[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 139]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




       HONORING THE 100TH BIRTHDAY OF THE MINNESOTA STATE CAPITOL

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. MARK R. KENNEDY

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, January 4, 2005

  Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 
100th birthday of the Minnesota State Capitol. The Capitol first opened 
its doors on January 2, 1905 and on January 2, 2005, over 6,000 people 
attended the first of a full year's worth of birthday celebrations.
  The Minnesota State Legislature first met in a log hotel when 
Minnesota was declared a territory in 1849. The first Capitol building 
was built in 1853, but burned in 1881. The second, built in 1882, was 
erected on the same downtown St. Paul site as the first. As Minnesota's 
population grew, officials realized that the building would soon be too 
small to house the Legislators and a new building would be needed. In 
1895, Cass Gilbert from St. Paul was selected to design the new 
building. It took nine years and $4.5 million to complete construction 
of the new capitol, which is still in use today.
  Today, the Minnesota State Capitol building is more than just a place 
for the Legislature. It is a museum dedicated to preserving Minnesota's 
history. Its many priceless artifacts detailing Minnesota's past 
include flags that were carried by Minnesotans who served in the Civil 
War and statues of influential Minnesota political figures.
  Mr. Speaker, for the past 100 years the Minnesota State Capitol has 
served as a place of government, history and learning. As a fourth 
generation Minnesotan whose ancestors were well established in the 
state when this capitol was built, I am pleased to be able to help 
honor it today as a lasting symbol of the spirit of Minnesota.

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