Several Georgia cities had already served as capital when in 1868 the
controversial decision was made to move the seat of state government to
the upstart city of Atlanta, a move that became permanent in 1877. When
government offices outgrew temporary quarters, a grand new structure was
commissioned. Designed to emulate the new US Capitol Building in
Washington, DC, the Georgia State Capitol building plans carried an
unheard-of price tag of $1 million, taking four years to construct. With
its imposing edifice rising 272 feet above one of the highest spots in
the city, the capitol was the tallest building in Atlanta when it was
dedicated on July 4, 1889. The imposing dome at its center was white
plaster, but in the 1950s, gold mined in north Georgia was used to guild
it. The glimmering Georgia State Capitol now shines at the center of
still growing Atlanta skyline.
Author Janice McDonald is fascinated by the rich history of her adopted
city of Atlanta and has spent countless hours researching and exploring
to learn more about it. The capitol's origins, its construction, and the
people who have walked its halls are just some of the stories that make
the Georgia State Capitol so memorable.