Post #6, The Famous Cage Elevator

You may be asking yourself “why have a blog post about an elevator?”. Well, this isn’t just any old elevator that you can ride. This is what is to be considered a cage elevator, in that it rides up and down an open shaft. Usually when you get on an elevator the shaft isn’t visible and is behind a casing of some sort. Now, there are plenty of these boring original elevators, four of them to be exact, located in the Southeast, Southwest, Northwest, and Northeast corners of the building that can take you from the Ground level to the 5^th floor but you won’t want to ride on those, you already do that every day anyways. The cage elevator was built in 1923 and has remained in its original position ever since (located on the east side of the building). Although, in 1976, the Kansas state legislators were contemplating on removing the famous cage elevator and its shaft to supply more room for restoration and floor planning. Senate members quickly made a decision that was agreed upon by all; to keep the elevator. This decision had been concluded with the final explanation that the elevator’s historical significance to the building was too important to demolish it and the senate members ordered it to remain under extreme care and maintenance for passenger use. Since then, the elevator has been showcased in a couple of movies and has been the single most visited item within the statehouse. The cage elevator operates from the 1^st floor (above ground level) to the 5^th floor or what is simply known by as the rotunda floors, as the rotunda is visible from floors 1 to 5. If you visit today, you will notice that the elevator is always operated by a member of staff as well as the fact that it has been kept in its original condition.

Please note that some information was respectfully interpreted by members of staff and used in the completion of this blog post. In addition, I often use the Kansas State Historical Society to gain a basic view and concept of my topics in the creation of each individualized post. For further information regarding the cage elevator as well as other public elevators that are available to visitors please refer to the following links. 

Thank You,

Famous Cage Elevator (installed in 1923) 

Public Elevators In The State Capitol

Please be sure to join me again shortly as the next blog post I will be covering information about some of the beautiful canvas paintings and wall paintings that you will encounter as you make your way through the Kansas Statehouse. 

Post #5, The Second-Floor Rotunda

This week, we will discuss some of the statues and canvas paintings that are located in the second-floor rotunda of the Kansas State Capitol Building. The Kansas Statehouse displays some of the most exquisite artwork found in all Capitol buildings in the United States. If you visit, you will find that most of the art pieces were actually constructed and created by Kansan's themselves. The following four individuals below are historical Kansan's who are remembered for their bravery and wit. Their actions have influenced the progression of the state as well as the United States as a country. Each statue is made out of solid limestone that weighs in at an average of two-thousand pounds each! It is astounding to consider that these statues were hand-crafted by Mr. Peter F. "Fritz" Felten, Jr. Although these statues are beautiful in all their glory, what is more interesting is that they are considered to be more like time capsules than anything, as all four statues contain important historical artifacts underneath the statue itself. These items are obviously not visible to the naked eye as they are physically behind the granite wall that is impossible to compromise with bare hands. The plaques underneath each statue clearly state the significance of each individual in addition to the time of when the capsules are to be opened. It is uncertain what is actually contained in these time capsules but it intrigues anyone who decides to pass by for a short visit. 

Amelia Earhart, a famous woman known for
aviation expertise set out for the Pacific Ocean
in 1937 and never returned. It is said that Amelia
ran out of fuel and crashed somewhere in the Pacific;
where however, no-one knows.
For further information regarding the conspiracy
of Amelia Earhart's whereabouts refer to the following link
(What Happened to Amelia Earhart?)

According to the plaque, the Amelia Earhart time capsule is
set to be opened on September 17th of 2087.

Dwight David Eisenhower, best known for being
the 34th President of the United States also served
in the U.S. military in World War II as a five star
commander and general. 

According the plaque above, Dwight D. Eisenhower's
time capsule isn't going to be opened until the year 2090.

William Allen White was a famous and notarized publisher
who was the recipient of the Pulitzer Prize on two occasions.

According to the following plaque, the time capsule for
 Mr. William White is dated to open in 2061, which will
 honor the two-hundredth anniversary of state progress.

Arthur Capper was the first native born governor
of the state of Kansas and hosted and owned
many radio stations and later served in the U.S. Senate.

Arthur Capper's bicentennial time capsule will be opened on
July 4th of 2076 which will honor the nation's two-hundredth
anniversary.

Panoramic view of the second-floor rotunda.

The gorgeous view of the inner dome from the
second-floor rotunda.

The following video highlights the breathtaking journey up the 296 steps that lead individuals into the outer dome. The Kansas State Capitol holds these tours Monday through Friday starting at 9:15 in the morning and continuing each hour until 3:15 in the afternoon (9:15, 10:15, 11:15, 12:15, 1:15, 2:15, & 3:15). Please visit the following link for further information regarding dome tours in the Kansas State Capitol Building! Dome Tours in the Kansas State Capitol Building

If you would like to know any further information about the four statues in the second-floor rotunda, then please visit the 

Kansas State Historical Society at http://www.kshs.org/p/kansas-state-capitol-online-tour-second-level-felten-statues/16615.

The following are links for the statues that were discussed earlier in this blog post!

Amelia Earhart (Amelia Earhart Statue)

Dwight David Eisenhower (Dwight D. Eisenhower Statue)

William Allen White (William A. White Statue)

Arthur Capper (Arthur Capper Statue)

Thank you for joining me for yet another wonderful week. 

Be sure to check back up soon for another informational blog post about our State Capitol Building.

*Fun Fact: Did you know that the Kansas State Capitol Building is taller than the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington D.C.

Kansas Statehouse Slideshow

Post #4, Exhibiting History and Art

If you don't know much about the State Capitol; it is considered to be the number one stop for architecture and art work in the state of Kansas. The building took on what was considered "an impossible task" in 2014, in that of a major renovation. The renovation added new murals, statues, and many other pieces of art work that is a part of The Kansas State Capitol Visitor Center is the entrance into the Capitol Building which is located on the North Side of the building. Once you enter, you will be greeted by the Capitols security and be given orders to pass through a metal detector (much like airport security). After passing through security, you will be introduced to one of the many exhibits that the Capitol has to offer to its visitors. 

This particular exhibit is located on the ground level of the Capitol and it displays many historical pieces. Everything from the thirty-four star U.S. flag to an original dome window that was placed on the outer dome in 1903. The exhibit covers everything from notable Kansan's, historical events in Kanas, and the Capitols history itself. This gorgeous exhibit is surrounded by offices that houses the many different departments of the Kansas State government and many, many skylight windows. When you enter from the north side of the building, you will first set your eyes on the part of the exhibit that displays notable Kansan's that have had an influence on the state of Kansas as well as national significance. During the 1800's, Kansas was known for birthing some of the brightest individuals of the time. People like John Brown, Fred Harvey, Amelia Earhart, James Naismith and Dwight D. Eisenhower have had national influence that progressed the history of Kansas. These individuals have created, designed, and implemented their life-changing and revolutionizing ideas into the world in which we all know today.

The most enjoyable part for me was seeing what seems to be "cell blocks"? Did individuals use to be held in the ground floor of the State Capitol? It wouldn't be surprising if this was the case, but it's hard to say. The building has seen major renovations over the years and it's hard to know for sure if this was the case. These "cell blocks" are located in the middle of the ground level floor and are in what seem to be a rectangular pattern. It's hard to know whether there were individuals who were placed here or not because if there was it most likely happened a century ago if not longer than that.  This is no doubt the conversation starter for tourists who happen to witness this setting as there is literally no further information that you can gain from the exhibit regrading this topic. It's truly interesting, were there prisoners kept here? If so, what happened here and were only the most dangerous individuals placed front and center?
*Check out the pictures below and tell me what you think in the poll located in the side bar and make sure to leave a comment below to share your thoughts and knowledge.

* (Unfortunately, I wasn't able to cover everything that this exhibit does, but I can tell you that it's a privilege to have the Capitol Building as the topic of this blog.) *

What do you think?

Thank You for joining me for yet another week and for another wonderful blog post about the Kansas State Capitol. Next week, we are going to talk about some of the canvas paintings and sculptures that you will encounter while making your way through the best architectural masterpiece in the state of Kansas.

*This blog post has a high influence from the Kansas Historical Society and therefore I will refer you to the following page which consists of further information regarding the Statehouses many interactive exhibits. (https://www.kshs.org/p/kansas-state-capitol-visitor-center-exhibits/18477#lobby)*

*Also note that some of the information provided in this blog is taken by individuals and tour guides who currently hold positions at the Kansas State Capitol as well as some information was reviewed from the official Kansas State Historical Society webpage.*

For your convenience, here is the address to the Kansas 

State Capitol Visitors Center. 

Post #3, Construction and the Exterior Architecture of the Statehouse

Pre-Construction

According to the Kansas Historical Society, the construction of the Kansas State Capitol began in 1866, what was already known as the "Capitol Square" was donated in 1862. This eventually would be the land of where the building would soon reside. The early design for the Kansas State Capitol Building was created by Edward Townsend Mix. Although, the statehouse committee also reviewed and later declared Kansas architect John G. Haskell as the hired architect for the project. Haskell made many changes to the original blueprint by Edward Mix as the final product. Haskell had a big task in the creation of the statehouse, as the committee wanted the building to be fire resistant, use natural lighting, and they also wanted the wings to all be attached like the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. All of these criteria were surprisingly met by Mr. Haskell with the implementation of the inner and outer domes as well as the open floor plan that was established inside the building.

FUN FACT: You can find many plaques stating the important history of the statehouse on site, as Kansas is a very proud state of its history. This is also present in all of the memorials and donated items that are placed in the lawns surrounding the building.

Construction

As previously stated the construction of the building began in 1866 with the state legislature passing house bill number 34, which provided individuals to begin construction. You can find a plaque on the south side steps which tells its readers that Governor Samuel Crawford signed the passing of the bill and officially made it law. The statehouse had a rough beginning as there were troubles on finding materials that would be strong enough to support a building that was going to stand over 300 feet tall! They first used brown stone to begin construction on the east wing of the building. Unfortunately, the wall crumbled following the winter months. The construction resumed in the early portion of 1867 with the main material being that of limestone that happened to have a much harder core. The building took about 37 years to complete, but on March 24th of 1903 the building was ruled as complete with a total estimated cost of over $3,000,000.

Interior Artwork

Unfortunately, a lot of the original paintings and murals that were originally placed in the Kansas State Capitol were perceived to be controversial and were ultimately removed from the premises. The floor-plan for the building was discussed and changed several times. The original floor plan called for a fountain to be placed on the first floor in the middle of the rotunda. Which is very odd, as now it is home to a very decorative tile floor which directs its visitors with tiles that tell the visitors which direction they are looking, (North, East, South, and West) much like a compass. 

FUN FACT: The Kansas State Capitol Building is actually taller than the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington D.C. by approximately 17 feet according to the Kansas Historical Society. The building also features many murals by several Kansas artists that were placed in the building in 2002. 

Please refer to the following site for more information about the architecture and construction of our own state capitol building: Kansas State Capitol History and Architecture

Please note that this information was collected from the Kansas State Historical Society as well as taken from individuals on-site itself.

Post #2, Statues in the Lawn

The Abraham Lincoln statue was dedicated on February 12th of 1918. Designed by Robert Merell Gage (a former Kansan), constructed this six-foot-tall statue of pure bronze.  The statue sits atop a four-foot granite base; the material cost totaled around $3,000. 

The Abraham Lincoln statue is located on the
 right side of the front lawn. (Southeast Quadrant)

It is often said that Lincoln's seated position is used to
reflect his emotions towards the end of his Presidency.

 Source(s) that I used include: Statues of Historic Figures (Abraham Lincoln)

Dedicated on May 11, 1937 this statue resembles the strong and compelling persona of the early pioneer women that settled in the state of Kansas. The confident woman that is centered in this piece shows extreme confidence while also protecting her family in the harsh early life of American settlement. Ironically, this statue was also designed by Robert Merell Gage. 

Dedicated by the Kansas Pioneer Woman's Association,
this statue lies in the Southwest quadrant of the statehouse lawn.

Please refer to the following link by the Kansas Historical Society for more information: Kansas State Capitol (Pioneer Woman of Kansas)
The following is an alternative source that I used in the creation of this post: Pioneer Women of Kansas Monument

This replica of the lady of liberty was one of two-hundred donated by the Boy Scouts of America 

to commemorate their 40th anniversary. It's said that the Boy Scouts saved each penny to finance for the building of the statue. Governor Carlson officially accepted the statue in 1950 with a huge celebratory parade and concert to follow. 

Located in the Northwest Quadrant of the Capitol Lawn.

In the creation of this blog post, I referred to the Kansas Historical Society for the information regarding this statue. Please refer to the following link for the previous information presented: Kansas State Capitol Tour (Replica of the Statue of Liberty)

The following memorial was constructed to pay tribute to the two-hundred and seventy-one law enforcement officials who have passed away while on duty in the state of Kansas. The memorial is divided into sectors that categorizes the individuals by their respective titles of Law Enforcement.

You can locate this circular memorial in the
Northeast corner of the Capitol's lawn.

The following link will take you to the official page of the Kansas Historical Society so you can locate further information regarding the Memorial. Kansas Law Enforcement Memorial (KSHS)

I would like to notify my readers that I heavily used the Kansas Historical Society while in the process of creating this blog post and I also give a huge thanks to the Topeka State Capitol staff for directing and providing information to me while taking photos on site. 

Post #1, Welcome to our Blog!

Hello! My name is Wesley Tabor. I am the publisher of this blog that you see here on this page. I am creating this blog for one of my courses that I attend at Washburn University. I was given an assignment to publish and edit my own functional blog. The assignment instructions were broad and stated that the blog could cover any topic that I so desired. It took a while but after about a half hour I recollected on my experience that I recently had at the Capitol Building in Topeka, KS. I vividly remembered myself taking the 296 steps to the top of the outer dome which reaches about 40 stories high! I explicitly remember my tour guide explaining to me that you can see tens to hundreds of miles out on a clear day, which was unfortunate for me as it was foggy on that Friday afternoon. However, this experience that happened to transpire during class was a life saver as I was completely spacing out on a unique idea that compared to the well-thought out one's of my classmates.

In a brief overview, this blog will talk about the beautiful artwork that the Topeka state Capitol Building has to offer its wonderful guests. This will include everything from the statues in the front lawn to the breath taking architecture of the building itself and then slowly we will make our way inside the building to showcase the craftsmanship of the canvas paintings and again, architecture. I will of course provide a brief history of the significance behind these pieces of art (Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How). In addition to this, I am looking forward to utilizing my photography capabilities while also providing wonderful insight about a building that was constructed in the late 1800's and completed in 1903.

Unfortunately, there will be some things in regards to the Capitol Building that I won't be able to cover. This is why I encourage you, my readers, to e-mail me (see bottom of post for instructions on how to e-mail me!). I am completely and 100% open to topics of discussion and ideas that my readers have for me. This isn't just my space for publishing, but it is also your space for reading and I want this blog to be as collaborative and unique as possible! I sure hope that everyone here will enjoy this blog as much as I will! I also promise all of my readers that if I reach and maintain a steady following that I will keep up on this blog for my four year tenure at Washburn University!

Enjoy some photos!

STEPS ON HOW TO E-MAIL ME:
To e-mail me, simply locate the link on the right hand column that is listed as "View my complete profile" and then locate on the left hand side the link that is labeled "email" which is posted under the heading "contact me".