Idaho Capital Building

On our way to and from Cali. {you know back in October...of last year, yep folks, I am right on top of things} we went a little out of our way and went through Boise so we could see Grandma & Grandpa. We barely got to spend any amount of time there but at least we saw them for a little {tiny} bit. The morning we were coming home we decided to tour the Capital Building before we left. We had been talking about it for years every time we were in Boise, so we finally made the time to go. It was incredible, just beautiful. The marble was breathtaking. It was so open & inviting, they have a rule where basically if the door is unlocked, you are welcome to go inside. We happened to go right after elections (since we had been in Cali we totally forgot) but, when we arrived they were actually swearing in the new officials, the news was there and it was crazy. We slipped in a back door and went through the place backwards.

The Courthouse is located right next door and was also beautiful from the outside, we never went in but I loved the fallen solider memorial!

I can't tell you how beautiful this place is!!

In order to expand without changing the original building, they built office space underground, this is all you see from ground level.

The House & Senate

In the gift shop they had some cool wooden trinkets made from trees they had to take out during the remodel. The trees were planted by some of out 1st presidents, I can't remember them all but Thomas Jefferson was one of them! It was really neat. Hal got a wooden key. We also got a copy of the Declaration of Independence & The Constitution. Hal has a thing for coins, so we also got one of those from the treasury office. All proceeds going to the Veteran's. :) I am sounding totally NERDY right now, but oh well, this place was so awesome!

I can't remember what this statue represents but when the kids asked what it was Hal told them it was of a woman who talked back to her husband too often! BRAT!

When we got to the Governor's office I was telling Hal how I'd heard he was a very down to earth guy and his wife was actually my little brother's school teacher yadda...yadda...when he whispers umm...I'm pretty sure that's her in front of us talking. LOL, yep...she told us to feel free to go on in and check everything out! They even had story books and pencils for the kids.

One of the coolest places was the Treasurers Office. They invited us in & it was so neat! The original vault was amazing so cool. It is kind of hard to read in the pic but they used to post the State debt. Also the original treasury book, that was awesome!