Do They Make Action Figures of YOUR Governor?

By Lisa Kroulik © February 28, 2011

People can say what they will about Minnesota being a “fly-over” state, but who else can claim that a former pro wrestler, Jesse Ventura, was also the governor of their state for four years? (1998 to 2002) Sure, professional actors the likes of Arnold Schwarzenagger, Sonny Bono and Ronald Reagan have graced the political scene, but a wrestler? Only Minnesota can claim that! As controversial as Ventura was as governor, he certainly put us in the national spotlight. His predecessors Tim Pawlenty (2002-2010) and Mark Dayton, simply by virtue of not being obnoxious, offensive and outspoken former wrestlers, don’t quite have that power.

Speaking of the house that Jesse lived in, I am going to be completing my series, for now, on sites I have visited as a member of the Minnesota Historical Society at 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd, better known as the Governor’s Mansion.  Two places on our must-see list for this summer are Fort Snelling in St. Paul and the Charles Lindbergh Museum in Little Falls .  Other than indoor exhibits such as the Minnesota History Center and Mill City Museum, most historic sites are located outdoors and don’t open until Memorial Day, thanks to our unpredictable climate.  We will just have to wait until then to get our history fix, but when we do, I will be back to add more to the Adventures of a Minnesota History Geek series.  Now, back to the Governor's Mansion.

The current State Capitol building opened to public on January 2, 1905. It had been under construction for over 12 years, so its premiere was a highly anticipated event. In 1893, after public criticism dubbing the previous State Capitol building as “cramped and stuffy.” The structure prior to that one had burned down; fires do seem to play a large role in the history of our state.

Cass Gilbert, a 35-year-old local architect, was chosen as winning designer from a pool of over 40 bidders. The Board of State Capitol Commissioners, led by Channing Seabury, oversaw the project from beginning to end. Gilbert was given liberal artistic license to create what would become the biggest undertaking of his career. The final result was a breathtaking State Capitol building done in true American Renaissance style. The interior features a domed roof, densely colored stone, elaborate metalwork, inspiring inscriptions and watercolor paintings. The final price of building the State Capitol was around $4.5 million dollars; adjusted for inflation, that is roughly $90 million dollars today. Equipped with electricity and telephones upon its grand opening, the State Capitol building was very modern for 1905. Over 100 years later, it remains fully functional and has been updated periodically as new technologies become available.

There are a variety of ways to tour the Minnesota State Capitol. General, or self-guided tours, are free for everyone and this is the option that my husband and I chose. These are small groups of less than ten people, as larger groups require reservations. Tours depart once per hour. A guide provides information about the Capitol’s history, art and architecture and answers any questions tour participants may have. You are then able to tour the Capitol at leisure. I was surprised that most areas of the Capitol were accessible to the public, in light of the heightened security due to terrorism in today's society.

My husband and I were given brochures which detailed the exterior, interior, first floor, Governor’s Reception Room, the second floor, the Senate and the House of Representatives. The latter two were the highlight for both of us. The House of Representatives was in session, and we had the opportunity to see democracy in action. There were votes on one or two measures, but I can’t recall nearly a year later what they were. Nonetheless, it was very exciting to see. The Senate was not in session, but we still had the opportunity to go into their chambers to see where state business is conducted.

Both educational and adult tours are available by booking at least two weeks in advance; some tours do have a small per person fee. Educational tours are geared toward the age of the child, and start as early as three years old. A typical preschool option might be to search for shapes and patterns around the Capitol. Grade school age and older can have their program tailored to Civil War history, art treasures, architectural history and more.

Adult tour options center around all of the above topics, as well as women’s history. Participants chose a theme ahead of time for their 90-minute tour. There are also annual special events, such as Shadows and Spirits of the State Capitol, which are very popular.

Who says history has to be boring?