to the building only due to lack of funds. As time went on,

3420-402: Was completed in 1905. The construction cost US$ 4.5 million. It opened its doors to the public for the first time on January 2, 1905. In 1893 Governor Knute Nelson appointed the seven-member Board of State Capitol Commissioners to oversee the construction of a new Capitol following the recommendation of the state legislature. The board oversaw every aspect of the work. This included supervising

3480-510: Was designed by architect Cass Gilbert and completed in 1905. Its Beaux-Arts / American Renaissance design was influenced by the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago , and by McKim, Mead & White's Rhode Island State House . From 2013 to 2017 the building underwent an extensive restoration. This included replacing existing infrastructure; adding new mechanical systems; replacing or repairing tens of thousands of pieces of marble on

3540-494: Was made with native granite for the steps and the base and interior walls of Kasota limestone , while using the Georgia white marble for the vast majority of the buildings’ exterior. The steps of the two grand staircases in the east and west wings of the Capitol are made of Hauteville limestone, which resembles the Kasota limestone used through the walls of the Capitol but can take more wear. The 36 variegated columns surrounding

3600-407: Was obtained from the same quarry as the original marble. Some historic details removed during previous renovations, were restored or recreated such as the Capitol's public elevators on the south side of the building which were outfitted with leaded-glass fronts reminiscent of the originals which had been discarded and replaced by stainless steel doors in the late 1960s. The amount of public space in

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