Today we visited the - well, first let’s talk about the words ‘capital’ and ‘capitol’. Here’s what I’ve learned about the definition of the two words:
The Capital is the city or town that is the seat of government in a state or nation.
The Capitol is the building in which the state legislative body meets.
So, we visited the capitol of Arizona in the Arizona capital of Phoenix. Got it? So, tell me, why does the English language have to be so difficult?
Meanwhile, back to our day. We often visit the capitol buildings in the various states we visit. And, today we decided to visit the Arizona capitol in Phoenix. Now, I’m from Iowa and used to seeing a capitol like this:
Most of the capitols we have seen are very like the Iowa capitol and not only serves as the executive office of the Governor and the chambers for the House and Senate but is also a symbol of the state. Grand edifices. In fact Iowa has just spent millions in restoring the golden dome to its original beauty. However the Arizona capitol is very unimposing and actually, is a museum rather than an executive office for the Governor and chambers for the Senate and House.
It was originally the executive offices and chambers but was outgrown some time ago and new buildings surround this. In the picture above, the executive offices are in the tall building behind the capitol and the Senate chambers are off to the right in the picture and the House chambers off to the left, out of sight here. In Iowa we have 1 building, here there are 4.
However, we were here to see the museum and take the tour of the capitol. We thought we’d take a tour of the ‘capitol’ but actually, the tour was of the museum depicting the history of the Arizona capitol and government. We met Larry, a volunteer, and off we went.
Now, let me give you a capsule history of how AZ became a state. Probably any 4th grader in AZ can give you much more information than I can but they’ll text it to you. I’ve got it right here in my blog. Actually, Arizona almost came into the US as part of New Mexico but the Arizonians wanted their own state. There were not enough men to qualify as a state so they counted the women too. Of course, that meant women’s suffrage. But, they were a pretty progressive bunch back then and not only included women’s suffrage but also recall of judges, direct election of senators and some other reforms in their proposed constitution. President Taft removed the recall part because it would permit the recall of judges and in February 14 (Valentine’s Day) 1912, AZ became the 48th state. AZ promptly put recall back into their constitution. Progressive but ornery.
Again, because it was not a populous state, there was little money for a large state capitol. But they were a thrifty bunch along with being progressive so a small capitol was ok by them. They built the capitol for $136,000 and used Arizona products for the exterior. No large gold dome for them but a small copper one (well, they are the copper state, you know). The amount of copper on the roof of the Capitol building is equivalent to 4,800,000 pennies.
There was supposed to be a grand staircase up to what is the 2nd story in the picture above but that was left off. There was supposed to be an elevator in the shaft pictured here but they left the shaft empty and didn’t install an elevator in another shaft until much later. Now, when I say they built a capitol on the cheap, I’m not sneering here. I’m applauding their thrift and frugal ways. Remember, I call myself ‘cheap’ too.
When the US Navy built the Arizona battleship they asked Arizona to donate the silver for the dining room set. Heck no, Arizona said so some copper magnates donated it - and, of course, they put copper into the silver also. Of course, AZ is proud to display this silver in the museum now.
And, on top of the cupula, from the weather vane section of an old catalog, they bought white statue which not only looks pretty spectacular on top but also tells the direction of the weather. A two-fer.
Recently, they had spent a good deal of time and money restoring the capital to its original beauty. Here is the second floor and you can see up to the 3rd. Note the cord hanging down the center - that is an electric cord for the lights on the Christmas tree on the first floor.
We found this sign very appropriate even now.
We always learn something when we visit museums. One of the things we learned in this one was about the ‘Merci’ trains from the French to the people of the United States after WWII. Because French fields were destroyed and so many French men had died during WWII, there were not only grain shortages after WWII but no men to harvest them. Thus, President Truman, with an idea from a syndicated columnist Drew Pearson, formed the Citizens Food Committee in September 1947 to promote conservation of grains for our markets and ‘to save grain for the needs of hungry people overseas.’ The Committee sponsored the Friendship Train hoping to collect 80 boxcar loads of food for French and Italians citizens. By the end of the program, they had collected 700 boxcars filled with food, fuel and clothing. The SS American Leader carried the first shipment of materials to Le Havre,France in 1947.
In return, the French, very poor at this time, then sponsored a ‘Merci’ or Thank-you train to America in 1949 filled with home-made gifts and other gifts. This trail had 250 tons of gifts on 48 cars, one for each of the states. In the museum here were some of the gifts in the AZ car. Here is a wedding gown, and please read the description. How sad. On the other hand, it was probably never worn because it was a gift to the state, not to some individual. A state catalogs and displays gifts, it can’t dole them out.
Here are some hand-made stars.
Have you ever heard of the ‘Merci’ train? I certainly haven’t and will look up what happened to the Iowa car.
The State Archive is housed in this building also. They have a stunning series of 8 murals inside the main room. Here are 4 of them.
And, hey, remember these?
After we toured the capitol, we went outside to see the memorials they had there in the park in front of the capitol. Here we found the signal mast and one of the 20,000 lb. anchors from the Arizona, a Vietnam memorial and many other smaller memorials. Very impressive.
And, finally, we saw a walkway with stones with quotes from those in the military who had been recipients of the GI bill, expressing thanks for the benefits they received. I’ve never seen this though I know the GI bill was an amazing piece of legislation. It cost money but brought back so much more in taxes and quality of life from those who had improved themselves with higher education.
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