About this property
The Old State Capitol in Kentucky, also known as Old Statehouse, is the former capitol building of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The building is located in Kentucky's capital, Frankfort, and housed the Kentucky General Assembly from 1830 to 1910. The current Kentucky State Capitol was built in 1910. The Old State Capitol has served as a museum and the home of the Kentucky Historical Society since 1920. It has been restored to its American Civil War era appearance and was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1971 for its exceptional Greek Revival architecture, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Kentucky legislature voted for its construction in 1827. The building was designed in the Greek Revival style by Gideon Shryock, an early Lexington, Kentucky architect. The Old State Capitol was his first building and he was only twenty-five years old. Shryock chose the Greek Revival style to symbolically link Kentucky, a young republic, with ancient Greece, the prototype of popular democratic government. He wanted the front of the building to duplicate the Temple of Minerva Polias at Priene. Greek temples had no windows, therefore the front of the capitol is devoid of fenestration. Other architectural features include a self-supporting stone stairway and a domed lantern above it to bring in sunlight. A bitterly contested 1899 state governor election came to a climax when Democratic claimant William Goebel of Covington, Kentucky was assassinated at the capitol on his way to be inaugurated. A plaque reading "William Goebel fell here, Jan. 30th, 1900" exists near the front entrance of the building. Martha Layne Collins, Kentucky's first female governor, lay in state, and also have her funeral held, at the building on November 9, 2025.
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Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Everything a full report reveals about Old Statehouse
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Questions about this property
When was Old Statehouse listed on the National Register?
Old Statehouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 10, 1971.
What type of historic resource is Old Statehouse?
Old Statehouse is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
Is Old Statehouse a National Historic Landmark?
Yes. Old Statehouse has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.
What is the period of significance for Old Statehouse?
The period of significance for Old Statehouse is recorded as the early_republic era, specifically around 1830.
Can I research the history near Old Statehouse?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Old Statehouse will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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An Aubrey US report for an address near Old Statehouse will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.