Oklahoma State Capitol, State capitol in Oklahoma City, United States.
The Oklahoma State Capitol is a light-colored stone government building on Lincoln Boulevard in Oklahoma City, with a central dome of steel-reinforced concrete and reinforced plaster casts topped by a cupola and a dark figure. A columned portico with a triangular pediment inscribed "STATE OF OKLAHOMA" rises above a wide flight of steps, and wings with rows of rectangular windows extend to either side. Its exterior is mainly Indiana limestone over a base of Oklahoma pink granite, with Oklahoma black granite for the grand staircase.
Oklahoma's capital moved from Guthrie to Oklahoma City in 1910, and the seal was carried south on June 11. Construction began with a groundbreaking on July 20, 1914, to plans by Solomon Andrew Layton and S. Wemyss-Smith, and the building was completed on June 30, 1917. A dome in the 1914 plans was dropped in 1915 when the $1.5 million appropriation ran short, though foundations were built to carry one; it was finally added in 2001–2002.
The rotunda holds Mike Larsen's mural of the "Five Moons," five Oklahoma Indian ballerinas: Maria and Marjorie Tallchief, Rosella Hightower, Moseley Larkin and Yvonne Chouteau. The building also houses a museum, a café and a barbershop, and the House of Representatives meets in the west wing, the Senate in the east wing.
Guided tours allow visitors to explore the interior spaces and learn about the building's function as the seat of the legislature and executive offices. The building is accessible on weekdays, with certain areas restricted depending on state activity.
An active oil well is located directly beneath the building, with a drilling rig visible near the structure. This arrangement recalls the central role of the oil industry in Oklahoma's economic development since the early 20th century.
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