Today we drove about 25 miles north to Montpelier, the tiny capitol of Vermont. When we were in Pierre, South Dakota, a few years ago we were surprised at its 13,000 population. Montpelier's population is only 8,000, but it's a charming, vibrant small town. The historic district has about 500 buildings, including the capitol, built mostly of granite with a gold leafed dome. Ethan Allen the Revolutionary War hero stands on the front porch.
The floor is some of non-granite material. It is white and black marble from Vermont. The black marble has visible fossils in it. One unusual feature is the lack of a rotunda. There is a beautiful dome, but you can't see the inside of the dome from inside. They used the space on the second floor for legislative chambers. The legislature is part-time and meets from January to May each year.
They've done a wonderful job of restoration. They found original desks and chairs from the Senate Chamber stored in a shed. The original gas chandalier taken down in the 1930s was found in pieces. Although there were no guided tours, they offer a recorded tour.
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