On Wisconsin!

August 7, 2007 2:06 AM

friend and I went on a tour of Wisconsin's magnificent capital building today.

You can see more pictures here and here. The building is pretty much unbelievable. From the second you walk in, you are surrounded by murals, mosaics, statues, memorials, and immeasurable tons of beautiful marble from all over the world, from Minnesota to Greece. The building is almost one hundred years old and is actually about sixteen feet taller than the U.S. Capital in Washington D.C.

Unlike other historic capital buildings--such as Arizona's--the building is still the completely functional headquarters of all three branches of Wisconsin government: both the Assembly and the Senate meet there, our state's Supreme Court (where newly graduated lawyers are sworn in) is there, and the governor's office takes up the fourth wing.

There are all different sorts of historical anecdotes, relics, and inside jokes, from the badgers on top of the entrance to each archway to the "ghost of the Assembly" to the fossilized starfish.

Perhaps the most amazing thing about the whole building to me, though, is the fact that you can freely go almost anywhere in there--there are no security check points or restricted areas, except one outside the governor's office. When we were 1Ls, Mr. Vice, Mr. Utah, and I went to watch one of our professors argue before the Supreme Court of Wisconsin. It was awesome, and we walked around the building afterwards. We went into all of the different chambers and meeting rooms, and no one ever questioned us. At some point we ended up lost in some of the hallways, pretty far from the tourist areas. We were right in senators' offices and stuff, and no one seemed to mind. Last summer, when I worked across the street from the capital and had to regularly go to the State Law Library, located kitty-corner from my office, I would walk through the building almost every day as a shortcut. It's truly a completely public building.

I really like that. I like the fact that, although really important stuff is going on in there, anyone can walk in and sit in on oral arguments or debates. It's stupid, perhaps, but it really makes me feel like this state's government is of, by, and for the people.

Anyway, if you're around and you haven't been, you should check out the capital. I'll go with because I still haven't been up the observation deck, which I really want to do.

2 Comments

tRJ said:

I also love that it's so open. That is as it should be.

And you have to check out the observation deck! It's totally sweet. Although, it's not as cool as the trumpeter's balcony on the inside of the dome (but they don't let many people go out there).

August 7, 2007 9:14 AM

Wade Garrett said:

I too love Wisconsin's capitol building. I passed it on the way to school every day for three years, and, for the first couple of months, I would stare at it wistfully every time I passed. Eventually, I came to take it for grated, until a friend from home visited me in my third year of law school, and I tried to look at it through their eyes. Particularly for somebody in law school, there are few more inspiring things to have to see every day.

August 8, 2007 12:41 AM

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