Alabama’s Capitol is a museum of state history and politics. The current Capitol building was built from 1850 to 1851, with Barachias Holt as supervising architect. Holt, originally from Exeter, Maine was a master mechanic by trade. Following his work on the Capitol he created a successful sash, door, and blind factory in Montgomery.
The new Capitol building was first occupied by the Alabama Legislature on October 1, 1851. The original core of the building, as well as the subsequent additions, is essentially Greek Revival in style. A rear wing was added in 1885 and the two side wings between 1906 and 1912. A rear extension with a neoclassical portico similar to the original west front portico was completed in 1992. The Alabama State Capitol was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1962. Today, the governor and other executive branch officers still occupy offices in the Capitol. Not only is the Alabama State Capitol a revered symbol to thousands of Alabamians but a significant monument in American history. A major effort to rehabilitate the Capitol began in the 1970s. While most of this work was finished in 1992, efforts to restore and enhance the historical character of the building are ongoing by the Alabama Historical Commission.
