Minnesota State Capitol

1849 Minnesota's new Territorial Legislature authorizes building of capitol building.

1855 First state capitol building completed. It is destroyed by fire in 1881.

1882 Second capitol building is completed.

1893 Bill proposing new statehouse is passed by Minnesota Legislature.

1895 Cass Gilbert's design for capitol building is selected in a competition with 40 other entrants.

1898 Cornerstone for new capitol building is laid by 83-year-old Alexander Ramsey, the state's first territorial governor, second state governor and senator.

Jan. 2, 1905
New State Capitol opens to public; 34th legislative session is convened following day.

June 14, 1905
Aging Civil war veterans carry tattered Minnesota regimental flags from the old Capitol to the new Capitol building.

1906 Massive copper sculpture "Progress of the State," better know as "The Quadriga," is installed on the capitol roof at the base of the dome. Created by Daniel C. French, sculptor of the sitting Abraham Lincoln figure at the Lincoln Memorial, and Edward C. Potter, a noted sculptor of animals.

1917 Rathskeller Cafe in Capitol's basement, featuring fanciful murals and German mottos, is painted over due to anti-German sentiment sweeping state and country. The mottos were uncovered in 1930, only to painted over again in 1937.

1944 Architect Clarence Johnston, building on plans drawn up by Cass Gilbert over several decades of the early 20th century, designs the Capitol Approach (Mall) anticipating the construction of the interstate freeway.

1949 The "Quadriga" statue atop is regilded 42 years after it is installed. It will be regilded and repaired once again in a massive project undertaken in 1994.

1999 The Rathskeller cafe is once again restored to its original glory.