The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1905-10-04
THE THREE HOMES
OF STATE GOVERNMENT
First was awhittled Out of Use,' the
Second Was Destroyed by Fire,
and the Third Still Remains
on State Street.

There have been three homes Of the
state government in Montpelier. The
legislature made that city the capital
on two conditions: (frst) ii Montpelier
should give the land for the Capitol
building and erect the structure by Sep
TENDER, 1908, and (second) if a future
| legislature should cease to hold its ses-
sion in Montpelier the state should pay
Montpelier what ii had expended.
Under those conditions the citizens of
Montpelier went to work. Thomas Da-
Wis gave lot of land. The State
| House was put up at a cost Of between
| SIS 600 ana $4,000. 1t was located a
| few rods southeast Of the present loca-
| ton. Ii was Of wood, three stories
| high, and made ten-eornered in shape.
| 4 bell tower surmountcd the center.
| The Executive Council Chamber was in
| the southeast corner of the third floor,
/ in front Of jefferson Hail. There the
| Governor presided, with the Lieutenant
/ Governor and the twelve Councillors.
1 The House Of Representatives hall was
| in the north end Of the first iioor. This
old house was soon whitfield out Of
use.
l VII NDNtIiDti 81 4DN~f SlC nNAA AHh
a new building being most apparent,
the legislature made provision for erect
ing new building on the condition
| that the inhabitants Of Montpelier shall
| give good and sufficient security, by
January /, following, to pay into the
treasury Of this State the sum Of fifteen
thousand dollars one-half TO be paid
in one year and the remainder in two
years from the passage OF this act.
4 Montpelier did even more than that
putting in an extra $4,000 for the plir-
chase of land. The site Of the new
building was about $50 feet northwest
of the old site. The erection was start
| ed in 1888 and completed five and one
half years later, at a cost Of Sl32,077 .23
The exterior walls were granite, lined
with brick
The house was first occupied in Octo-
her. 1886. II was used for n years
On the evening Of January 5, 1857, the
building took fire under the Representa-
tives Hall and was destroyed. A specia
session of the legislature, convened OF
; the nth Of February, 1851, after nins
DAYS deliberation, voted $4,000 for re
building the State House, provided;
AThe inhabitants OF Montpelier, or any
individuals. shall, before the rising q
this legislature, give good and sufficient
security to the treasurer Of this State
to pay into the treasury Of the Stats
sum equal To the whole cost of thu
lwork, mentioned in the first section q
this act, one half Of said sum to b
paid III one year and the remainder II
two years from the passage Of TIN
act, OF on the completion of the work.
On November 10 of the same yea
the Legislature appropriated $4,000 ad
ditional. In August, 1858, it beeam
evident that the states appropriation
would not permit the covering Of tn
roof or the protecting Of the walls dur
| inc the winter. So Montpelier wen
ahead of its own accord and paid Sl0,0 0'
for the work In 1853 the Legislature
lrefused to make any appropriation
lleaving the work at a standstill. Ihel
some Montpelier citizens subscribed Z
ia fund of $4,000, out Of which, afte
paving interest and expenses of dis
counting the paper, the superintendent
Of construction was assured Of abon
$4,000 for the completion Of the house
This structure Is now the home Of th
Vermont state government.