About the Legislative Building

View the Legislative Building on the Capitol Campus Map.

The Legislative Building is an important part of Washington State's government and a popular place for visitors to the Capitol Campus. It is home to the Governor's office, the Legislative Chambers, and offices of the Secretary of State and Treasurer.

You can take a free 50-minute tour of the Legislative Building most days or explore the public areas on your own. Don’t forget to check out the Legislative Gift Shop during your visit!

Standing at 287 feet tall, the Legislative Building is the tallest building in North America with a masonry dome. Its outside is made from Wilkeson sandstone from Pierce County, Washington. Inside features elegant Tiffany chandeliers and marble from five different countries.

History

Washington became an official U.S. state in 1889. President Benjamin Harrison gave 132,000 acres of land to the state government. In 1893, the state Legislature created the State Capitol Commission to plan a new Capitol building on this land in Olympia.

A black and white image of the Washington Territorial Capitol Building, which was a small white building with a little tower on the roof. Words at the bottom of the image read "Old State Capitol Bldg. Olympia, WN."
Washington Territorial Capitol Building, 1909. Photo from Washington State Archives.

In 1897, the state bought the Thurston County Courthouse, which is now called the Old Capitol Building, moving the Legislature there from the original wooden territorial Capitol building built in 1855.

As the state government grew, the Old Capitol Building became overcrowded. By 1911, it housed the Legislature, the Governor’s office, the state Supreme Court, the Attorney General’s office, and many other state agencies.

In April 1911, the State Capitol Commission held a competition to design the new Capitol Campus. They chose a plan by New York architects Walter R. Wilder and Harry K. White. The commission immediately demolished the old territorial Capitol building to build the new Legislative Building.

A black and white image of the Legislative Building's foundation, which consists of large granite steps and short stone walls and flooring. Tall evergreen trees are visible in the background.
Legislative Building foundation, 1922. Photo from Washington State Archives.

Wilder and White started preparing for construction in 1920. To support the large dome and ensure enough space for legislative offices, they had to expand the foundation by adding 80 feet in length and 20 feet in width. They completed the foundation work in March 1922, and construction began on the new Legislative Building. On September 1, 1922, workers laid the northwest cornerstone, containing a time capsule.

By October 1923, the crew was preparing a concrete foundation for the dome. It was 130 square feet and took four days to set. By the end of 1924, most of the roof was done, and the base of the dome was taking shape.

To build the famous dome, masons put together over 1,400 stones, finishing on October 13, 1926. This made the Legislative Building one of the last domed Capitol buildings built in the U.S.

A black and white image of the front side of the Legislative Building, showing the building before its dome was built. The building is surrounded by a crane, scaffolding, stone slabs, and other construction materials.
Legislative Building during construction, 1926. Photo from Washington State Archives.

On March 9, 1927, as construction was almost finished, state legislators celebrated the move by walking from the Old Capitol Building to the new Legislative Building. They marched up the granite steps, through the giant bronze doors, and gathered around the Washington State Seal in the rotunda, which is located below the lovely Tiffany chandelier. They then moved into their new offices, appreciating their fresh workspaces.

By 1928, the Legislative Building was complete and became the new center of Washington state government. The total construction cost was just under $7.4 million. Fun fact: if you tried to build the Legislative Building today with the same materials and labor, it would cost over $1 billion!

Although there was no formal ceremony, Governor Hartley dedicated the Legislative Building on March 28, 1928. The first legislative session took place there in 1929.

A wide shot of wooden scaffolding climbing up to the very the Legislative Building dome, which is being repaired after an earthquake. Parts of the West Capitol Campus lawn and the Insurance Building are visible, with multiple trees and cars in the foreground.
Legislative Building and Insurance Building being repaired, 1949. Photo from Washington State Archives.

The Legislative Building has withstood three major earthquakes, most recent was the 2001 Nisqually earthquake. Its strength comes from the great structural design by Wilder and White and the high-quality work of the original builders.

After the earthquakes in 1949 and 1965, important seismic upgrades were made. A significant rehabilitation and earthquake repair project was completed in 2004, costing $120 million. This project added modern heating, cooling, plumbing, fire protection, and advanced wireless technology while keeping the building’s historic features.

As part of eco-friendly practices during renovation, over 80 percent of construction waste—8,000 tons of materials like wood, concrete, paper, bricks, dirt, metal, and drywall—was recycled. The project also added 144 solar panels on the fifth-floor roof, making it the largest solar panel installation on a Capitol building in the United States.