A Tale of Two Capitols
The Old and Current Washington State Capitol buildings in pictures.
In the summer of 2014, I took a few trips around Puget Sound with my aunt who was in the process of relocating from the midwest to the Olympia area. I took some photos of the Old and Current Washington State Capitol buildings and have always enjoyed the details I captured. They are both beautiful structures in their very different styles.
Old Capitol Building
The Old Capitol Building (aka “The Castle”) served as the state capitol from 1905 to 1928. It is in the Romanesque style of architecture and was completed in 1892. It sits adjacent to Sylvester Park on Washington Street in Downtown Olympia.
Washington State Capitol Building
The current Washington State Capitol Building is of the American Neoclassical style of architecture, as are so many state and federal buildings. The dome is the tallest self-supporting masonry dome in the country and the fifth tallest in the world. The exterior sandstone was quarried in nearby Wilkeson, WA.
