Salem, OR

In February on 2014 we went to Salem while we were in the Portland area for a three day Valentines weekend getaway. We left Portland and stayed the night in Salem to be there first thing in the morning to tour the Oregon State Capitol. This capitol has some significant value for a couple of reasons. First of all this was our 26rh capitol we have been to, thus officially starting the second half of our mission to see all the state capitols. The other thing that was special about this capitol was it was the first and only capitol building we were at during their opening service. It was truly inspiring. They had a singer, we all said the Pledge of Allegiance, and they introduced guests. It was a great way to start the second half of our quest.

While we were there we found out that the current building, constructed from 1936 to 1938, and expanded in 1977, is the third to house the Oregon state government in Salem. Two former capitol buildings were destroyed by fire, one in 1855 and the other in 1935.The current capitol building is the fourth-newest capitol in the United States. The capitol was dedicated on October 1, 1938, with speeches from President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Leslie M. Scott, Robert W. Sawyer, and Oregon Governor Charles Henry Martin Besides the capitol being incredible, the grounds are also amazing and cover three city blocks. Near the west entrance of the capitol is a replica of Philadelphia's Liberty Bell. This bell is one of 53 full-sized replicas made in France and donated by the United States government to each state. On the east side of the building is Capitol Park, which includes a bronze equestrian statue by A. Phimister Proctor called The Circuit Rider, statues of John McLoughlin and Jason Lee by Gifford Proctor, and portions of the Corinthian columns of the second capitol building, Other features on the capitol grounds include Sprague Fountain and the Wall of Water. The Wall of Water is located across Court Street from the main entrance. It was added in 1990, and has 22 nozzles shooting water 12 feet (3.7 m) into the air in a plaza that also has slabs of stone with information about Oregon's history.

It is a really beautiful capitol and definitely worth seeing. We were sad to leave, but had to head back to Portland and catch a plane later that afternoon.