Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1859-10-29
THE STATE HOUSES OF VERMONT.


way of introduction, We notice the State Houses
preceding the present one. For thirty years
after the organization Of State Governments
Vermont had no scat Of gOycrumcnt--no State
House. Governors, Councillors and Icuisla-
tors were as peripatetc as German pcddlcrs
and not unfrcquently footed their way, with
packs Of clothing and provisions on their backs
This was inconycnicnt TO say the least; and
for that reason or Il better one, the Leg
IN 1900 made Montpelier ''thc permanent scat
of the Legislature for holding all their srs-
sions,' with two conditions first, that Montpc-
licr should give the land for a capitol, and build
the house by the lst Of Sept. lSOS and see
ond, that if future Legislature shall cease to
hold their sessions in Montpelier, the State
shall pay Montpelier the value Of the property
TIE FIRST STATE HOUSE.
Montpelier complied with the required con-
dition, having built the house and decided the
land, at an expense then rccloncd at from So
600 to $4,000 for the house and $1,000 for the
land--thc latter having been given by Thomas
Davis, who is still a citizen OF Montpelier. The
building was located, a few rods southeast of
the present, by Elijah Paine, Ezra Butler, and
james Whitclaw who were appointed by the
State for that purpose. No correct drawing Of
the house has ever been made, to our hnowl-
edge. But We remember it well. 1t was of
wood, three stories high, and made tcn-sidcd in
shane by cutting fine cnrners or ;bc cnds 'front.'
ing on the street. SO as to admit of winding
stairs to the gallery and council chamber, and
by cutting in the center of the front for COW
cred way in:o the Building. \ bell-towcr sur
mounted the center, and from the sides of this
tower the roof ran down in each direction to
the caves to meet each corner angle.
The Executive Council Chamber there was
no SENATE tbcnA w,s in ,bc .nr,bn,., c'.r,,,,. ~
the third story in front Of "JcCI,,,on IIalI -
The Governor presided at the head Of the tnbI4
and the lieut. 1;oyeruor sat and vnt.l ,i,h tbr
twelve Councillors OF cour,o the room v,,s
slnall-;n these DAYS il w,uld br rcr,rdcd ns
hardly less inaccessible Than thc ION If Cn,nel's
Uumn but for t,,rntv-righ, vcort rho s;l,r,,-
headed veterans of the State achieved IN. higLt.
Doubtless they felt the wrivht of ihcir ros,,o,-
sibilitics and Gonors ms tbr2 cl;nbcI ,ha ;r,.r-
niu,hlr stairs 4, nnv rail-. thn,. ,r,.r,, ,,r,.
grave men. and when We looked in upon the
council chamber we were impressed as fit had
been a cathedral. There was long table in
this chamber and the Councillors had chairs
There was, too. we think, bar Niquorlcss. of
coursc0 beyond which spectators could not be
admitted.
The hall Of the House of Representatives was
on the first floor in the north end OF the bull /
ing, and occupied two stories-,ho third story
above the htll being occupied hv jefferson
Hail." (uscd as a caucus room. and bv canvass
ing committees and few committee rooms
The ceiling was supported on each side Of the
area in the center by a row of square pillars.
with moulded bases reaching above the back,
Of the seat and with capitals claboratcly orna-
mcntel for that day; and the room was warm
cd by a very large two-story stove in the CEN
ter The position of Speakers and Clerk,
desks, seat, for the members and gallery. was
essentially the same as in each Succeeding hoa>c.
The seats were of plank. strlight-backcd. and
each back covered bt plank wide enough to
admit Of writing votes or amrndm eut> upon it
that is to say. before /, WIS ruined bv the
ck-knife. The truth is, this old house was
literally wiH9,i out of use. Tac holes were
too big for putty and paint, and too ugly to be
agreeable. 81 a now house was INDISPENSABLE.
while, in all but the seats, the old was not hall
worn out.
THE SECOND ,rATr HOUSE.
On thc Sth Of \ov 1870 ,h,;r., t,,.,.,,.-
seven years. 10 a dny. nncy The nns,1,,o Of rho
Gr.. oc, ,,,li,,,, N,,,,,. l;.r ,l,. ,.':..lt ,Io
Ic,,lot,lre nad, nio,it;on C,r ..crnc,i,,,, =, ,,,
Stotc Uouso ,t \I,,,rcli.." ,,, c,,,,.l;,;n ,L A.,
tbo inb1bit,n.s If \Inr,,cIic, L N ',i', ,,.,,,l
and sullic;snt soruritv L,. ,bn H., d90,,n f,r'
f,llovinr. "t, nav into Tho trc,,,'rt ~ ,b;'
STATE the sum Of fifteen tbousnrl Inli,rs- -,,,,
half s,iJ sun, ia he mid in one ,,,r and ,ho
reminder i'm tNn Nc,rs from, thn r,ssa,r, f his
nct" Nontrrl;rr rayo m. Lonl I'm. rrc,";r'i
and morc Than GIl6lIr1 il b,,in', i, =, li;,;,,,'
nurcLnscd land fnr tbn S,o,r M m c,,.' -
a300O-,brs m,king tbr snm of sIs noo n,ij
Inv Nc. ,nrlicr fnr RI. sccnnJ S,stn IIonsr ~
Samuel G Crnfts. Allrn WnrInrr and G"o n
U,I,cs GvcI ,L, .iclt of ,hc noy h,,s.. ,,i,,,,,
two hundred and eii, f,e, rorthrn., ~ ,l,. G..t
Statn IIousrl nnI aiontrd ,hc NAM nf ANN;
n Vo,rr InbLcns E,,artor vds rh. ,,,n'';'''
,rndcnt until ,ho An,nnrn or iSsG WHOM tm,n;
II Yonnn wos ornointrJ he bo,;r,, Lrsr ,hn
orchi,cct fro,n ,br hr,.inrim,, Thr9 ,y,r, ,,s
commenced in thc winirr of IS33 and cnr,nIct.
cI in thc in,nnn nf 1S3S (Gvn ,c,rs arJ q
halfl nt A east of sI39 o77.93 Tbr cIt~yior
| walls we're of rropitc. lined with brick. and the
uertitons in t5e basement, or Gr,t storv, were
! nl.n of LrrtN"hn, thn nnr,i,;oms abn,n woro nl
wonI As tbo sito e,trorro and grounds ot
the third rnnw the nc,y1 St,tc Unnsc arr thc
same ns Of tbr second We conv thr entire de-
scrintion of tbc latter from 'fhomnson's Vcr.
mont
"Tbe buildnc stands op nm elevated site
about 3oj feet north of State strort on which
II fronts, and is about 81 feet ahovr ,hn lcyn nj
N'''N''N