The Nebraska State Capitol in Lincoln was found to be in the midst of a renovation. Halls were filled with old wooden furniture covered with sheets. Compared to the statehouse in Topeka that we visited the same morning, the building felt old and somewhat medieval in it’s appointments – possibly due to poor lighting from old fixtures (hopefully the reno will improve this)
The main halls in the building – with the low lighting – leaves one feeling they are in an old cathedral rather than a legislature. The statehouse is one of those few that include a tall tower in lieu of the more conventional dome. The tower has a small dome, and the room below the dome has this beautiful green marble along the walls.
The statehouse is unique in that it has a ‘unicameral assembly’ which means that the house and the senate share the same hall for their deliberations. Apparently the original thinking was that it was more economical to build one chamber versus two and it would otherwise promote comity among the legislators. Space was allocated (seemingly) to the creation of a beautiful library.
Like other statehouses, notable Nebraskans are featured and honored in the capitol in the form of bronze busts set into stone alcoves. Among the honorees were John Pershing (a famous general), Edward Flanagan (founder of a boys school) and “Buffalo Bill” Cody.
The tower is also provisioned with an open air platform, offering views of the four points of the compass.
