Peaks and Plains Trip, Road trip

The Best State Capitol I have Visited

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Wednesday, Sep 20 2023

Road video and map

Today’s plan was much like yesterday. I traveled the 175 miles (282 km) from Casper to Cheyenne, the capital of Wyoming, right after breakfast and did my sightseeing when I arrived. The travel was, again, on Interstate highway so there is little to be seen on the dash cam video.

The first place I visited was Quebec 01 Missile Alert Station about 30 miles (48 km) north of Cheyenne. When Ronald Reagan became president he claimed that the Soviet Union had many more nuclear warheads than the U.S. (not actually true) and ordered the development of a new, larger Inter Continental Ballistic missile which was able to deliver 10 nuclear warheads. The MX missile was the result, although Reagan later renamed it the Peacekeeper, and 50 of them were deployed in upgraded silos in Wyoming that had previously held Minutemen III missiles. Based on the word “Alert” in the name I had imagined that this location was involved in detecting missiles fired by the enemy and launching a response but, in fact, it was a heavily protected control center capable of launching up to 10 Peacekeeper missiles in one go. Like the Titan missile museum I wrote about in 2016 this launch station was built underground and was suspended on huge springs and hydraulic dampers to withstand a nuclear attack. Unlike the Titan site there was no missile located here but the center was connected to, and could launch, missiles from ten widely separated silos connected through reinforced, pressurized cables buried in the area. It was interesting but did not prove to offer much more than I had learned in Arizona.

The guide showing us the thickness of the outer door to the control center. This is 18″ (45 cm) thick but there was an inner door to the launch room that was twice as thick and weighed 8 tons (8,120 kg).
The launch desks required the nuclear codes transmitted by the President to match those locked in the red box above this desk. There were two air force personnel present at all times and they had to agree the codes were correct and simultaneously press launch buttons spaced so far apart that one person could not press both.

I had wondered if it was worth visiting three State Capitols on a three week trip to three states but I’m so glad I visited the Wyoming State Capitol here in Cheyenne.

The Capitol underwent a major renovation from 2018 to 2022. The interior was restored while new buildings were added and connected to the Capitol through underground hallways.

Wyoming was an interesting and advanced territory and, in 1869, its first legislation granted universal suffrage to women and later laws granted them rights to own and control property separately from their husbands as well as to form businesses and, for teachers, guaranteed equal pay with men. When Wyoming was applying for statehood it, along with all states, was required to submit a state constitution to the Federal Government and it included all these rights. There was serious push back from Washington and Wyoming considered withdrawing their application rather than give up women’s rights. Their constitution, including these provisions, were finally accepted and Wyoming became the only state with universal suffrage in 1890.

This is the Old Territorial Chamber at the Capitol where the State Constitution was ratified.

Although it is similar in size and style to many other Capitols I have visited it is beautifully finihed with lots of wood and comfortable furniture everywhere. It is very inviting while being impressive, historical and functional.

This is the hallway between the rotunda and the house chamber. The formality of the statues (called Truth and Justice) is balanced by the homely nature of the furnishings and the bright skylights prevent it from feeling dark and heavy like so many other Capitols.
During the restoration it was discovered that the vault doors that had held the early State’s records and money had been painted plain brown over beautiful paintings and decoration by the vault makers. The brown paint was carefully removed to reveal the original doors.
This is one of the underground hallways connecting the Capitol to office buildings. Again, it is social, welcoming and well lit. It is a real “peoples house”.
The grounds are simple lawns with paths and statues. It feels like a pleasant walk in the park.

4 thoughts on “The Best State Capitol I have Visited”

  2. I visited a Catholic Church in Liverpool at the weekend (Heritage Open Day) which had a safe door on a similar scale but with a keyhole. Father Peter (aged 84 and celebrating 60 years in post) thinks he might have seen the key somewhere. As it stands, no one is certain what’s in the safe. I guess a combination would be even more careless to lose.

    1. People were so proud of their work back then and skilled artisans. I hope the State of Wyoming is able to access their records and money 🙂

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