Capitols Of West Virginia: A Pictorial History

A history of the capitols of West Virginia with vintage photographs, newspaper articles, design drawings and more.

From the introduction:

The story of West Virginia's capitols is without doubt one of the most interesting in the United States.

Born out of the bloodshed and strife of the Civil War the first Capitol was located at the city of Wheeling, where sentiment for separation from old Virginia was nurtured. The unfolding drama of political maneuver­ing that led to the move to Charleston and back again to Wheeling and finally to Charleston would rival any work of fiction. The wisdom of the old saying that "Truth can be stranger than fiction" has certainly been proved in this unusual story.

The authors have tried to concentrate on those ele­ments of the history that are not widely known.

Since the 1885 building served for 36 years and perished in a memorable fire it has been given con­siderable coverage. Many of the photos are published here for the first time as it is our goal to bring to light rare scenes of long ago.

We West Virginian's can be justifiably proud of our magnificent Cass Gilbert designed Capitol Building for it is among the finest in the United States and is indeed a "world class" work of art that would be at home in Paris or Rome. It has stood now for over half a century and with the care that Gilbert recommended it will stand proudly for centuries to come.

The future of our magnificent Capitol will depend on the solemn recognition that it is more than just another building—it is indeed a precious work of art that merits the most thoughtful care and maintenance. It must be guarded against any who would modify or threaten the original splendid design!

Every West Virginian should visit Charleston and tour their Capitol Building—it belongs to everyone and is the crowning glory of our states proud heritage!