Texas State Capitol Building

Located at the crest of a hill at Congress and 11th Streets in Austin, the Texas Capitol houses the state legislature and office of the governor. The current building is the fourth to house Texas’ government, and with over 1 million square feet, is the largest state capitol in the nation.

Designed by architect Elijah E. Myers, who won the commission in a design competition, the Capitol was built between1882 – 1888, and opened to the public on April 21, 1888 (San Jacinto Day.) The contractors who constructed the building were paid not in cash, but with three million acres of land in the Texas Panhandle. This was one of the largest barter deals in history, and the land traded became the famous XIT Ranch.

The iconic pink granite was not part of the original plan, however, the intended Oak Hill limestone had a high iron content which caused it to undesirably discolor when exposed to the elements. Owners of Granite Mountain near Marble Falls, TX donated the “sunset red” granite as an alternative. Inside the capitol rotunda hangs a portrait of every person who has served as President of the Republic or Governor of Texas.

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Austin Memorial Service for John F. Kennedy Donor: Gordon Wilkison	A. M. Harper, Reunion Donor: Jim Harper
Downtown Austin Panoramas Donor: Gordon Wilkison Views looking north toward downtown Austin from various points along Interstate 35	Barton Springs, Lamar Boulevard, Congress Avenue ca. 1964 Donor: Gordon Wilkison
Legislative Session In Capitol Building, 1960s Donor: Gordon Wilkison	Governor John Connally Donor: Gordon Wilkison
Retirement of the Texas Senate Donor: Gordon Wilkison Footage of the retirement of the Texas legislative session	Mr. Speaker Donor: Gordon Wilkison A look at a day in the life of Ben Barnes, Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives during the 59th Legislature.
Speaker Barnes Explains Daylight Savings Time for Texas Donor: Gordon Wilkison Get ready to set your watches forward as Speaker Barnes explains the effect of Daylight Saving Time on Texans!	Smallest Treasurer
The Alan Frye Collection, no. 12 - Anti-nuclear Protest at the Texas Capitol, Part 1 Donor: Alan Frye	Texas - The Big State Donor: Jones Film and Video Collection, Southern Methodist University Commissioned by the Santa Fe Railway Company and produced by Dudley Pictures Corporation, this film provides a sweeping overview of the state of Texas.
The Alan Frye Collection, no. 23 - Goddess of Liberty Returns Donor: Alan Frye	The Alan Frye Collection, no. 13 - Anti-nuclear Protest at the Texas Capitol, Part 2 Donor: Alan Frye
The Alan Frye Collection, no. 8 - “BeBop Ballet” and “Keep Moving” Donor: Alan Frye	The Alan Frye Collection, no. 7 - "Radiation" Donor: Alan Frye
The Ramon Galindo Collection, no. 1 - Scenes of Snow in Austin, Gone to the Dog Donor: Ramon Galindo	The Horak Family Collection, no. 8 - Sun Parade and Tower View of Austin, 1948 Donor: Charles Horak
W.H. Tilley Collection, no. 1 - 1910s and 1920s Donor: Susan T. Solomon	To Market, To Market, in Austin Texas Donor: Wallace and Euna Pryor