The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1953-01-16

lSlOn OF the SIdIe DepdI IHleHL VI
Conservation and Development.
Almost all trees native to
North Carolina, whether from
mountains, Piedmont or seacoast,
are found on the Square. Long
leaf pine is the most stubborn
in resisting transportation to
city surroundings, although one
is growing there now. A white
ICak from Governor Kerr SCOTS
Alamance County farm was
planted on the Square two years
ago and is thriving in its new
environment.
The three varities Of camellias
planted around the Capitol are
Expected to bloom while the Leg
islature is in session. AzaleaS
and other Towering shrubs are
not due to bloom until after the
Legislature adjourns.
The Capitol building is open
to visitors from $50 am. until s.:
80 pm. on weekdays; from $50
Jam. until u noon on Saturdays
The grouds may be visited at any
hour, and tinted floodlights il
Illuminate the exterior of the
building until 10 pm.
Description and History of State
Capitol
The present Capitol replaced
an earlier brick structure, built
in 1929, which was destroyed By
fire in 1881. The new granite
structure originally housed the
entire State government, most
departments of which are now
located in other State buildings
fronting on Capitol Square.
Authorized by the General AS
sembly in 1882, the Capitol was
completed in 1910 at a cost of
more than 1881, 900 Initial plans
were drawn by w. S. Drummond
and Col Thomas Bragg, and con-
sultant was Ithiel Town, then
at work on the New York Gus
tomhouse. A Scotch architect,
David Patton, was assigned the
responsibility of compile tin g
IplanS and supervising all con-
struction. He imported stone
masons from Scotland to cut and
finish granite from quarry
about one and one-fourth miles
from the site in what is now
East Raleigh The stone was
originally streaked with black,
but has weathered to a soft tan.
North Cardinals first railroad,
the Raleigh Experimental, haul
ed the stone from the quarry in
horSe-drawn cars. Information
about this railroad is given on a
historical marker at the Edenton
Street side of the Square.
Mr.. Paton's description of the
building follows:
The State Capitol is 100 feet
in length from north to south
by l40 feet from east to west.
The whole height is 81 and one
half feet in the center. The apex
of the pediment is 81 feet in
height The stylobate Continuous
flat pavement on which columns
are supported is Is feet in
height. The columns of the east
and west porticoes are five feet
two and one-half inches in di-
ameter. An entablature upper
section of wall or story, includ-
ing blocking course, is continued
. around the building, II feet high.
The columns and entablature
are Grecian Doric and copied
from the Temple of Minerva,
commonly called the Parthenon.
which was erected in Athens
about 500 years before Christ
An octagon tower surrounds the
rotunda, which is ornamented
with Grecian cornices, etc. and
its dome is decorated at the top
with a similar ornament to that
|of the Choragic Monument of
Lysicrates, commonly called the
Lanthorn of Demosthenes.
The interior of the Capitol is
divided into three stories: First.
the lower story consisting of 10
rooms, eight Of which are apprc-
priated as offices of the Cover
nor, Secretary, Treasurer and
Controller having two rooms of
the same size-the one contain
ing an area of GAO square feet,
the other 528 square feet-the
two committee rooms, each con-
tanning 200 square feet and four
closets; also the rotunda, CORR
doris, vestibules and piazzas,
contain an area of 4,370 square
feet. The vestibules are decorat-
ed with columns and antae, sim
liar to those of the Ionic Temple
on the Ilissus, near the Acropo-
lis Of Athens. The remainder is
groined with stone and brick,
springing from the columns and