Nebraska State Capitol
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Nebraska State Capitol
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The Nebraska State Capitol
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| Location | Lincoln, Nebraska |
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| Coordinates | 40°48′29.1636″N 96°41′58.5420″W / 40.808101000°N 96.699595000°WCoordinates: 40°48′29.1636″N 96°41′58.5420″W / 40.808101000°N 96.699595000°W |
| Built | 1922–1932 |
| Architect | Bertram Goodhue |
| Architectural style |
Art Deco Neo-Byzantine Gothic Revival |
| NRHP Reference # | 70000372 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | October 16, 1970 |
| Designated NHL | January 7, 1976 |
The Nebraska State Capitol is the seat of government for the U.S. State of Nebraska and is located in downtown Lincoln. It was designed by New York architect Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue in 1920 and was constructed of Indiana limestone from 1922 to 1932. The capitol houses the primary executive and judicial offices of Nebraska and is home to the Nebraska Legislature—the only state unicameral legislature in the United States.
The Nebraska State Capitol is often known as the "Tower on the Plains," and its 400-foot (120 m) tower can be seen as far away as 30 miles. It was the first state capitol to incorporate a functional tower into its design.
The structure is anchored by a three-story, 437-foot (133 m) square base. This square base houses offices most frequently visited by the public. The second floor (main floor) is home to the office of the Governor of Nebraska, the Nebraska Supreme Court, the Nebraska Court of Appeals, and the Nebraska Legislature.
From the center of the base, a tower rises 362 feet (110 m), crowned by a gold-tiled dome. The finial—The Sower and its pedestal—add an additional 32 feet (9.8 m) to the building's height. Common measurements list the capitol at 400 feet (120 m), making it the second-tallest U.S. statehouse, surpassed only by the 450-foot (140 m) Louisiana State Capitol.
As the tower was intended for expansion of the Nebraska State Library, the 17-foot (5.2 m) tower floors were originally conceived to include loft-like stacks for book storage. By 1925, with government increasing in size, the State of Nebraska decided to repurpose the tower to house offices. Tower floors continue to house various offices today.
In total, there are 15 stories in the capitol (three mezzanines also exist within the tower between the 3rd and 4th floors). Memorial Chamber on the 14th floor—the highest publicly accessible level—has four observation decks that offer views of Lincoln from 245 feet (75 m) above the ground.
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