List of capitals in the United States
Washington, D.C. has been the capital of the United States since 1800. Eight other cities have served as the meeting place for Congress and are therefore considered to have once been the capital of the United States. In addition, each of the 50 U.S. states and several territories of the United States maintain their own capitals.
State capitals
In 33 of the 50 U.S. states, the state capital is currently not the state's most populous city. Only two of the state capitals, Trenton, New Jersey and Carson City, Nevada border another state, while Juneau, Alaska shares a border with the Canadian province of British Columbia.[1] The dates listed in the following table indicate the year since which the current capital has continuously served as the sole capital.
State | Date of statehood | Capital | Capital since | Most populous city? | Municipal population | Metropolitan population | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alabama | 1819 | Montgomery | 1846 | No | 200,127 | 469,268 | Birmingham is the state's largest city. |
Alaska | 1959 | Juneau | 1906 | No | 30,987 | Anchorage is the state's largest city. | |
Arizona | 1912 | Phoenix | 1889 | Yes | 1,512,986 | 4,039,182 | Phoenix is the most populous U.S. state capital. |
Arkansas | 1836 | Little Rock | 1821 | Yes | 204,370 | 652,834 | |
California | 1850 | Sacramento | 1854 | No | 467,343 | 2,136,604 | The Supreme Court of California sits in San Francisco. Los Angeles is the state's largest city. |
Colorado | 1876 | Denver | 1867 | Yes | 566,974 | 2,408,750 | |
Connecticut | 1788 | Hartford | 1875 | No | 124,397 | 1,188,241 | Bridgeport is the state's largest city, but Greater Hartford is the largest metro area. |
Delaware | 1787 | Dover | 1777 | No | 32,135 | Wilmington is the state's largest city. | |
Florida | 1845 | Tallahassee | 1824 | No | 156,612 | 336,501 | Jacksonville is the largest city, and Miami has the largest metro area. |
Georgia | 1788 | Atlanta | 1868 | Yes | 486,411 | 5,138,223 | Atlanta is the most populous state capital by metropolitan area. |
Hawaii | 1959 | Honolulu | 1845 | Yes | 377,357 | 909,863 | |
Idaho | 1890 | Boise | 1865 | Yes | 201,287 | 635,450 | |
Illinois | 1818 | Springfield | 1837 | No | 116,482 | 188,951 | Chicago is the state's largest city. |
Indiana | 1816 | Indianapolis | 1825 | Yes | 791,926 | 1,984,664 | |
Iowa | 1846 | Des Moines | 1857 | Yes | 194,163 | 534,230 | |
Kansas | 1861 | Topeka | 1856 | No | 122,327 | 228,894 | Wichita is the state's largest city. |
Kentucky | 1792 | Frankfort | 1792 | No | 27,741 | 69,670 | Louisville is the state's largest city. |
Louisiana | 1812 | Baton Rouge | 1880 | No | 224,097 | 751,965 | New Orleans is the state's largest city and home to the Louisiana Supreme Court. |
Maine | 1820 | Augusta | 1832 | No | 18,560 | 117,114 | Augusta was officially made the capital 1827, but the legislature did not sit there until 1832. Portland is the state's largest city. |
Maryland | 1788 | Annapolis | 1694 | No | 36,217 | Annapolis is the third-longest serving capital in the United States after Santa Fe and Boston. Its capitol building is the oldest still in use. Baltimore is the state's largest city. | |
Massachusetts | 1788 | Boston | 1630 | Yes | 590,763 | 4,455,217 | Boston is the longest continuously serving capital in the United States. The Boston-Worcester-Manchester Combined Statistical Area encompasses the state capitals of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. |
Michigan | 1837 | Lansing | 1847 | No | 119,128 | 454,044 | Lansing is the only state capital that is not also the county seat of the county in which it is situated. Detroit is the state's largest city. |
Minnesota | 1858 | Saint Paul | 1849 | No | 287,151 | 3,502,891 | Minneapolis is the state's largest city, but is included within Saint Paul's metropolitan area. |
Mississippi | 1817 | Jackson | 1821 | Yes | 184,256 | 529,456 | |
Missouri | 1821 | Jefferson City | 1826 | No | 39,636 | Kansas City is the state's largest city, and Greater St. Louis is the state's largest metropolitan area. | |
Montana | 1889 | Helena | 1875 | No | 25,780 | 67,636 | Billings is the state's largest city. |
Nebraska | 1867 | Lincoln | 1867 | No | 225,581 | 283,970 | Omaha is the state's largest city. |
Nevada | 1864 | Carson City | 1861 | No | 57,701 | Las Vegas is the state's largest city. | |
New Hampshire | 1788 | Concord | 1808 | No | 42,221 | Manchester is the state's largest city. | |
New Jersey | 1787 | Trenton | 1784 | No | 84,639 | 367,605 | Newark is the state's largest city. |
New Mexico | 1912 | Santa Fe | 1610 | No | 70,631 | 142,407 | Santa Fe is the longest serving capital in the United States. El Paso del Norte served as the capital of the Santa Fé de Nuevo Méjico colony-in-exile during the Pueblo Revolt of 1680-1692. Albuquerque is the state's largest city. |
New York | 1788 | Albany | 1797 | No | 95,993 | 1,147,850 | New York City is the state's largest city. |
North Carolina | 1789 | Raleigh | 1794 | No | 380,173 | 1,635,974 | Charlotte is the state's largest city. |
North Dakota | 1889 | Bismarck | 1883 | No | 55,533 | 101,138 | Fargo is the state's largest city. |
Ohio | 1803 | Columbus | 1816 | Yes | 733,203 | 1,725,570 | The Cleveland and Cincinnati metropolitan areas are both larger. |
Oklahoma | 1907 | Oklahoma City | 1910 | Yes | 541,500 | 1,266,445 | Oklahoma City is the shortest serving current state capital in the United States. |
Oregon | 1859 | Salem | 1855 | No | 149,305 | 539,203 | Portland is the state's largest city. |
Pennsylvania | 1787 | Harrisburg | 1812 | No | 48,950 | 384,600 | Philadelphia is the state's largest city. |
Rhode Island | 1790 | Providence | 1900 | Yes | 176,862 | 1,612,989 | Providence also served as the capital 1636-1686 and 1689-1776. It was one of five co-capitals 1776-1853, and one of two co-capitals 1853-1900. |
South Carolina | 1788 | Columbia | 1786 | Yes | 122,819 | 703,771 | |
South Dakota | 1889 | Pierre | 1889 | No | 13,876 | Sioux Falls is the state's largest city. | |
Tennessee | 1796 | Nashville | 1826 | No | 607,413 | 1,455,097 | Memphis is the state's largest city, but Nashville is the largest metro area. |
Texas | 1845 | Austin | 1839 | No | 709,893 | 1,513,565 | Houston is the state's largest city, and Dallas is the largest metro area. |
Utah | 1896 | Salt Lake City | 1858 | Yes | 181,743 | 1,067,722 | |
Vermont | 1791 | Montpelier | 1805 | No | 8,035 | Montpelier is the least populous U.S. state capital. Burlington is the state's largest city. | |
Virginia | 1788 | Richmond | 1780 | No | 195,251 | 1,194,008 | Virginia Beach is the state's largest city, and Northern Virginia is the state's largest metro area. |
Washington | 1889 | Olympia | 1853 | No | 42,514 | 234,670 | Seattle is the state's largest city. |
West Virginia | 1863 | Charleston | 1885 | Yes | 52,700 | 305,526 | |
Wisconsin | 1848 | Madison | 1838 | No | 221,551 | 543,022 | Milwaukee is the state's largest city. |
Wyoming | 1890 | Cheyenne | 1869 | Yes | 55,362 | 85,384 |
Insular area capitals
An insular area is a United States territory that is neither a part of one of the fifty states nor a part of the District of Columbia, the nation's federal district. Those insular areas with territorial capitals are listed below.
Insular area | Date | Capital | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
American Samoa | 1899 | Pago Pago | De facto capital of the Territory of American Samoa. |
1967 | Fagatogo | Official seat of government stated in the territory's constitution. | |
Guam | 1898 | Hagåtña | |
Northern Mariana Islands | 1947 | Saipan | |
Puerto Rico | 1898 | San Juan | Capital was formerly called Puerto Rico. |
U.S. Virgin Islands | 1917 | Charlotte Amalie |
Former national capitals
From 1774 to 1800, Congress met in numerous locations; therefore, the following cities can be said to have once been the United States capital:[2]
- Carpenter's Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: September 5, 1774 to October 24, 1774
- Independence Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: May 10, 1775 to December 12, 1776
- Henry Fite House, Baltimore, Maryland: December 20, 1776 to February 27, 1777
- Independence Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: March 4, 1777 to September 18, 1777
- Court House, Lancaster, Pennsylvania: September 27, 1777 (one day)
- Court House, York, Pennsylvania: September 30, 1777 to June 27, 1778
- Independence Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: July 2, 1778 to March 1, 1781
- Independence Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: March 1, 1781 to June 21, 1783[a]
- Nassau Hall, Princeton, New Jersey: June 30, 1783 to November 4, 1783
- Maryland State House, Annapolis, Maryland: November 26, 1783 to August 19, 1784
- French Arms Tavern, Trenton, New Jersey: November 1, 1784 to December 24, 1784
- City Hall (Federal Hall), New York City, New York: January 11, 1785 to Autumn 1788
- Federal Hall, New York City, New York: March 4, 1789 to December 5, 1790
- Congress Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: December 6, 1790 to May 14, 1800
- United States Capitol, Washington, D.C.: November 17, 1800 to present[b]
Before joining the United States as the fourteenth state, Vermont was an independent republic known as the Vermont Republic. Two cities served as the capital of the Republic:
- Westminster, 1777
- Windsor, 1777-1791
The current capital of the State of Vermont is Montpelier.
Prior to becoming a territory of the United States in 1898, Hawaii was an independent nation. Three cities served as its capital:
- Kailua-Kona. Served as the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii, 1795-1820.
- Lahaina. Served as the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii, 1820–1845.
- Honolulu
- Served as the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii, 1845–January 17, 1893.
- Served as the seat of the Provisional Government of Hawaii after the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom, January 17, 1893–July 4, 1894.
- Served as the capital of the Republic of Hawaii when it was established on July 4, 1894 until the Republic was annexed by the United States on July 7, 1898 under the Newlands Resolution to become the Territory of Hawaii. On becoming a state, Honolulu became the capital of the State of Hawaii.
Before joining the United States under the Texas Annexation in 1845, Texas was an independent nation known as the Republic of Texas. Seven cities served as its capital:
- Washington (now Washington-on-the-Brazos), 1836
- Harrisburg, 1836
- Galveston, 1836
- Velasco, 1836
- West Columbia, 1836
- Houston, 1837–1839
- Austin, 1839–1845
The Confederate States of America had three capitals during its existence.
- Montgomery, Alabama, February 4, 1861 - May 29, 1861
- Richmond, Virginia, May 6, 1861 (declared) – April 3, 1865
- Danville, Virginia, April 3, 1865 - April 10, 1865
The Confederate constitutional convention was held in Montgomery, Alabama in December 1860 because it was the largest and most influential city in the geographic center of the original seven Confederate states (South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas) that planned to secede from the Union. The first Confederate capital was established on February 4, 1861 in Montgomery and remained there until it was moved to Richmond after Virginia joined the Confederacy on May 23, 1861. As the Army of Northern Virginia was pushed farther south and Richmond fell under the Federal guns in early 1865, the Confederate government fled using the only viable railroad line available on April 2, 1865 to Danville, Virginia.
The CSA state capitals remained the same as when each state seceded from the Union. Some of the capitals were moved temporarily in an effort to stay ahead of the advancing Federals. As Confederate areas were occupied, the U.S. Army established military districts to govern each area.
Following the surrender of General Lee's Army of Northern Virginia in Appomattox Court House, Virginia, which ended the American Civil War on April 9, 1865, the eleven southern states that seceded from the United States of America to create the Confederate States of America, gradually had their Senators and Representatives recognized and seated by Congress starting with Tennessee on July 24, 1866, then Arkansas on June 22, 1868, Louisiana, Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina on June 25, 1868, then Alabama on July 14, 1868, then Virginia on January 26, 1870, then Mississippi on February 23, 1870, then Texas on March 30, 1870 and finally Georgia on July 15, 1870.
There is some disagreement over whether this recognition by Congress is what determines the status of "statehood". The U.S. Supreme Court decision in Texas v. White raises questions on this point where the court ruled that Texas never left the Union, and essentially that once a territory is admitted and recognized as a state, it is in perpetuity a state in the Union.
Unrecognized national capitals
There have been a handful of nations within the current borders of the United States which were never officially recognized as legally independent sovereign entities; however these nations did have de facto control over their respective regions during their existence.
State of Franklin
The State of Franklin was an autonomous, secessionist United States territory created, not long after the end of the American Revolution, from territory that later was ceded by North Carolina to the federal government. Franklin's territory later became part of the state of Tennessee. Franklin was never officially admitted into the Union of the United States and existed for only four years.
- Jonesborough, Tennessee, 1784-?
- Greeneville, Tennessee, 1785?-?
The State of Muskogee was a short-lived Native American state in Florida. It consisted of several tribes of Creeks and Seminoles. It existed from 1799 to 1803. It had one capital:
The Republic of West Florida was a short-lived republic consisting of parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida and Alabama.
Republic of Indian Stream
The Republic of Indian Stream was an independent nation within the present state of New Hampshire.
- Pittsburg, New Hampshire, 1832-1835
Republic of the Rio Grande File:Flag of the Republic of Rio Grande.svg
The Republic of the Rio Grande was an independent nation including land now in Texas and Mexico.
- Laredo, Texas, January 7, 1840-January 28, 1840
- Guerrero, Tamaulipas, January 28, 1840-March 1840
- Victoria, Texas, March 1840-November 6, 1840
Before being annexed by the United States in 1848 (following the Mexican-American War), a small portion of north-central California declared itself the California Republic, in an act of independence from Mexico, in 1846. The republic only existed a month before it disbanded itself, to join the advancing American army and thereafter become part of the United States.
The very short-lived California Republic was never recognized by the United States, Mexico or any other nation. There was one de facto capital of the California Republic:
- Sonoma, 1846
Former state capitals
Most of the original Thirteen Colonies had their capitals occupied or attacked by the British during the American Revolution. State governments operated where and as they could. The City of New York was occupied by British troops from 1776 to 1783. A similar situation occurred during the War of 1812, during the American Civil War in many Confederate states, and during the Pueblo Revolt of 1680-1692 in New Mexico.
Twenty-two state capitals have been a capital longer than their state has been a state, since they served as the capital of a predecessor territory, colony, or republic. Boston, Massachusetts, has been a capital city continuously since 1630, making it the longest-running U.S. capital. Santa Fe, New Mexico, has been a capital city the longest having become capital in 1610 and interrupted only by the Pueblo Revolt of 1680-1692.
The table below includes the following information:
- The state, the year in which statehood was granted, and the state's current capital are shown in bold.
- The year listed for each capital is the starting date; the ending date is the starting date for the successor unless otherwise indicated.
- In many cases, former capital cities of current states are well outside the current state borders. These cities are indicated with the abbreviated name of the current state in which the city is located.
See also
- Historic regions of the United States
- Historical outline of the United States
- History of the United States
- List of countries with multiple capitals
- List of historical national capitals
- Political divisions of the United States
- Territorial evolution of the United States
- Timeline of country and capital changes
- U.S. state
Notes
^[a] Congress was forced to move from Philadelphia due to a riot of angry soldiers. See: Pennsylvania Mutiny of 1783
^[b] President James Madison fled to the home of Caleb Bentley in Brookeville, Maryland following the burning of Washington on August 24–25, 1814. As such, the town claims to have been the "U.S. Capital for a Day" despite the fact that Congress never met there. See: "A Brief History". Town of Brookeville, Maryland. 2006. Retrieved 2008-10-07.
External links
- Capitals of Alabama
- Florida Facts - The Capitol
- The Capitalization of Georgia
- The State Houses of Louisiana
- Las Vegas: Nevada's Next State Capital?
- New Hampshire Senate for Kids - Capitals
- Handbook of Texas Online – Capitals
- Colonial Capitals of the Dominion of Virginia
- Utah History To Go - Utah's Capitols
- Satellite and Aerial Photography of All US Capitol Buildings from SightseeBySpace.com
References
- ^ http://www.britishcolumbia.com/regions/towns/?townID=4124
- ^ The Nine Capitals of the United States. United States Senate Historical Office. Accessed June 9, 2005. Based on Fortenbaugh, Robert, The Nine Capitals of the United States, York, PA: Maple Press, 1948.
- ^ The State of Muskogee, State Flags of Florida, Cultural, Historical and Information Programs, Office of Cultural and Historical Programs website, Florida Department of State, Government of Florida, retrieved October 31, 2007.
- ^ Capitals of Alabama. Alabama Department of Archives and History. Updated October 29, 2001. Accessed June 9, 2005.
- ^ a b c d e f g The Spanish name la Florida originally referred to all of the American continent north of Mexico. As other European nations colonized North America, the extent of la Florida shrank to encompass only the Spanish territorial claims in the southeastern portion of the present United States.
- ^ Frequently Asked Questions About Alaska. Statewide Library Electronic Doorway. Updated September 21, 2004. Accessed June 9, 2005; based on Alaska Blue Book 1993-94, 11th ed., Juneau, Department of Education, Division of State Libraries, Archives & Museums. ExploreNorth: The History of Sitka. Department of Community and Economic Development, Alaska Community Database Online. Accessed June 9, 2005.
- ^ Capitals before the Capitol. Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records. Accessed June 9, 2005.
- ^ Educational Materials: Facts. Arkansas Secretary of State. Accessed June 9, 2005. Washington State Park 19th century village in SW Arkansas. Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, Confederate Capital Old Division of State Parks. 2003. Accessed June 9, 2005.
- ^ a b c The name Arkansas has been pronounced and spelled in a variety of fashions. The region was organized as the Territory of Arkansaw on July 4, 1819, but the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Arkansas on June 15, 1836. The name was historically Template:PronEng, and several other variants. In 1881, the Arkansas General Assembly passed the following concurrent resolution (Arkansas Statutes, Title 1, Chapter 4, Section 105):
Whereas, confusion of practice has arisen in the pronunciation of the name of our state and it is deemed important that the true pronunciation should be determined for use in oral official proceedings.
And, whereas, the matter has been thoroughly investigated by the State Historical Society and the Eclectic Society of Little Rock, which have agreed upon the correct pronunciation as derived from history, and the early usage of the American immigrants.
Be it therefore resolved by both houses of the General Assembly, that the only true pronunciation of the name of the state, in the opinion of this body, is that received by the French from the native Indians and committed to writing in the French word representing the sound. It should be pronounced in three (3) syllables, with the final "s" silent, the "a" in each syllable with the Italian sound, and the accent on the first and last syllables. The pronunciation with the accent on the second syllable with the sound of "a" in "man" and the sounding of the terminal "s" is an innovation to be discouraged.
Citizens of the State of Kansas often pronounce the Arkansas River as /ærˈkænzəs/ in a manner similar to the common pronunciation of the name of their state.
- ^ Ebbert (Chief Editor), Brian S. (2006). California's Legislature (PDF). Sacramento, California: State of California. pp. 157–165. Retrieved 2006-10-03.
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suggested) (help) - ^ Early Capitol and Legislative Assembly Locations Colorado State Archives, Colorado State Capitol Virtual Tour. Updated June 20, 2003. Accessed June 9, 2005.
- ^ Florida State History. Florida Division of Historical Resources.
- ^ Jackson, Edwin L. Story of Georgia's Capitols and Capital Cities. Carl Vinson Institute of Government. University of Georgia. 1988
- ^ Chronological History of Idaho. Idaho Office of the Governor. Created 2000. Accessed June 9, 2005.
- ^ a b c Clarke, S.A. (1905). Pioneer Days of Oregon History. J.K. Gill Company.
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(help) - ^ Past Capitols; based on Illinois Bluebook, 1975-1976. Created March 5, 2005. Accessed June 10, 2005.
- ^ Sabin, Henry. Making of Iowa, chapter 24: Locating a Capital. Originally published 1900 by A. Flanagan Co. of Chicago and New York; published online by Iowa History Project, posted August 25, 2004. Accessed June 10, 2005.
- ^ Harding, Eldon. Stories from the Kansas State Capital: Choosing a Capital City--Why Topeka?. Kansas State Historical Society. April 2001. Accessed June 10, 2005.
- ^ Kentucky's State Capitols. Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. Accessed July 24, 2006.
- ^ Note: The Louisiana Capitals information may be incorrect or incomplete. See http://www.state.la.us/about_history2.htm and elsewhere.
- ^ Students Questions Frequently Ask. Maine State Senate. Accessed June 10, 2005.
- ^ Historical Chronology. Maryland State Archives. Accessed July 24, 2006.
- ^ Michigan in Brief State of Michigan. Updated March 7, 2005. Accessed June 10, 2005.
- ^ Saint Paul's 150th birthday. City of Saint Paul, Minnesota. Accessed June 9, 2005.
- ^ Bunn, Mike and Clay Williams, Capitals and Capitols: The Places and Spaces of Mississippi's Seat of Government. Mississippi History Now. Mississippi Historical Society Online. Posted September 2003. Accessed June 10, 2005.
- ^ Lambert, Kirby. Montana's crown jewel of architecture: The Montana state capitol Montana: The Magazine of Western History, Montana Historical Society. Summer 2002. Accessed June 10, 2005.
- ^ Rocha, Guy Nevada State Archives Historical Myth a Month: Myth #28, Las Vegas: Nevada's Next State Capital. Updated July 14, 2003. Accessed June 9, 2005; originally published as Sierra Sage, Carson City/Carson Valley, Nevada. May 1998 edition.
- ^ New Hampshire Senate Page For Kids. New Hampshire General Court. Accessed June 9, 2005. New Hampshire History in Brief. New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources. Created 1989. Accessed June 9, 2005.
- ^ Oregon Legislative Assembly History. Oregon State Archives. Accessed July 24, 2006.
- ^ The History of Pennsylvania's Capital. Pennsylvania Department of Education. Accessed July 24, 2006.
- ^ Capital Cities. Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture. 2002. Accessed March 12, 2006.
- ^ Early History of Montpelier, Vermont. Vermont Historical Society. Accessed June 9, 2005; adapted from Esther Munroe Swift, Vermont Place-Names: Footprints of History, 1977, 1996, and Montpelier Heritage Group, Three Walking Tours of Montpelier, Vt., 1991.
- ^ About Our Capital. Virginia General Assembly. Accessed July 20, 2006.
- ^ The History of Olympia. City of Olympia. Accessed June 9, 2005.
- ^ Cravens, Stanley H."Capitals and Capitols in Early Wisconsin". Wisconsin Blue Book, 1983-1984 edition.
- ^ Saban, Mary Thompson, Wyoming Sage: Brief History of Wyoming. Updated January 17, 2004. Accessed June 10, 2005.