The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-07-08
SOME ORIGINAL STATE CAPITALS.
Changes That Have Been Made in the Seats Of
Government Of Various States.

Very few American Stat as have now theil
original State capitals. a circumstance which
Is being recalled by the observances In varioI,
parts OF the country Of annlver aaries OF the
establishment Of the present capitals. The origi.
nal capital of indiana was Corydon Of Illinois
Nandalia: and Of Ohio, Chillicothe. Corydor
and Vandslia are small towns. but Chillicothe
has grown to be a city Of some importance
The original capital Of New York was this
city. and for a short time New York had two
capitals, New York city and Jamaica. L.. l.
Afterwsrd. the course Of capital moved north
erly. first to Poughkcepsie, then to Kingston.
and finally to Albany. where 1t has been sit
uated for more than a century.
The original capital Of Alabama was Tusca-
loosa; and Of Georgia. lMilledgeville. until super
seeded by Atlanta after the close OF the Civil
War. Iowa City was the original capital OF
Iowa, now Des Molnes; and In some OF the new
Northwestern States. notably North Dakota.
val selection to the determination Of the voters
on several occasions. and not without con-
siderable contention and friction in the settle.
after 4 the z Civil Hhi'V Var the s's capital pt!Sa1 of louisiana iSs I ams
Detroit, the LARGEST city in Michigan. was orisi-
nally the capital. O position now occupied by
Lansing. Lecompton was the first capital OF
Kansas. Topeka IA the capital now.
Omaha was the capital Of Nebraska as a
after It's admission, until Lincoln succeeded It
Wheeling was the first capital Of West Viz
ginia before the selection Of Charleston. and
the selection Of Carson City, or Carson, as II
Is called locally, Denver has always been
the capital OF Colorado. State or Territory.
Dakota Territory nGfs% Dt before M ias a shs Sapl'"i into e,
the Union as two separate States. but the pres
ent capital Of South Dakota IS the town Q!
Pierre. and 1t was not established as such until
after some controversy.
BY What, may best. perhaps, be described
as a paradox, Rhode Island, the smallest Of
the States in the country, has had the largest
dence and Newport and originally had Ave
M SsG stst south KinS.towr; Fast d~TssnyicS
and New Haven. and It is sometimes found
Sificult. at present, to understand why 2 small
S st,Is o Ti ! q sparse population and having
found II necessary 70 maintain more than ono
capital. 1t Is explained BY the fact. however.
that in early, times and for some years after
existed between the several towns OF q State,
and 1t was To appease these jealousies that the
concession was made of two capitals. Rhode
Island, though not the pioneer. IL now the last
survivor OF this, custom and Its citizens are TO
vote IN Noyem6er on the proposition to do
fish Providence AZ the only one.
Another reason which has had considerable
to do with the establishment OF CAPITALS in
early times In country districts was found In
the definite boundaries OF the States. All
the original States had fixed boundaries when
admitted, but most OF the Western and South
western States were subdivisions OF former
territories and the capital which was appro-
pirate at one time would not serve after differ
emit boundaries were chosen. The territory
Of Michigan, for instance, included a part OF
Northwestern Ohio including the city OF To-
1862 and the northwestern counties were not
annexed to II until 1896. This change in the
State boundaries justified tho selection Of a
more northerly, town for the capital. and Co
lumbus was chosen.
The I nited States nhas changed Its carital,
originally In New York and afterward in Phila-
delphia, like most Of the separate States.