With the pandemic still being a huge concern, summer vacation planning presented many difficulties. In August 2020, COVID-19 cases were rising, and California’s Governor Gavin Newsom was on-air daily, providing pandemic updates. My soon-to-be 7-year-old son was very inquisitive about current events. He asked many questions about “the man” constantly on television who seemed to be in charge. His interest sparked an idea for a virus-safe road trip to the California State Capitol Building in Sacramento.
Being a native Californian, it was during this trip I realized I knew very little about this state’s political history. The city of Sacramento has been home to the State Capitol since 1852, except for a brief move to San Francisco in 1862 for only a single year. Before 1852, it was located in other northern cities of Monterey, San Jose, Vallejo, and Benicia. However, Monterey was never actually called the state capitol. The pseudo-Capitol Building, The San Carlos Cathedral, was considered home to the military governors, hosted the first Constitutional Convention, and was the first place the U.S. Flag flew. For these historical events, the cathedral has been recognized as a state capitol location.
Sacramento’s State Capitol building was designed to resemble the United States Capitol Building located in Washington D.C. Construction took fourteen years to complete under five different architects. The original architect Ruben Clark allegedly went insane during construction due to the various building delays and mounting pressure from state legislators. Gordon P. Cunningham was recognized as the architect to finalize the structure in 1874. While the architecture is Roman-inspired, one building element that embodies California’s history is the “gold ball” atop the dome. The “gold ball” pays tribute to the state’s gold rush era. Upon first sight of the building, my son was awe-inspired by the sheer size of it. He asked, “why does ‘the man’ on television need such a big place to work?”
I explained to my son that the Capitol Building houses three California legislative branches of government. The Assembly member offices are located in the left wing, the Senate is in the right wing, and the executive branch is in the East Annex. It is in the East Annex where the Governor’s office is located, along with the Lieutenant Governor. At this revelation, my son got excited to learn this is where “the man” in charge of the state (aka Governor Newsom) actually works. I also shared with my son that this part of the building is where our laws are drafted and then signed once approved.
The interior building was closed to the public at this time due to Covid-19. While my son and I would have been delighted to see where laws are made, we were equally fulfilled walking around Capitol Park. The grounds around the building house many state historical monuments and memorials. The most notable monuments for us were the Liberty Bell replica and the USS California Bell. The USS California Bell was initially set in Pearl Harbor in 1919 and dedicated to the park in 1949. There are numerous statues of famed war heroes and the Spanish Priest, Father Junipero Serra. The World Peace Rose Garden is a place designed as a place for serenity and insight. Although I could not get my son to sit and enjoy that peaceful environment, he still thought the flowers were pretty.
I was personally fascinated with the various trees in the park, which were all labeled of their kind and age. Approximately 890 trees surround The Capitol, some of which are well over 100 years old. Once we returned from our road trip, I learned more about the planning of the park grounds. Interestingly, the landscape designer removed certain trees to keep the ones that most highlighted the building. The designer, Frederick Law Olmstead, was purposeful in deciding which trees were to remain. His design was intent on providing shade for the visitors. Olmstead’s design values are still in use today.
Admittedly, I may have been more enlightened by my son’s and my excursion. All in all, we both learned a lot about California’s State Capitol Building and the magic that happens there. I was a proud mama when he shared this trip to Sacramento with his 2nd-grade class on his first day of school. 😊🥰
