{"id":9307,"date":"2013-05-20T22:00:06","date_gmt":"2013-05-21T02:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/capitalcitiesusa.org\/?p=9307"},"modified":"2024-12-03T17:11:51","modified_gmt":"2024-12-03T22:11:51","slug":"as-pretty-as-ours","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/capitalcitiesusa.org\/?p=9307","title":{"rendered":"As Pretty As Ours"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"20<\/a>Linda Burton posting from Springfield, Illinois <\/i>\u2013 The grass was so green it commanded my attention. The sweet smell of spring hedge assailed my senses the minute I stepped from the car; the grass added a visual blast; wow, what did the groundskeeper do to get such green? The wind sent my hat sailing; I chased it across the lawn, wanting to stop and sit right in the middle of that luscious grass. But I plopped it back onto my head, secured the string, and kept walking; I had a purpose. Past the statue of Stephen Douglas, up a few steps, into the doors of the building that has served as this state\u2019s capitol since 1877. The two men at security waved me towards Xray; \u201cWhere are you from?\u201d one \"20<\/a>asked as my bag went through. I told them about the Journey<\/i>. \u201cThis is my thirty-first capitol,\u201d I said. \u201cIs any other one as pretty as ours?\u201d inquired the one whose badge told me he was Fred. \u201cWell, you\u2019ve got the best grass I\u2019ve ever seen!\u201d I laughed. \u201cWe\u2019ve got the highest dome,\u201d he said. \u201cIt is 74 feet higher than the national capitol.\u201d \u201cIt\u2019s shaped like a Greek cross,\u201d Robert added, \u201cand it is the sixth capitol we\u2019ve had. The first was in Kaskaskia.\u201d Fred picked up a \"20<\/a>brochure; \u201cIt cost $4,315,591 to build,\u201d he read, \u201cand they used 3.4 million pounds of cast iron in it.\u201d \u201cYou guys aren\u2019t Security, you\u2019re PR,\u201d I told them; \u201cwhere should I start?\u201d They directed me straight ahead, across the rotunda to the Visitor Desk. \u201cAnd look up,\u201d Fred urged. \u201cThere are 9,000 pieces of stained glass in the dome.\u201d I walked past the open-armed statue of Illinois Welcoming The World<\/i>, and looked up. <\/p>\n

\"20<\/a>I was in the middle of a kaleidoscope, a space filled with swirls of color; intricate patterns, dizzying designs. Color, and noise. Excitement off the scale; school-kid chatter bouncing off marble walls. Kids sat waiting on the floor to my right; kids peered over every balcony; kids, on one last field-trip before schools-out time. It was the county fair, the homecoming parade, and Christmas morning, all rolled into one; a home run. I signed the guestbook at the Visitor Desk, and asked my questions. \u201cWhen is the next tour? Do you have written materials I can take? Are you in Session today?\u201d \u201cAre you the person who called a little while ago?\u201d a voice piped up from the back. \u201cYour voice sounds familiar to me.\u201d I \"20<\/a>confirmed that I had indeed called to ask about parking; \u201cWell, I\u2019m glad you\u2019re here.\u201d she said. The next tour was on the hour, with the school group that sat waiting. Eager to get started, I took the Welcome<\/i> brochure and headed for the elevator on my own. The Senate was in Session.<\/p>\n

I crept around the corner, peered over the fourth-floor balcony, and quietly entered the Senate Gallery, feeling awestruck now. \u201cNo photos,\u201d whispered a guide, handing me a Senate Calendar. \u201cHere\u2019s what is going on today. They\u2019re in Third Reading now and then they\u2019ll vote.\u201d I eased into a wooden pew and leaned forward; on the floor below people stood in \"29<\/a>clumps with heads together in discussion; some were on their phones; one was eating lunch. The main action was at the front; as the Secretary read each bill, the gavel snapped against the wooden block; POP; onto the next. I opened up my calendar; Bill 449 Public Employee Benefits; Bill 629 Regulation; Bill 1002 Criminal Law. Illinois Tax Credits, Controlled Substances, Pensions, Food Handling; the Bills were read, the gavel snapped; getting closer to the vote. I began looking around; twelve chandeliers of Austrian crystal lit the room, pinks and blues swirled on the ceiling near my head, plaster relief panels of angels in flowing gowns held trumpets of shimmering gold. Down below, seats for the 59 senators, a laptop open on every desk; I watched as the on-screen images changed, from documents to icons to children in yellow raincoats, holding hands. The schoolkids that had been waiting downstairs caught up to me now; I eased out of the pew so they could fill the seats and headed for the House Gallery on the other side.<\/p>\n

Rick wouldn\u2019t let me in. \u201cThere\u2019s a tour in there now, the seats are full,\u201d he apologized. \u201cGive it five minutes.\u201d The House representatives (there are 118) were not due back till 3; they\u2019d had visitors this morning, I was told, three parents from Connecticut whose children were \"20<\/a>killed in the school massacre last December, speaking up for gun control. We chatted about the building and the level of activity today; \u201cIt\u2019s not unusual,\u201d Rick said. Visitors began to gather, waiting, just like me. \u201cPhotos are okay in here, but no flash,\u201d he advised us all, as he opened the door. I leaned over the railing and surveyed the scene; a tour was filing out below. Overhead, more chandeliers, more plaster relief panels, more stained glass. More bills to listen to, and vote. I didn\u2019t wait for the next session to begin; I took the elevator down; the school kids walked the \"20<\/a>stairs. Second Floor, governor\u2019s office, Hall of Governors, Old Supreme Court room, statues of famous legislators (Ulysses S Grant is one); more views from the balcony, more school kids looking. First Floor again; paintings and murals; deep reds and greens and silvers and golds and shiny echoing marble in \"20<\/a>black and white. Color, and noise. Fred and Robert were waiting for me. \u201cDid you see everything?\u201d Robert asked. \u201cI saw a lot,\u201d I confirmed. \u201cI got to sit in on Session, I\u2019ve never been able to catch one before. And I\u2019ve never seen so many kids. And so much color!\u201d \u201cDid you see Faith, Hope, and Charity?\u201d Fred asked, pointing to the ceiling in the hallway there. He described them to me in great detail, as I got pictures of the ornate designs overhead. \u201cThank you so much,\u201d I \"20<\/a>said to both men. \u201cI will never forget your capitol. This has been a wonderful day.\u201d They walked me to the front door, stepped outside with me. \u201cHave a safe Journey<\/i>,\u201d said Robert, shaking my hand, \u201cand enjoy all those capitols.\u201d \u201cI know you won\u2019t see another one as pretty as ours,\u201d said Fred.<\/p>\n

Illinois State Capitol Facts and Trivia, from the Welcome<\/i> brochure.<\/p>\n