State Capital Replicas

Can you believe it? To cut it’s deficit, Arizona may sell its Capitol building. Wow, these are hard economic times if states are forced to sell off major assest such as historic buildings and state parks. Arizona is planning to sell off as many as 32 state properties to cover a historic $3 billion budget deficit. This state is not alone - California, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut are unloading state holdings, too. We may not be able to afford the real thing, but we can own miniature state capital souvenir buildings. Over the years, many companies have produced a wide variety of state capital replicas. The Louisiana State Capitol buidling in Baton Rouge is an elegant and imposing Art Deco tower built in 1929. The Nebraska State Capital building in Lincoln is also a Modern tower built in 1922. The tower is crowned by a golden dome with a 19.5 ft. sculpture of "The Sower." The Pennsylvania state capital in Harrisburg has a souvenir building and a smaller pencil sharpener versions. This capitol, dedicated in 1906, was designed in a Beaux-Arts style with Renaissance themes throughout. I’ve seen Wisconsin’s state capital in Madison made in both plaster and resin. The 1906 beaux-arts design is interesting due to the four equal wings leading out from the center dome. Kentucky’s capitol has a bookend made in the 1940’s. The real building was built in 1905 in Frankfort with a beaux-arts style. California’s Capitol in Sacramento has a neoclassical style which was completed in 1874. In Montgomery sits Alabama State Capitol which has a Greek revival style built in 1849. Most state capitol building designs emulated that of the U.S. Capital building in D.C. with its impressive dome. Out of 50 states, only 10 capitol buildings do not have domes. They are: Alaska, Arizona, New Mexico, N. Dakota, Hawaii, N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Oregon and Virginia. Here’s more information about state capitols and photos. Once you look at photos of the capitol buildings, its amazing how similar most of them look. Not that I’m judging, but New Mexico has THE most boring state capitol building! Do you have a state capitol building replica not in the slide show below? Send me a photo and I can add it to get a complete set.