Albany’s ‘Million Dollar Staircase’

  

The ‘Million Dollar Staircase’, New York Capitol, Albany (5 April 2013)

The New York capitol was originally intended to be completed in four years for about $4 million. Thirty-two years later, in 1899, the $25 million dollar cost made it the most expensive government building of its time. The picture above was taken at the bottom of the Great Western Staircase.
  

The ‘Million Dollar Staircase’, New York Capitol, Albany (5 April 2013)

Designed by one of the capitol architects, Henry Hobson Richardson, and completed by the last architect, Isaac Perry after Richardson died, it took over fourteen years to finish. The $1.5 million cost is why the public calls it the Million Dollar Staircase. This one feature cost more than many completed capitol buildings at the time.
  

The ‘Million Dollar Staircase’, New York Capitol, Albany (5 April 2013)

The massive, four-story staircase was completed in 1897. The 444 steps rise 120 feet. Over 500 European immigrant stone workers added carvings of faces, animals and floral flourishes in the sandstone walls and columns. In 2005, a $2.5 million restoration was begun so by the time I was there, the features were returned to mint condition again.
  

Abraham Lincoln Carving,

The ‘Million Dollar Staircase’, New York Capitol, Albany (5 April 2013)

The steps are made of Medina sandstone from western New York, but the carved red sandstone came from Scotland. The project called for the faces of 77 notable people to be carved into the structure. After that, the carvers were free to decorate the stairs as they wished. As a result, there are many unidentified faces and partially-hidden features to intrigue the curious visitor. For a terrific visual tour through the stairway, top-to-bottom, visit this ‘HistoryView’ website for a virtual tour.
  

The ‘Million Dollar Staircase’, New York Capitol, Albany (5 April 2013)

It was easy to get lost in this vertical sculpture park. I could have stayed much longer, hunting for other little surprises.

  

Skylight at the top of the ‘Million Dollar Staircase’,

New York Capitol, Albany (5 April 2013)

(Image made with nine separate photos)

A post script on this capitol visit.

It is a curious realization now that I have been inside all but two of our fifty state houses. In the west, many of the ‘red’ states, with their conservative, restrictive, law-and-order ways, still view the capitol as the ‘People’s House’ and have few to no restrictions regarding public access. “Door’s open. Come right in.”

New York is one of many ‘blue’, dare I say, ‘liberal’ states, that put visitors through the ringer. “Welcome. But first, empty your pockets. Show me everything you’re carrying. Pass through the metal detector and keep moving.”

Unlike New Jersey’s capitol, where I needed an escort once I passed through that gauntlet, I was free to roam around the magnificent building to absorb its many great sights and perspectives. However, when I tried to see the Senate chamber, all doors were locked. I was directed to the Sergeant at Arms, a gruff New Yorker who passed me off to a Senate administrative gatekeeper-type who just wanted to find ways to deny access to the room. “We don’t allow photography for commercial purposes.” When I explained that I’m just a visitor and my state house quest was the furthest thing from ‘commercial’, she relented and had the Sergeant at Arms let me into the gallery. He said the chambers are locked because people can’t be trusted. People have gone through the legislators’ desks. So, for that reason, even the upstairs galleries are locked. It’s just easier that way. Easier for the ‘public servants’ maybe. But for the public? Not so much. Too bad some public service workers have this attitude that their jobs would be better if they just didn’t have to deal with the public.