History Indiana State House

1 history

1.1 first statehouse
1.2 second statehouse
1.3 third statehouse
1.4 fourth statehouse

history
first statehouse

the first capitol building in downtown corydon

when indiana became state in 1816, capital located in corydon. first capitol building humble, two-story limestone building constructed in 1813 house legislature of indiana territory. building constructed company owned dennis pennington, member of territorial legislature. construction cost $1,500, paid citizens of harrison county, , completed in 3 years. measured forty-feet square walls two-feet-thick , ten-foot ceilings. building made of limestone cut nearby quarry and, @ time of completion, 1 of largest buildings in state.

the capitol contained 3 rooms , became small state government, had erect additional office buildings across street state s administration. lower floor of statehouse used indiana house of representatives. upper floor split 2 rooms, 1 indiana state senate , indiana supreme court, narrow hall between them. building abandoned capitol in 1824 , given harrison county use courthouse. old capitol building still preserved , state historic site.

second statehouse

when state government relocated indianapolis in december 1824, government housed in marion county courthouse. courthouse had been constructed state funds in 1822 after indianapolis chosen site new capitol. courthouse served state capitol building twelve years. @ time indianapolis frontier site, 60 miles (97 km) nearest settlement of significance, making large scale construction impractical.

the relocation indianapolis arduous task. @ time eleven-day journey horseback corydon new capital. complicate matters, no road existed , path wagons had cut through dense forests during winter transit long caravan moved north. caravan large because contained state treasury, state library, state records, furniture of general assembly, supreme court, , executive offices, along whole host of other implements aid caravan on long journey. colonel samuel merrill, state treasurer, authorized general assembly oversee move. ultimately, took more month relocate government indianapolis. first session of general assembly convened there in january 1825.

third statehouse

indiana s third statehouse had design inspired parthenon

in 1831, indiana general assembly approved construction of new statehouse. building funded sale of lots of land in indianapolis. commission established , commissioner james blake offered $150 prize architect design best statehouse. firm of ithiel town , alexander jackson davis created winning design. plans structure inspired ancient greek parthenon. building looked parthenon except large central dome. town , davis awarded contract construct building, , completed ahead of schedule in 1835.

the statehouse built of blue limestone, 2 stories high. governor , supreme court occupied lower floor, , legislature occupied upper floor, each house in own wing. building site of many great events in history, including bier abraham lincoln. building popular after construction 1860s greek revival architecture had fallen out of style, , building beginning become decrepit. building s limestone foundation began fail, , many feared general structural collapse of building. in 1867 ceiling in chambers of indiana house of representative collapsed. debate held in 1873 how preserve building no solution found. time governor james williams elected office, building condemned. demolished in 1877.

fourth statehouse

when third statehouse condemned in 1876 government abandoned building. general assembly relocated large office building had been built in 1865 , housing supreme court. governor , executive staff relocated office building. office building used statehouse during interim period new statehouse being built. in 1887, before new statehouse had been completed, enough of lower floors usable government move out of cramped office space , begin holding sessions in new structure.