This year marks 100 years since the current Wisconsin Capitol was built.
Since Wisconsin became a state in 1848, there have been a total of three State Capitols. A fire destroyed the second Wisconsin Capitol in 1904, and the state Legislature had no option other than to build a new one, according to the Wisconsin Historical Society.
Piece by piece, the Capitol was torn down, creating the one that is standing today. According to WHS, construction ended in 1917, costing a total of $7,258,763.75.
Michael Edmonds, the director of programs outreach at the WHS, said the Wisconsin Capitol is “particularly luxurious.”
“[The Wisconsin Capitol] was built to be a monument, not just an office building,” Edmonds said. “That’s why there is a lot of marble and ornate painting.”
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But the Capitol has not always been in such good shape.
From when it opened in 1917 to the 1980s, the Capitol was so heavily used that the interior began to deteriorate. Because of this, a larger renovation and restoration project began to make it a more modern functioning building, while restoring its original elements, Edmonds said.
“The Capitol was used up and torn apart, and the original art and décor was covered over,” Edmonds said. “The Capitol now is different than what many parents would have seen. It is now what people wanted it to be when they designed it.”
The politics in the Capitol have also undergone many changes throughout the years.
Edmonds said politics 100 years ago were as polarized as they are today. The progressive Republicans had more control in the beginning of the 20th century with former Gov. Robert La Follette than now.
“[The government at the time] was majorly conservative versus progressive Republicans, and Democrats didn’t really exist here,” Edmonds said.
From the 1920s, the government leaned liberal, however, with the appointment of Tommy Thompson in 1987, the government was controlled by conservative Republicans, and has been ever since, Edmonds said.
Edmonds also put together an informational display about important ideas that have come out of Wisconsin during the last 100 years, such as the Wisconsin Idea.
In the display, which can be found in the capitol, he also mentions the contributions of former governors La Follette and Thompson.
“The Capitol has been a place that shapes both Madison, and the rest of the state,” Edmonds said in the display.
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To celebrate 100 years of existence, the Capitol Centennial Commission has worked to create various events about the Capitol and its history, Rep. Adam Neylon, R-Pewaukee, said.
Neylon is one of the members of the Centennial Commission, and said the most prominent event is the Capitol Centennial Gala, which will take place Nov. 8.
“It’s going to be a big party, with live music, dancing, an open bar and historical things,” Neylon said. “We are going to have the main architect who was in charge of the renovation talk about the renovation and how the capitol was built, along with the historical context of the building.”
The commission will be giving away 600 of the original keys to the first 600 people to show up, Neylon said.
The money raised from ticket sales will go straight to the Capitol Preservation Fund to help renovate, update and maintain the Capitol, Neylon said.
Neylon expressed this event is not only to celebrate the history of the Capitol, but also the importance of this event for the community.
“It’s an exciting opportunity to spend time in one of the most beautiful buildings in the state, talking to people from all walks of life who want to celebrate and learn more about the Capitol,” Neylon said.
