We managed to get west of the Mississippi River without crossing it by going far enough north in Minnesota. Now that we are driving to lots of capitols it seems like we are crossing it every other day. This should be the last time on this trip. It is interesting to note that the river is getting wider every time we cross it.
We have also driven east enough that the flat plains have disappeared. We are back into the rolling hills geography.
The Wisconsin Capitol has the typical dome. Its wings also have a familiar look. However, it has four wings instead of two wings. The wings are oriented north, south, east and west.
However, the surrounding streets run northeast to southwest or northwest to southeast. The street directions and the four wings create a strange disorientation at first.
The building is massive. The artwork on it is very detailed.
The Senate and House Chambers are elegant and very different from many others. Both have a large skylight. The Senate chamber is essentially round. The House chamber is an elongated rectangle that looks more like a lecture hall than a house chamber.
The decorations for the Governor’s Meeting Room are over the top. It is difficult to find a space on the walls, ceiling, or even the floor that is not regally ornate.
The Supreme Court is well furnished as well. The ceiling is quite high. The décor seems to fit with the purpose of the room.
The hallways and atria are full of art work and stone work. It is all beautiful and at the same time a little over done.
The dome and the skylights helped to light the space up so that you could admire the decorations and art work.
It was interesting to learn that the Badger State nickname did not come directly from the badgers in the state. Rather, it was a name given to the miners in the early days of the state who lived in mine shafts and seemed to copy the living habits of badgers.
Our tour took us to the top of the capitol where we had a great view of the city of Madison.
From Madison Wisconsin, we drove to Springfield Illinois to see the Illinois Capitol. The capitol building is both traditional in shape but unique in design. The dome with smaller towers around it gives the building a distinctive feel.
We only got to see the house chamber on our tour. It is an impressive open room. It has an unusually large gallery area for viewing the proceedings.
There were several statues and many paintings in the building. Of course, there was a statue of Abraham Lincoln.
The dome is not the same dome you see on the outside. There is space above the interior dome. Even so, it is an impressive work of art.
The interior of the capitol is well designed. It provides a grand appearance.
Outside of the capitol there are several statues and monuments that honor those that have served the citizens of Illinois.
Our final tour today was the Lincoln Home. This was where Abraham Lincoln and his family lived when he was elected President of the United States.
The home was decorated much like it was when Lincoln lived there. They have used photos of the Lincoln’s home to recreate the interior. Some of the items are actual pieces from when Lincoln lived there.
The home was well appointed for the period. The furniture, the carpet, and the wallpaper all showed expensive decorating. At the same time, it was obvious that by today’s standards, the house was different. The lights were candles. The heat was from the fireplace. It was both elegant and substandard at the same time.
Upstairs it was the same story. Everything was lovely. In spite of his relative wealth, Lincoln had a very small desk from early in his career. It was a very nice home, but no running water. They had wash basins and pitchers instead of a sink, a chamber pot rather than a toilet.
