Indiana Statehouse: Center of Hoosier culture since 1888
Published: Oct 4, 2009
Located just a few blocks west of the famed Monument Circle, Indiana's Statehouse has operated as the hub of cultural life in Indiana since 1888.
It’s actually the fifth building to house Indiana state government. The first, established in Corydon, Indiana, on the far southern edge of the state just west of Louisville, was home to the territorial capitol of Indiana until it moved to Indianapolis in 1825.
All three branches of state government – the governor’s office, the Indiana General Assembly and the Indiana Supreme Court – occupy this statehouse, built in 1888, the same year that Hoosier lawyer Benjamin Harrison was elected president of the United States. Although all governmental buildings, including all administration, were located within the statehouse at the time of construction, now many administration offices are located in a complex just west of the structure.
The Statehouse itself has undergone many alterations since it was built, and it was the third structure to occupy the same land and serve as a state capitol building. In 1988 the most significant restorative effort returned many of the statehouse’s public rooms to their original Victorian look.
The interior is designed in the style of the Italian Renaissance. Indiana limestone was used in much of the foundation, and wainscoting, doors, and trim are made of Indiana oak, maple and walnut. Skylights utilize natural light as much as possible. The central aspect of the rotunda is a prominent art glass inner dome, suspended below a skylight.
Outside, a statue of Oliver Morton, governor of Indiana during the Civil War, was added to the east entrance, along with two plaques honoring Morton's and Indiana's role in preserving the Union. Sculptor Rudolf Schwartz also carved the primary statue on the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument.
The statehouse tour office offers tours every day of the year, including holidays. Weekday hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with weekend tours starting at 10:15 a.m., 11 a.m., Noon and 1 p.m. Go to the statehouse tour web site or call 317-233-5293.
- by Jim Brown , Indianapolis Reporter for HelloMetro
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