Rhode Island State House Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Rhode Island Statehouse
U.S. National Register of Historic Places

South facade
Location	82 Smith St. Providence, Rhode Island
Area	Downtown and Smith Hill
Built	1895–1904
Architect	McKim, Mead, and White
Architectural style	Neoclassical
NRHP reference No.	70000002
Added to NRHP	April 28, 1970

The Rhode Island State House is the main building for the government of Rhode Island. It is located in Providence, Rhode Island, between the Downtown and Smith Hill areas. This beautiful building is designed in a Neoclassical style.

Inside, you'll find the Rhode Island General Assembly, which is the state's lawmaking body. It also holds the offices for important state leaders. These include the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, and general treasurer. The building is protected by the Rhode Island Capitol Police. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places, meaning it's an important historical site.

History of the State House
About the State House Building
- Inside the State House
Christmas at the State House
Photo gallery
Images for kids
See also

History of the State House

The building in 1898, under construction

This building is the seventh state house for Rhode Island. It is the second one built in Providence. The famous architectural company McKim, Mead, and White designed it. Construction took place from 1895 to 1904.

The State House had a big update in the late 1990s. It has even appeared in movies! It was used as the outside of the United States Capitol in the 1997 film Amistad. It also appeared as the City Hall of Capital City in Disney's movie Underdog.

About the State House Building

The Independent Man statue

The Rhode Island State House is made from a lot of white Georgia marble. It used about 327,000 cubic feet (9,260 cubic meters) of marble. It also used 15 million bricks and 1,309 short tons (1,187 metric tons) of iron for the floor beams.

The dome of the State House is very special. It is thought to be the fourth largest self-supported marble dome in the world. On top of the dome, there is a bronze statue covered in gold. This statue is called the "Independent Man." It was first named "Hope."

The statue is quite heavy, weighing over 500 pounds (227 kg). It stands 11 feet (3.4 meters) tall. The top of the statue is 278 feet (85 meters) above the ground. The Independent Man represents freedom and independence. It reminds people of the independent spirit of Roger Williams. He was the person who settled and founded Providence Plantations. This later became the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.

Inside the State House

The building has many important rooms. The Rhode Island Senate chamber is in the east wing. The Rhode Island House of Representatives chamber is in the west wing.

Other important areas include the rotunda, which is right under the dome. There is also the State Library at the north end. The State Room is at the south end. This room is an entrance area for the governor's office. It has a large portrait of George Washington painted by Gilbert Stuart, who was from Rhode Island. The governor often holds press conferences and signs new laws in this room.

The Rhode Island State House was one of the first public buildings to use electricity. At night, 109 floodlights and two searchlights light up the building.

Christmas at the State House

The 2013 State House tree

Every December, the State House has a special tradition. They feature a Christmas tree and other holiday displays. A large Fraser fir or Balsam fir tree is placed in the rotunda. It is then decorated beautifully. Local families or tree farms usually donate the tree. It is typically between 17 and 25 feet (5.2 to 7.6 meters) tall.

Sometimes, there have been interesting stories about the state's Christmas tree:

In 2005, the tree had to be removed. A special spray to prevent fires made its needles fall off.
In 2007, a "sickly-looking" tree was replaced before Christmas.
In 2011, some people did not like that the invitations called it a "holiday" tree. They wanted it called a "Christmas" tree.
In 2012, the official tree lighting ceremony was canceled. Governor Chafee quickly turned on the lights and left.
In 2013, Governor Chafee changed the wording to "Christmas" tree.
In 2016, a 14-foot (4.3-meter) tree was too small for the rotunda. A bigger 20-foot (6.1-meter) tree was put in its place. The smaller tree was moved to the south steps.
In 2017, the 25-foot (7.6-meter) tree in the rotunda made news. It started losing needles very fast after three weeks. It was replaced with a smaller 12-foot (3.7-meter) tree.
The 2018 tree was an 18-foot (5.5-meter) Douglas fir. It was donated by a tree farm in South Kingstown, Rhode Island.
For 2019, state staff put up and decorated an 18-foot (5.5-meter) artificial tree. It looked like a "California Baby Redwood."

Since 2014, different groups from Rhode Island can also set up holiday displays. These displays are on the first and second floors. Religious, ethnic, and other local groups have participated.