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What to Do and See in the Texas Capitol
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Posted On :
Dec-03-2009
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Article Word Count :
500
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Although Houston and Dallas often get the lion’s share of outsider attention, Austin is the capital of Texas. Whether you are a new Austin resident or are just visiting, make it a point to visit the Capitol building. This Austin landmark is not to be missed.
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Although Houston and Dallas often get the lion’s share of outsider attention, Austin is the capital of Texas. Whether you are a new Austin resident or are just visiting, make it a point to visit the Capitol building. This Austin landmark is not to be missed.
The Texas Capitol Building is seated on 22 acres of landscaped lawns, 17 different monuments and several historical buildings. The visitor center is located at 112 East 11th Street and is open from Monday through Saturday from 9 am to 5 pm and on Sunday from 12 pm to 5 pm. The Capitol building itself is open Monday through Friday from 7 am to 10 pm and Saturday and Sunday from 9 am to 8 pm.
With your visit to the Texas Capitol Building grounds, you’ll get an interesting peak at historical Texas and the current landscape of Texas politics. You can bring along a blanket and enjoy a picnic on the grounds or just walk around and see all there is to see.
The Capitol building itself has a unique history. The original building was erected on the site in 1853 but burnt down in 1881. There was a nation-wide contest to design the next building and Elijah J. Myers, an architect who had completed buildings for Michigan and Colorado state capitals, won the prize. He created a Renaissance Revival style. After his win, the construction was not swift. There was a two year delay as the debate for the exterior material waged on. Finally, the decision was made that the Capitol building would be made of “sunset red” granite, and not limestone as some would have liked. After the opening in 1888, the building was relatively safe until the Capitol caught fire again in 1983. The structure was almost destroyed but historical conservationist got together to enact a public works project to save the building.
For more background on the history of the building, and Texas itself, the Capitol visitor’s center is a perfect stop. The visitor’s center includes a gift shop and several different exhibits. The exhibits focus on the history of the Capitol as well as the state of Texas by using photos, videos and artifacts. There is even a room honoring short story author O. Henry, a Texas native. If you’re visiting Texas from out of state, the Visitor’s center can provide you with maps, information and advice on several attractions around Texas.
There are self-guided tours of the grounds available to be picked up in the Visitor’s center. There are also free daily tours of the Capitol building which focus on the building’s history, the Texas legislature and the history of the state. The tours begin in the South Foyer and end in the Capitol Extension. They last approximately 45 minutes. Free tours run on Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, on Saturday from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm and on Sunday from 12:00 pm to 3:30 pm.
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Article Source :
http://www.articleseen.com/Article_What to Do and See in the Texas Capitol_6320.aspx
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Author Resource :
Joe Cline writes articles for Round Rock Neighborhoods. Other articles written by the author related to Davenport Ranch real estate and Austin Homes can be found on the net.
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Keywords :
Davenport Ranch real estate, Austin Homes, Round Rock Neighborhoods,
Category :
Travel and Leisure
:
Travel and Leisure
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