Did You Know? The Olympia Version

Did you know that the legislative building of the Washington State capitol has the 4th largest masonry dome (meaning there is no internal support- it holds itself) in the world, trumped only by a few basilicas and churches?

Did you know that there are 42 steps leading up to this building because Washington was the 42nd state admitted into the union?

Did you know that the foyer of this building has a time capsule that will be opened in 2076, the tricentennial of our nation, and that I will probably be dead and my son will be old?

Did you know that The rug in the State Reception Room was the largest single loom rug ever made at the time. Or that the curtains were each made by one of six seamstresses from Fredric and Nelson's Department store? Or that if you see our governor on TV, he/she is probably addressing the state from this room.

Did you know that the capitol is made out of Alaskan marble because ships can't sail empty? The ships arriving from Alaska needed ballast to make the journey so they would be loaded down with marble and brought down. The marble would be sold cheaply, the ships loaded with goods and people, and they would sail back to Alaska.

Did you know that every county's flag is displayed in the Rotunda and they are grouped geographically with the northwest counties in the northwest corner and so forth?

Did you know that in ancient times the Greeks used to light huge torches to signify when and where the senate would be meeting? That is why there are 4 huge lamp in the corners of the Rotunda.

Did you know that the chandelier hanging in the Rotunda is 6 1/2 tons (13000 lbs)?

Did you know that they never turn this light off?

Did you know it runs on DC current?

Did you know that they replace all the bulbs every eight to ten years?

Did you know that I didn't see a single energy saving CFL in the capitol?

Did you know that all the chandeliers were made by Tiffany's?

Did you know that the carpet in the House of Representatives chamber has trilliums because they grow on the forest floor, and that the Senate chamber carpet has Dogwoods because they grow on the trees, and that this represents the lower and upper houses?

Did you know that both chambers have all the names of the counties stenciled near the ceiling and that they are grouped east with west to symbolize unity between the two very distinct areas of our state?

Did you know that Washington was originally going to be named Columbia for the river that forms a natural border between Washington and Oregon, but DC called "dibs" on that name.

Did you know that we are both Washington instead?

Did you know that Washington is the only state named after a president?

Did you know that the George Washington statue has a shiny nose because people rub it for good luck, and that keeps the patina from forming?

I did know some of that- because I have a 7th grader who studied Washington State history this year. And now you know it too!