North Carolina State Capitol Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Significant dates

North Carolina State Capitol
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark
U.S. Historic district Contributing property


Location in North Carolina Show map of North Carolina Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	1 E Edenton St, Raleigh, North Carolina
Built	1833
Architect	Multiple
Architectural style	Greek Revival
Part of	Capitol Area Historic District (ID78001978)
NRHP reference No.	70000476
Added to NRHP	February 26, 1970
Designated NHL	November 6, 1973
Designated CP	April 15, 1978

The North Carolina State Capitol is a historic building in Raleigh, North Carolina. It used to be where all of North Carolina's government was located. This included the state's lawmakers (the North Carolina General Assembly), the North Carolina Supreme Court, and the State Library.

Over time, different parts of the government moved to other buildings. Today, the Governor of North Carolina and their team still have offices on the first floor of the Capitol. It is a very important building in the state's history.

History of the Capitol Building
Where North Carolina's Government Met
Statues and Art at the Capitol
See also

History of the Capitol Building

The current Capitol building was built after a fire destroyed the first North Carolina State House in 1831. It is located in Raleigh, the state capital. The building is designed in the Greek Revival style, which means it looks like ancient Greek temples.

The first stone for the building was placed on July 4, 1833. This was done with special honors by the Masons, a historic group. The building was finished in 1840. Many architects worked on its design, including Ithiel Town, Alexander Jackson Davis, William Nichols Sr. and Jr., and David Paton.

For many years, the Capitol housed the entire state government. The North Carolina General Assembly met here until 1961. The Supreme Court also used the building. In 2005, the Supreme Court even met in the Capitol's senate chamber while their own building was being fixed.

The Capitol building looks much like it did in 1840. Only a few rooms have been changed. For example, some rooms were divided to add restrooms. An elevator was also installed in 1951, which changed part of an office.

In 1973, the Capitol was named a National Historic Landmark. This means it is a very important historical place in the United States. It is also part of the larger Capitol Area Historic District.

The first group of lawmakers to meet in this new building was the 63rd North Carolina General Assembly. They met on November 16, 1840. The last group to meet here was the 124th General Assembly in 1961.

In 2020, after protests for racial equality, Governor Roy Cooper ordered a large Confederate statue removed from the Capitol grounds. This was a significant change to the area around the building.

The state government has also planned for future repairs. In 2021, $10 million was set aside to fix the roof, including the dome. This work is planned for 2023.

Where North Carolina's Government Met

The North Carolina General Assembly, the state's lawmaking body, has met in several places over the years. After the British left in 1776, they might have first met at Tryon Palace. Then, in 1794, a special building for the state government was finished in Raleigh. This building burned down in 1831.

The North Carolina State Capitol building became the home for the assembly from 1840 until 1961. Since 1963, the assembly has met in the North Carolina State Legislative Building.

Here is a list of where the North Carolina General Assembly has met:

Name	First Occupied (Assembly)	Last Occupied (Assembly)	Picture
Tryon Palace	1777 (1st)	1777	Tryon Palace
North Carolina State House	1794 (19th)	1810 (35th)	North Carolina State House
Renovated North Carolina State House	1811 (36th)	1831 (55th)	Renovated North Carolina State House
North Carolina State Capitol	1840 (63rd)	1961 (124th)	North Carolina State Capitol
North Carolina State Legislative Building	1963 (125th)	still in use	North Carolina State Legislative Building

Statues and Art at the Capitol

The North Carolina State Capitol building and its grounds feature several important statues and works of art.

Inside the main rotunda (the round hall under the dome) is a statue of George Washington. This statue is a copy of an original one that was destroyed in the 1831 fire. There is also a bust (a sculpture of the head and shoulders) of John Motley Morehead, who was the 29th Governor of North Carolina.

Outside the Capitol, you can find more statues:

A statue of George Washington is on the south side of the building.
On the east side, there are statues of the three U.S. Presidents who were from North Carolina: James K. Polk, Andrew Jackson (on a horse), and Andrew Johnson.
The grounds also have statues honoring women of the Confederacy, and veterans of the Civil War and Viet Nam War.