View source for Arkansas State Capitol

{{short description|State capitol building of the U.S. state of Arkansas}}
{{Distinguish|Little Rock, Arkansas}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2017}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2017}}
{{Infobox building
| name                = Arkansas State Capitol
| image               = Arkansas State Capitol.jpg
| caption             = Main façade of the Arkansas State Capitol
| style               = [[Neoclassical architecture|Classical Revival]]
| address             = 500 Woodlane Street
| location_town       = [[Little Rock, Arkansas]]
| location_country    = United States
| coordinates         = {{coord|34|44|48|N|92|17|21|W|region:US-AR_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| construction_start_date = {{start date and age|1900|11|27}}
| completion_date = {{end date and age|1915|01|01}}
| cost                = {{US$|2200000|link=yes}}
| client              = State Capitol Commission
| owner               = [[Politics and government of Arkansas|Arkansas government]]
| architect           = [[George R. Mann]]
| main_contractor     = [[Caldwell & Drake]]
| website             = {{URL|sos.arkansas.gov/state-capitol}}
| embedded            = 
 {{Infobox NRHP
 | embed = yes
 | name = Arkansas State Capitol
 | refnum = 74000494
 | added = June 28, 1974
 }}
}}
The '''Arkansas State Capitol''', often called the '''Capitol Building''', is the home of the [[Arkansas General Assembly]], and the seat of the [[Arkansas]] state government that sits atop Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the Capitol Mall in [[Little Rock, Arkansas]].

==History==
[[File:Arkansas - Little Rock - NARA - 23934033 (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|Arkansas State Capitol, 1941]]
In 1899, the [[St. Louis, Missouri|St. Louis]] architect [[George R. Mann]] visited the governor of Arkansas [[Daniel Webster Jones (governor)|Daniel W. Jones]], and presented his drawings of his winning [[architectural design competition|competition design]] from 1896 for the [[Montana State Capitol]], which had not yet been built in their state capital of [[Helena, Montana|Helena]]. They were hung on the walls of the old Capitol to generate interest in a new building. The drawings' attractiveness eased the passage of the appropriation bills for the new building, and also drew attention to the architect. In 1899, Mann was selected as architect by a seven-member commission that included future governor [[George Washington Donaghey|George W. Donaghey]]. Donaghey opposed Mann's selection and advocated a national design competition, but the majority of the commission voted for Mann.<ref>[http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=2117 The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture: George Richard Mann (1856–1939)], retrieved {{Nowrap|3 March}} 2010</ref> After Donaghey was elected governor in 1908, he forced Mann off the project and selected [[Cass Gilbert]] to finish the Capitol.<ref>[http://www.cassgilbertsociety.org/works/ar-capitol/ The Cass Gilbert Society], retrieved {{nowrap|4 July}} 2012</ref>

Construction took 16 years, from 1899 to 1915. The Capitol was built on the site of the state penitentiary and prisoners helped construct the building. They lived in a dormitory that was left on the Capitol grounds while construction was taking place.

The Capitol foundations were aligned incorrectly by their original builder, future Governor George Donaghey. He centered the building on the centerline of Fifth Street (now Capitol Avenue), but he aligned the building north–south using the still-standing penitentiary walls as a guide without recognizing that Fifth Street was not aligned east–west; like other "east-west" downtown Little Rock streets, it runs parallel to the [[Arkansas River]] at a slight angle off true east–west. Therefore, the structure is in a north–south manner from end-to-end, which does not fit the grid street pattern of Little Rock's downtown. This also led to a slight S-curve in the formal entrance walkway between the foot of Capitol Avenue and the front steps of the Capitol.

=== In popular culture ===
Because of its monumental dome, the State Capitol has served as a filming location to stand in for the [[United States Capitol]] in [[Washington, D.C.]]

* Aired in February 1986, the NBC miniseries ''Under Siege'', directed by [[Roger Young (director)]], depicted the bombing of the nation's capitol building. There was controversy within the state after pyrotechnics left surface stains on the dome that remained for several years.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/under-siege-movie-2184/|title=Encyclopedia of Arkansas|website=Encyclopedia of Arkansas|language=en-US|access-date=2019-08-16}}</ref>
* In 1990, the Arkansas Capitol grounds were featured extensively in external and internal photography for the action film ''[[Stone Cold (1991 film)|Stone Cold]]'' starring [[Brian Bosworth]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2015/sep/06/filmmakers-find-state-welcoming-2015090/|title=Filmmakers find state welcoming|date=2015-09-06|website=Arkansas Online|language=en|access-date=2019-08-16}}</ref>
*In 1999, Capitol interiors were used in the filming of ''[[Daddy and Them]]'',<ref>{{Citation|last=Thornton, Billy Bob. Meistrich, Larry. Kosinski, J. Geyer. Salerno, Robert. Blethyn, Brenda, 1946- Dern, Laura. Ladd, Diane.|title=Daddy & them|date=2011|publisher=Echo Bridge Home Entertainment|oclc=767886100}}</ref> a comedy-drama written and directed by Arkansas native [[Billy Bob Thornton]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/daddy-and-them-movie-7814/|title=Encyclopedia of Arkansas|website=Encyclopedia of Arkansas|language=en-US|access-date=2019-11-13}}</ref>
*[[God's Not Dead 2|''God's Not Dead 2'' (2016)]], a faith-based dramas directed by Harold Cronk and starring  [[Melissa Joan Hart]], [[Jesse Metcalfe]], [[David A. R. White]], [[Hayley Orrantia]] and [[Sadie Robertson]].. Its sequel ''[[God's Not Dead: A Light in Darkness]]'' (2018) also filmed on the Capitol grounds. It stars [[David A. R. White]], [[John Corbett]], [[Shane Harper]], Benjamin Onyango, [[Ted McGinley]], [[Jennifer Taylor (actress)|Jennifer Taylor]], [[Tatum O'Neal]], [[Shwayze]] and [[Cissy Houston]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2017/12/19/watch-fiery-trailer-faith-based-film-gods-not-dead-light-darkness/964136001/|title=Watch the fiery trailer for the faith-based film 'God's Not Dead: A Light in Darkness'|last=Truitt|first=Brian|website=USA TODAY|language=en-US|access-date=2019-11-13}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://digital.olivesoftware.com/olive/APA/ArDemocrat/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=ARDEMOCRAT/2017/07/07&id=Ar00904&sk=D99E8498&viewMode=text|title=Faith films' execs give $25,000 to fix Commandments|website=digital.olivesoftware.com|access-date=2019-11-13}}</ref>

==Architecture==
[[File:Arkansas State Capitol 1.jpg|thumb|The front of the Capitol]]
The exterior of the Capitol is made of [[limestone]], which was quarried in [[Batesville, Arkansas]].<ref>[http://www.geology.ar.gov/pdf/pamphlets/state%20capitol%20stone.pdf Stone Used in the Construction of the Arkansas State Capitol Building], retrieved {{nowrap|4 July}} 2012</ref> Though it was initially stipulated a total cost for the envisioned capitol would not to exceed $1 million, total construction cost eventually was $2.2 million (or $320 million in 2014 [[United States dollar|dollars]]). The front entrance doors are made of bronze, which are 10 feet (3 metres) tall, four inches (10&nbsp;cm) thick and were purchased from [[Tiffany & Company]] in [[New York City|New York]] for $10,000. The cupola/dome is covered in 24 karat gold leaf. The government was formerly located in the [[Old State House (Little Rock, Arkansas)|Old State House]]. The structure also used [[Yule marble]].

==Monuments and memorials==
{{See also|Ten Commandments Monument (Little Rock, Arkansas)}}
The Arkansas State Capitol grounds has multiple monuments and memorials representing various parts of the state's past and present. They include the [[Arkansas Fallen Firefighters Memorial]], Arkansas Medal of Honor Memorial, Bauxite and Granite Boulders, [[Confederate Soldiers Monument (Little Rock, Arkansas)|Confederate Soldiers Monument]], Confederate War Prisoners Memorial, Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, [[Liberty Bell]] replica, "[[Little Rock Nine]]" Civil Rights Memorial, Memorial Fountain, [[Monument to Confederate Women]], Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the controversial [[Ten Commandments Monument (Little Rock, Arkansas)|Ten Commandments Monument]].

<gallery>
Montana state capitol 2.jpg|The winning competition design was from 1896 for the planned [[Montana State Capitol]] in [[Helena, Montana|Helena]] by George R. Mann, became the model for the Arkansas State Capitol.
Arkansas State Capitol Building.jpg|The entrance to the State Capitol 
Arkansas State Capitol Dome Interior.jpg|Interior view of the Arkansas State Capitol Dome looking up from the Rotunda.
Monument to Confederate Women.jpg|Monument to Confederate Women May 1, 1913 The statue was designed by J. Otto Schweizer. The monument was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.
</gallery>

== See also ==
*[[List of Arkansas General Assemblies]]
*[[List of state and territorial capitols in the United States]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
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* {{Official website}}
* [http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?search=1&entryID=377 Arkansas State Capitol] at the ''[[Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture|Encyclopedia of Arkansas]]''
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* {{osmway|97759549}}

{{Arkansas}}
{{Little Rock, Arkansas}}
{{US State Capitols}}
{{Portal bar|Architecture|Arkansas|National Register of Historic Places|Politics}}
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[[Category:1900 establishments in Arkansas]]
[[Category:Government buildings completed in 1915]]
[[Category:Government buildings in Little Rock, Arkansas]]
[[Category:Government buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Arkansas]]
[[Category:Government buildings with domes]]
[[Category:Government of Arkansas]]
[[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Little Rock, Arkansas]]
[[Category:Neoclassical architecture in Little Rock, Arkansas]]
[[Category:State capitols in the United States]]
[[Category:Terminating vistas in the United States]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Little Rock, Arkansas]]