Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1910-07-06
HISTORY OF STATE CAPITALS.
Few States Have Same Capitals rs
When Admitted to Union.


the legal complications which are
| following the popular vote TO change
the seat Of government from Guthrie
to Oklahoma City indicate the i'll
tense feeling which has been arous-
ed. aud show that the baby State is
passing through an experience which
Il large part Of the older States have
known. Fewer than half Of the
States have HOW the same capitals
which they had when admitted to
the Union. In fewer still is the cap.
colonial or territorial form OF gov
crnmcnt. Some of the States have
had in turn three or four capitals.
Usually the change has been for
the sake Of more central location,
though TWO or three OF the Atlantic
Coast States, in mo,ing their capt.
tails back from the Seaboard, had in
mind the greater security from in
vasion by a foreign foe. In the origi-
nal colonies the chief settlement was
naturally the early seat Of govern
mcnt-as Boston, Philadelphia, New
York, Portsmouth. Savannah and
Charleston. Massachusetts is one Of
the few old States in which no change
has been made, and even there an at
tempt was made some years ago to
transfer the capital to Worcester.
Rhode Island and Connecticut had
for long time two capital, each. as
curious survival Of colonial condi-
tons. and it is only in recent wears
that Newport and New Haven have
/ been. stripped Of their ancient hon
orS. New 'laNcn ceased to be Con-
nccticut capital in 1873, but New
port continued to be one OF the capi-
, tails Of Rhode Island until 1900.
Rhode Island, in fact. in the early
/ days had no fewer than five capitals
at the same time--SOuth Kingston.
East Greenwich and Bristol in addi-
ton 10 the two which shared the
honor together al! through the nine
lccnth century.
IN New York the capital was locat-
Cd at Albany in 1897. The original
, scat OF government, Of course, was
Now York city. and for time ia
maica, Long Island. now part OF the
thorough Of Queens, shared this
honor After the Revolution the
first State Legislature met at King
Ston and continued to meet there scv-
"ral years. Then it met once or
twice at pOughkccpsic before Albany
was determined upon as the perma-
ncnt capital.
When the District Of Maine was
admitted to the Union. Portland was
made the seat Of government and
continued so for ten years. Then. for
the sake OF Il more central location.
. The change was made to Augusta,
after spirited campaign in which
WiscasSet, Belfast, IIaliowclI and
other places were candidates for the
honor. Twice within the last gcner-
made to change the capital back to
Portland. I'm 1890 the ATTEMPT
would undoubtedly have succeeded
had not the Govcrnor--now Con-
%fcSSnnan Burlcigh-bccn an Angus
Ia man. TO anchor the State House
at Augusta a new wing was added at
that time, but four years ago Port
land renewed its ambitious attemDt.
and only half dozen votes were
lacking in the Legislature to submit
the question to the people. Now the
state House is again being enlarged
and Augusta brcathcS more freely.
In New Hampshire the seat of GOV
crnmcnt was at Portsmouth for a
century. Then for ,imc-during
the Revolution and the following
NcarS-it was located at Exeter. I'm
lSOS ii was permanently located at
Concord. There. as al Augusta. the
ola state House is now being cXtcn-
Sircly rcmodcllcd and ENLARGED.
Montpelier, the geographical center
OF Vermont, was made its capital in
Soo. Between the admission i'm
lI9l and that time the Legislature
met IN several places. Both Penn
Sylvania and Virginia have had sue
| ccSSion Of capitals. In Virginia the
seat OF government was jamestown,
| the frSt settlement, until 1G9S. 1t
| was transferred TO williamsburg.
where it remained until l779. Since
| then 1t has been at Richmond. Phil
/ adclphia, the first settlement and
metropolis Of Pennsylvania. was also
| iic al 700 ,rLo, -. =,