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House and Senate Chambers

The most vivid change in the character of the Statehouse was the remodeling of the chambers of both the House and Senate in 1947- 48. This was the first remodeling of either chamber since the original construction.

While the chambers themselves were very spacious, legislators lacked for office space in which to conduct business.

In the remodeling, both chambers were closed in and ringed by legislative offices and mazes of corridors. Four floors of very small offices were constructed behind the façade of each single-story chamber interior.

Three of the office floors are visible from the Senate chamber. The fourth floor is above and not visible. None of the House offices are visible from the chamber.

The chambers themselves were decorated in a restrained neoclassical version of Art Deco style that included paneled wainscoting surmounted by murals. The mural completed in the House remains today; the Senate murals were removed in a subsequent remodeling.

In 1966 the House chamber was once again remodeled, this time by replacing the blond oak wainscoting installed in 1948 with walnut paneling. The Senate followed suit with a colonial-style remodeling in 1974.

Both chambers have seen extensive renovation not in keeping with historic tradition. The desks in both chambers have accommodations for telephone and Internet access; the voting apparatus in each chamber allows legislators to cast a vote which all who are viewing the proceedings can see.

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