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Tag: Legislative Building

Time to sign up to run on the 2018 ballot

Time to sign up to run on the 2018 ballot

Although fervent politicking began weeks ago in races across the state, the official start of election season arrives Monday, with the beginning of Candidate Filing Week 2018. From May 14-18, candidates for federal, state, and local offices from county commissioner to U.S. Senator must register with county elections offices or the Office of Secretary of State to get their names onto ballots for this year’s elections cycle. The 596 races on this year’s Washington ballots include legislative races in every…

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Archives Spotlight: The Legislative Building turns 90

Archives Spotlight: The Legislative Building turns 90

In the quiet of the post-Legislative session interim period, the 90th anniversary of the Washington Capitol‘s opening to the public passed without a formal observance on March 28. Perhaps that was fitting. The Legislative Building went without a grand opening party back in 1928 because of a political dispute over the perceived largesse of building and furnishing a $7 million government building. The Legislative Building was constructed over much of the 1920s. Architects Walter Wilder and Harry White, whose plan…

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Territorial Sundial returns to Capitol Campus

Territorial Sundial returns to Capitol Campus

The iconic Territorial Sundial, housed between the Legislative Building and the Joel Pritchard Library, returned to its original location in Olympia after being in Seattle for repairs during the past 6 months. Workers took the aging timepiece to Seattle in July 2017 for its first major overhaul in 59 years. In need of serious repair, the weathered sundial became inaccurate at telling time. The restoration work done on the sundial included crafting a new stronger gnomon, the part of the dial…

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Making the Season Bright

Making the Season Bright

It’s the giving season and the Holiday Kids’ Tree symbolizes it in the best way. Each year, the Association of Washington Business (AWB) hosts the Holiday Kids’ Tree lighting marking the end of their Holiday Kids’ Tree Project of that year.  The project collects donations and funds to be given to children and families in need in rural areas. According to the AWB website, more than $390,000 in cash donations and thousands of gifts since the project started in 1989….

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Is Capitol Campus sundial disappearing?

Is Capitol Campus sundial disappearing?

Capitol staffers and visitors might soon notice that the sundial between the John L. O’Brien and John A. Cherberg buildings and just south of the Legislative Building has gone missing. Is the sundial going away for good? No. The Department of Enterprise Services has announced that the popular sundial is being removed this week for repairs. According to a DES news release: The sundial will be taken to Seattle for further condition assessment and repair. Work will include: Crafting of…

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OSOS front lobby then and now

OSOS front lobby then and now

(Photo courtesy of Washington State Archives) We have good reason to think that our office’s front lobby is the best one in the Legislative Building. After all, our lobby’s walls typically are adorned with panels from an eye-catching historical exhibit created by our Legacy Washington team. But our front lobby wasn’t always so visitor friendly. The photo above was taken from the back our office, looking toward the front door. According to a co-worker with extensive knowledge of the Legislative…

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“Archives treasures” item #2: Capitol construction

“Archives treasures” item #2: Capitol construction

(Photo courtesy of Washington State Archives) On Tuesday, we began our new blog series that highlights some of the many incredible documents, images, maps and other historical goodies that our State Archives possesses. The first “contestant” in this month’s Archives treasures poll was the boxing license application that Muhammad Ali submitted under his former name, Cassius Clay. The second “contestant” is one of the many photos showing the construction of the Legislative Building on the Capitol Campus. The photo of…

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Bye, Holiday Tree

Bye, Holiday Tree

As Blood Sweat & Tears once sang, what goes up must come down. That was the case with this year’s Holiday Kids’ Tree, which was removed by DES workers Monday morning after the 25-foot Noble fir stood tall in the Legislative Building rotunda the past four weeks. (Photo courtesy of Patrick McDonald)

But where is the building?

But where is the building?

(Photo courtesy Washington State Archives) We found this old photo in the State Archives that shows construction on the north side of the Legislative Building in September 1923. At this point, only the steps and first floor were visible. The building was completed in 1928. The photo below shows the north side of Washington’s Capitol today. With its tall dome and grand appearance, the Legislative Building is a prominent sight from Capitol Lake and the Olympia waterfront. (Photo courtesy Patrick…

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12th Man lets loose at Seahawks’ homestate Capitol

12th Man lets loose at Seahawks’ homestate Capitol

(Photo courtesy of Benjamin Helle) Although hundreds of thousands of  fans converged on Downtown Seattle and CenturyLink Field and Safeco Field Wednesday for the parade honoring the Seahawks’ Super Bowl win over the Broncos, many fans around the Capitol couldn’t go north because they work for the Legislature, which is in the middle of its 60-day session. But that didn’t stop a large contingent of the 12th Man from gathering on the north steps of the Legislative Building to cheer…

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