Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul
I went to an event at the Minnesota State Capitol today. (It is the first time I have been in the Capitol since I was sworn in as a member of the bar way back in 1984 and maybe I am remembering that incorrectly!) The event today was "Eyes Wide Open" an exhibit and a ceremony that presents a memorial to those who have been killed, injured, or otherwise adversely affected by the US involvement in Iraq-Minnesotans, Americans, and Iraqi's. I had been meaning to get over to the Capitol for several weeks now so that I could write intelligently about for the blog, and today was a perfect occasion to visit.
I considered taking the bus so that I wouldn't have to worry about parking because it is difficult to find places to park up close to the capitol, but I had other things I wanted to do for which I needed my car, and since it was a nice day and I figured I wouldn't freeze walking, I drove over and parked a couple of blocks away, didn't have to pay for parking and walked to the Capitol.
I thought I might take a tour of the building which was built in 1905, about the same time as the Cathedral of St. Paul (another post) and which stands out beautifully as I looked out across the valley of the freeway from the Capitol steps. However, since I wanted to spend time at the exhibit, I decided to save the tour for another day. The exhibit was educational and informational and I was glad I came. As it turned out, a reporter came up to me and asked if he could ask me a few questions, so it may be that I will be quoted tomorrow morning in the Minneapolis Star Tribune. You may be able to find it by going to the paper online: www.startribune.com.
I would highly recommend going to see the Capitol if you have any interest in history, politics, government, or historical buildings. There are also many other buildings around to explore, and you can walk all around looking at statues, sitting on benches, enjoying trees and flowers in the summer months. I will go back soon to see all the historical exhibits and take that tour!
