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The OLD CAPITOL served Oregon for 60 yean that spanned from covered watron
days to the present Authorized by the legislature of 1872, it was completed in 1876 at
ft cost of $325,000. It was built almost entirely of brick with sandstone and limestone
facing and trimming. ;
. . - Originally it was without a dome, being built in the shape of a great cross, in -a
. parklike setting of native Oregon trees. The copper dome, most striking feature of the
building, which rose several feet higher than the top of the new capital, was added in
1893, i bringing tfie total cost of the structure to $450,000. The porticoes on the east
and west sides: were also not a part of the originar structure, having been added in 1888.
. The burnished copper dome, flashing in the sunlight, was a landmark to traveler
and resident alike, visible for several miles on all sides of Salem. A stairway led to the
cupola on top, a favorite mecca for sight-seers who could look over a large part of the
- Willamette valley and see several peaks in the Cascade range.
This famous old structure was loved by the citizens of Oregon for sentimental rea
sons and was maintained in as good condition as many old capitol buildings of other
states. However, at the time it was built Oregon had a population of but 90,923, and was
. on the threshold of tremendous growth to over & million persons at the present time..
- This tenfold increase In the state's inhabitants multiplied state departments and the old capitol was congested with offices by the turn
of the century. In 1914, the $320,000 state supremej court building was completed to house the overflow from the capitoL Other expansion
from the statehouse's capacity soon became necessary and in 1930 the big five-story state of fice building in Salem was completed, in 1931
ft two-story agricultural building was occupied, i - - . 'i -is r.n
In addition, a number of offices now maintain headquarters or branches in Portland, mostly in the Oregon bufldina there.
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APRIL 25, 1933. The statehousa Is burning! But
Salem people, just at the evening dinner hour, were slow
to realize that any fire in the substantial old statehousa
could be very serious. In the twilight many sat about the
lawns ciose to tne building, as at a picnic.
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. A THIN WISP cf smoke reached the dome as the
blaze, in the basement, found the great center well of the
rotunda ft perfect flue for an outlet. r
- . QUS," Been w ine oi me oia swienouse much as it may be regretted, made way for ft much needed greater capitol
: building in a modern age and paved the way to better facilities for Oregon's state government In fact, this statehouse also was erected to
take the place of a capitol building, Oregon's firsts destroyed by fire in 1854. " I J
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IN THE HORNING the fire was still smouldering as a pumper here keeps playin?
e stream of water on the ruins. Ghostly remains of the still-standing walls are all that
are left to remind Oregon of its statehouse. One life, that of ft firefighter, was lost and
iuuucwuj iwm luwiwuuj uuuijr vtuuALUQ icturua was caUuuilCu awi f 1,WV,WU.
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N DOMELESS, the
bling pillars as the
blackened walls enca sed an inferno of twisted steel and crura
spectacular fire lighte' d up. the city fori blocks around. '
- All EnxrTO envdeped tha baCdinjr after dark d4
spits the efforts cf the Salem' fire department and two
engine companies from Portland. About 11 o'clock the
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" -:-- - -V- -f v . ;. v,i.tf DESIGNS OF ALL TYPES, xssdla frea :tall office bufldir-a ta thnvnH I
THE DESIGNERS, Francis KesUy and George T7. Jacoby, associates of Trowbridge and Livingston of New York, wbo drew the winninj:: A dome-type: capitol building were remitted to the espitel reconstruction commission. 1
plins for the structure -that was selected Hay 25, 1936,iby juryof five authorities. Jacoby is now deceased. Eight, the new capitol as it was - Above! are some of the
Vct:hcd by the architects, "builk for Orcrca and based en early Oregon history." - - ... v - - ' !; :' ; ; competinoa. , : v .c
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