Rivers, railroads, and political bribes: How every state capital was chosen
· Business Insider
Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto
- Most states have had multiple capital cities throughout their histories.
- Most commonly, geography and transportation links were the biggest factors in determining a capital.
- Most capitals have been decided through legislative or statewide votes.
From railroad hubs and river towns to hard-fought votes and alleged bribes, America's state capitals took wildly different paths to power.
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Today, in 17 states, the capital is also the most populous city. Phoenix, the nation's most populous state capital, has more than 1.6 million residents, while Montpelier, Vermont, has fewer than 8,000, according to the latest Census estimates.
But population was often far from the deciding factor when designating a state capital. Many were selected hundreds of years ago, when some of today's cities were little more than stretches of undeveloped land.
Some were simply designated as state capitals by legislative or popular vote, while others were subject to political trickery and corruption, and some were chosen because they were the sites of new, booming industries. In a few cases, townspeople even chipped in to fund the new capitol buildings.
Most commonly, cities were chosen based on their geographic location. Before modern transportation, rivers and railroads were the best means of transit. As such, many state capitals sit along rivers or were chosen for their central locations to allow legislators to travel easily from every corner of the state.
From Alabama to Wyoming, see how every state's capital earned the title.
ALABAMA: MontgomeryMontgomery, Alabama.fotoguy22/Getty Images
Though Alabama became a state in 1819, Montgomery didn't become its capital until 1846. Before statehood, the territorial capital was located in the town of St. Stephens, chosen for its proximity to the Tombigbee River, according to the Montgomery Advertiser.
The capital soon changed to Huntsville, then Cahaba and Tuscaloosa, after statehood. Montgomery was finally decided upon for its central location amid changes in the state's transportation, economy, and geography, the Advertiser reported.
ALASKA: JuneauJuneau, Alaska.JillianCain/Getty Images
Anchorage is Alaska's most populous city with nearly 300,000 residents, per the most recent Census estimates. But Alaska's capital sits more than 500 miles southeast in the small city of Juneau.
Juneau's initial growth came in part from its booming gold-mining industry. When it became the new capital of territorial Alaska in 1906, it was Alaska's biggest city, according to KTOO. The capital city was previously Sitka, which sits on an island in Alaska's Alexander Archipelago.
In Juneau's 120-year history as Alaska's capital, many efforts in the state legislature have been made to move the capital to Anchorage, largely because of travel difficulties for elected officials.
In 1974, voters approved an initiative to relocate the capital, but subsequent proposals to finance the move were rejected, KTOO reported.
ARIZONA: PhoenixPhoenix, Arizona.Leonid Andronov/Getty Images
Arizona's territorial capital moved from Prescott to Tucson, back to Prescott, and finally to Phoenix in 1889, per KJZZ Phoenix.
Phoenix, originally founded as Swilling's Mill in 1867 by a Confederate veteran, started to expand toward the end of the 19th century. It was chosen as the capital in 1889 due to its growing significance in transportation and agriculture. It wasn't until 1912 that Arizona became a state.
Today, Phoenix is home to 1.67 million residents and is the most populous state capital in the US.
ARKANSAS: Little RockLittle Rock, Arkansas.ChrisBoswell/Getty Images/iStockphoto
When Arkansas was a territory, its capital sat in Arkansas Post, a location which held significance during French and Spanish control of the area, according to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas. However, it was also the site of flooding and illnesses like malaria.
Little Rock was chosen as the territory's capital in 1821 largely due to interest from settlers. Located along the Arkansas River, the new settlement allowed for travel via the Mississippi River. Arkansas was granted statehood 15 years later.
CALIFORNIA: SacramentoSacramento, California.casch/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Though Monterey served as California's capital during Spanish and Mexican rule, San Jose was the first designated capital when California became a US state, per the California Capitol Museum.
The capital moved to Vallejo before Sacramento was chosen for its proximity to rivers, as well as the infrastructure and transportation links it already had in place.
Just two months after moving its headquarters to Sacramento, the state government was forced to move back to Vallejo due to flooding. The capital later moved to Benicia before permanently returning to Sacramento.
COLORADO: DenverDenver, Colorado.Ultima_Gaina/Getty Images
Before Colorado was a state, Colorado City and Golden served as its capital cities in the 1860s. Denver, becoming a growing population center and commercial hub, was picked as the temporary capital in 1876.
In 1881, voters chose to keep Denver as the capital in a referendum, according to the Colorado State Capitol Visitor Guide.
CONNECTICUT: HartfordHartford, Connecticut.ChrisBoswell/Getty Images
Connecticut's capital history dates back to the turn of the 18th century. In 1701, the Connecticut Colony's General Court established two capital cities: Hartford and New Haven. General Assembly meetings would alternate between the two locations, according to Connecticut History.
In the 1870s, the state held a referendum to choose between the two cities, citing the impracticality of the current system. Hartford won out and officially became the state's capital in 1875.
DELAWARE: DoverDover, Delaware.hyderabadi/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Delaware's capital came about as a direct result of the Revolutionary War. As the British moved to seize territory in Delaware in 1777, the capital of New Castle was moved to Dover over safety concerns and for its strategic central location, per Delaware Historical & Cultural Affairs.
FLORIDA: TallahasseeTallahassee, Florida.Aneese/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Like Connecticut, Florida originally had two capitals. When it first became a US territory, lawmakers would alternate between St. Augustine and Pensacola, which are nearly 400 miles apart. Travel was dangerous and would take weeks, according to the Florida Department of State.
Legislators decided to meet in the middle for Florida's new capital. They chose Tallahassee, the midway point between the two cities, in 1824.
GEORGIA: AtlantaAtlanta, Georgia.felixmizioznikov/Getty Images
Before Atlanta was chosen as Georgia's capital in the 1870s, a handful of other cities had held the designation. Savannah, Augusta, Louisville, and Milledgeville were all Georgia's capital at one point, with the latter holding the title for 60 years, according to the New Georgia Encyclopedia.
Atlanta was ultimately chosen because of its significance as a railroad hub.
HAWAII: HonoluluHonolulu, Hawaii.mj0007/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Honolulu's status as Hawaii's capital dates to half a century before the islands were annexed by the US. In 1845, Hawaii's monarch, King Kamehameha III, moved the royal buildings from Lahaina, on the island of Maui, to Honolulu due to its harbor and growing commerce, and its easier access for visiting dignitaries.
After the government was overthrown in 1893, the provisional government and then the Republic of Hawaii continued to operate out of the city, per the National Park Service. It remained the capital after Hawaii became a state in 1959.
IDAHO: BoiseBoise, Idaho.Seibel Photography LLC/Getty Images/iStockphoto
When Idaho was established as a US territory in 1863, Lewiston initially served as its capital. This was soon changed to Boise because of a population and mining boom in the city.
When the change was made, soldiers forcefully entered the capitol building in Lewiston and transported the territorial seal and papers to Boise. Today, some residents of Lewiston still believe their city's status as the capital was "stolen," the Idaho Press reported.
ILLINOIS: SpringfieldSpringfield, Illinois.Sean Pavone/Getty Images
Illinois' original capital was Kaskaskia, located along the Mississippi River. Vandalia then served as the capital for two decades before an effort in the state legislature led by a young Abraham Lincoln resulted in Springfield being named the capital, according to the Illinois Secretary of State.
The gradual move northward reflected a growing population in the northern half of the state.
INDIANA: IndianapolisIndianapolis, Indiana.RudyBalasko/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Corydon was Indiana's original capital when it was a territory and during its early years of statehood. In the 1820s, Indianapolis was established as the state's new capital for its central location, per the Indiana Historical Society.
IOWA: Des MoinesDes Moines, Iowa.Jacob Boomsma/Getty Images/iStockphoto
When Iowa became a territory in 1838, Burlington served as its capital, and it was soon replaced by Iowa City. However, legislators quickly desired a more central location for the capital, according to Iowa PBS.
Fort Des Moines, as it was known at the time, was chosen because it sat within 2 miles of the intersection of the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers.
KANSAS: TopekaTopeka, Kansas.MattGush/Getty Images
During the state's territorial struggle over slavery, Lecompton, Leavenworth, Pawnee, and present-day Fairway all spent time as the capital of Kansas for different governments, in addition to Lawrence serving as the then-territory's de facto capital from 1858 to 1861, the Topeka Capital-Journal reported.
Topeka was first chosen as the temporary capital in 1859, and it was made permanent in an election-day vote two years later, per the Kansas Historical Society.
KENTUCKY: FrankfortFrankfort, Kentucky.Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Since Kentucky became a state in 1792, Frankfort has served as the Bluegrass State's capital. While different cities vied for capital status, Frankfort won in part because its supporters offered gold and even a log cabin to the commissioners overseeing the decision, per the Kentucky Historical Society.
LOUISIANA: Baton RougeBaton Rouge, Lousiana.CRobertson/Getty Images
Baton Rouge sits as Louisiana's capital because of a deliberate effort to shift power away from New Orleans, according to the museum Louisiana's Old State Capitol. Per the museum, in 1845, "a new state constitution mandated the location be 'not less than 60 miles from the city of New Orleans.'" Baton Rouge sits along the Mississippi River, roughly 80 miles northeast of New Orleans.
From 1829 to 1831, Donaldsonville briefly served as the state's capital, according to the city.
MAINE: AugustaAugusta, Maine.HABesen/Getty Images
Maine's capital was originally Portland, currently the state's largest city. However, the city's coastal location was the cause of concern in the 1820s, with some worrying it was vulnerable to attack, News Center Maine reported.
Maine's legislature sought a more central location in the state, eventually choosing Augusta, partly because the city offered to pay for construction of a capitol building.
MARYLAND: AnnapolisAnnapolis, Maryland.Amy Sparwasser/Getty Images
In colonial times, Maryland's capital was the town of St. Mary's City, located near the base of the Potomac River. Near the end of the 17th century, the colony's general assembly moved the capital to Anne Arundel Town — now known as Annapolis — due to population growth in the northern part of the colony, according to Maryland State Archives.
MASSACHUSETTS: BostonBoston, Massachusetts.ChrisBoswell/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Boston is one of the oldest capitals in the US, holding the title in Massachusetts for nearly 400 years. The city was designated as the capital of the Massachusetts Bay Colony when Puritan settlers, led by John Winthrop, established it in the 1630s.
Winthrop first settled in Salem before moving to Boston, according to the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth.
MICHIGAN: LansingLansing, Michigan.fotoguy22/Getty Images
Having originally served as Michigan's territorial capital, Detroit was chosen as Michigan's capital after statehood was granted in the 1830s. This was a temporary measure, however, with Michigan's constitution noting it would serve as the capital "until the year eighteen-hundred and forty-seven, when it shall be permanently located by the Legislature," according to the Michigan State Capitol.
The empty space that would later become Lansing was chosen, even though people at the time called it a "howling wilderness," according to the Capitol. Legislators met in a temporary wooden building before the town was constructed, and it wasn't until 1859 that it was incorporated as a city.
Lansing was chosen for its central location, according to Downtown Lansing Inc.
MINNESOTA: St. PaulSaint Paul, Minnesota.AndreyKrav/Getty Images/iStockphoto
St. Paul has served as Minnesota's capital since it became a US territory in 1849, according to the Minnesota Historical Society. It was likely chosen for its location along the Mississippi River and the area's population growth.
In 1857, a bill in Minnesota's territorial legislature threatened to move the capital to St. Peter. Legislator Joseph Rolette, once he was in possession of the bill, intentionally went missing to prevent its passage. While Rolette is often credited with preventing the move from taking place, the incident was largely symbolic as the bill also failed to pass on legal grounds, per the Minnesota Historical Society.
MISSISSIPPI: JacksonJackson, Mississippi.SeanPavonePhoto/Getty Images/iStockphoto
The towns of Natchez, Washington, and Columbia all at one point served as the capital of Mississippi when it was a territory and in its early statehood, the Clarion-Ledger reported. Like other states, however, legislators sought a more central location for the capital.
The location that became Jackson was chosen because it sat at the intersection of trade routes, per Mississippi History Now. Incorporated in 1822, the city was named after Andrew Jackson.
MISSOURI: Jefferson CityJefferson City, Missouri.Ultima_Gaina/Getty Images
St. Louis originally served as the capital of the Missouri territory before St. Charles was named the temporary capital when Missouri became a state in 1821.
Jefferson City, then an undeveloped site, was picked as "a compromise between two major population centers," according to the city. It has served as Missouri's capital since 1826.
MONTANA: HelenaHelena, Montana.Ultima_Gaina/Getty Images
The capital of Montana was set to be decided by voters in the election of 1892. Seven cities competed, and while the election didn't produce a winner, it left Anaconda and Helena as the clear frontrunners, according to Visit Southwest Montana.
People in both cities campaigned for the capital, with a winner to be decided in the election of 1894. Helena was victorious, winning by a margin of just 1.8% — fewer than 2,000 votes.
NEBRASKA: LincolnLincoln, Nebraska.Ultima_Gaina/Getty Images
While Omaha had served as Nebraska's capital when it was a territory, many Nebraskans wanted a change, according to the Nebraska State Historical Society.
A new site — named Lincoln after the recently assassinated president — was chosen southwest of Omaha, in part because it was south of Nebraska's Platte River, which was difficult to cross at the time, and most of the population lived south of the river.
NEVADA: Carson CityCarson City, Nevada,pabradyphoto/Getty Images
Carson City has always served as Nevada's capital. The city was settled as a proper community in 1858. In 1859, the area saw a commercial boom after gold and silver were discovered nearby, per Visit Carson City.
In 1861, it was named the territorial capital, and it remained the capital when Nevada became a state in 1864.
NEW HAMPSHIRE: ConcordConcord, New Hampshire.Sanghwan Kim/Getty Images
Before Concord, other cities, such as Exeter, served as New Hampshire's capital, according to the Exeter Historical Society.
Concord became the capital in 1808 for its central location, according to the city.
NEW JERSEY: TrentonTrenton, New Jersey.Ultima_Gaina/Getty Images
Like many other state capitals, Trenton was chosen as New Jersey's capital city in 1790 largely due to geographic factors.
The city is located between New York City and Philadelphia and sits along the Delaware River, which was significant for trade and transportation, per Trenton Daily.
NEW MEXICO: Santa FeSanta Fe, New Mexico.4nadia/Getty Images
Spanish colonists established Santa Fe as the capital of Nuevo México in 1610. It then continued to serve as the capital of the province under Mexican rule, and later the capital of the US territory and state, according to Tourism Santa Fe.
NEW YORK: AlbanyAlbany, New York.BRULIN REMI/Getty Images
While Kingston briefly served as New York's first capital, the city was burned down by the British during the Revolutionary War.
Albany, farther up the Hudson River, held significance during the war for its role in military planning and the distribution of supplies. For these reasons, Albany was named New York's capital in 1797, News 10 New York reported.
NORTH CAROLINA: RaleighRaleigh, North Carolina.Ultima_Gaina/Getty Images
The cities of Bath, Edenton, and New Bern all served as the capital of North Carolina before Raleigh was chosen. The latter, then just a grove of trees, was ultimately selected as the permanent capital in 1792 because of its central location, North Carolina's Our State Magazine reported.
NORTH DAKOTA: BismarckBismarck, North Dakota.4nadia/Getty Images/iStockphoto
When North and South Dakota were unified as the Dakota Territory, Yankton — now in South Dakota — originally served as its capital. However, many Dakotans thought it was too far away from the growing cities of Deadwood and Fargo. Additionally, Yankton didn't sit along a transcontinental railroad line, according to North Dakota Studies.
In the 1880s, a commission was appointed to locate a new suitable capital for the territory. The process was plagued by corruption, including members of the commission being given financial incentives to vote for Bismarck. The northern city won and remained the capital of North Dakota when the Dakotas were admitted to the Union as separate states.
OHIO: ColumbusColumbus, Ohio.Ultima_Gaina/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Chillicothe served as Ohio's original capital when statehood was granted, and Zanesville later acted as the state's temporary capital.
However, a piece of legislation in 1810 ordered that a permanent capital must be "not more than 40 miles from what may be deemed the common center of the state," according to the Ohio Statehouse. This meant a new capital was to be chosen.
The site that would become Columbus was picked in 1812 for its central location.
OKLAHOMA: Oklahoma CityOklahoma City, Oklahoma.benkrut/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Guthrie originally served as Oklahoma's territorial capital and later its state capital. However, Oklahoma City was seeing rapid growth and became the state's leading population center, prompting a statewide vote to make the city Oklahoma's capital.
The vote was successful, and Oklahoma City became the capital in 1910, according to the Oklahoma Historical Society.
OREGON: SalemSalem, Oregon.4nadia/Getty Images/iStockphoto
When Oregon was a territory, Oregon City initially served as its capital. Salem took over as capital in 1851, and, as a compromise, other cities, such as Portland, were given other public institutions, according to the Willamette Heritage Center.
Even after Salem remained the capital when Oregon achieved statehood, many citizens and legislators were unhappy with the choice. Following a wave of legal challenges and efforts to move the capital elsewhere, elections in 1862 and 1864 finalized the city as the state's capital.
PENNSYLVANIA: HarrisburgHarrisburg, Pennsylvania.Mak Studio/Getty Images
William Penn originally chose Philadelphia as the capital of Pennsylvania in the 17th century, a status it held until 1799. During the Revolutionary War, the Second Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence in the state house, now known as Independence Hall, according to the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission.
The capital was moved west to Lancaster, and later to Harrisburg in 1812, for lawmakers to convene in a more central location.
RHODE ISLAND: ProvidenceProvidence, Rhode Island.Ray Tan/Getty Images
Like other states, Rhode Island had multiple capitals. Legislators alternated between county state houses in five different towns — Providence, Newport, Bristol, East Greenwich, and Kingston — for sessions until 1854, when it was narrowed down to Newport and Providence, according to Newport History.
As Providence's influence grew, it was named the state's sole capital in 1900.
SOUTH CAROLINA: ColumbiaColumbia, South Carolina.Kruck20/Getty Images
Charleston originally served as South Carolina's capital, but a 1786 assembly vote changed it to Columbia. The city's central location made it a more desirable capital than coastal Charleston, according to the South Carolina Statehouse.
SOUTH DAKOTA: PierrePierre, South Dakota.Gabriel Shakour/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Even though Yankton, the original capital of the Dakota Territory, was located in the new state of South Dakota, it was never considered for the capital when the state was admitted into the Union in 1889.
Pierre, which is in the middle of the state and located on the Missouri River, was chosen as a temporary capital that year, Dakota News Now reported.
It remained as the capital after it received the most votes in an 1890 statewide election.
TENNESSEE: NashvilleNashville, Tennessee.Nicholas Klein/Getty Images
After Tennessee became a state, Knoxville, Kingston, Nashville, and Murfreesboro all served as its capital at one point. It wasn't until an 1843 Tennessee General Assembly vote that Nashville was named the permanent capital.
The decision was likely due to the city's commercial and cultural status, as well as its central location in the state, according to Nashville Adventures.
TEXAS: AustinAustin, Texas.CrackerClips/Getty Images/iStockphoto
The area that became Texas had different capitals at different times under Spanish and Mexican rule. When Texas was an independent republic from 1836 to 1846, it also had several capitals, most notably Houston and Austin.
The latter — originally called Waterloo — remained the capital when Texas was annexed by the US, per the Texas Almanac.
UTAH: Salt Lake CitySalt Lake City, Utah.miroslav_1/Getty Images/iStockphoto
When Utah was a territory, a small town in the middle of the state called Fillmore — named after the 13th US president — was designated as the capital.
However, the town's expected growth never materialized, and the more populous and commercially successful Salt Lake City was designated as the territory's new capital in the 1850s, per the Utah History Encyclopedia.
VERMONT: MontpelierMontpelier, Vermont.4nadia/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Vermont didn't have a proper capital until the 19th century, when Montpelier was chosen in 1805, the Vermont Daily Chronicle reported. Before then, legislators would alternate between 14 different locations.
Montpelier was decided upon because of its central location, as well as the town's citizens personally raising funds to build the capitol.
VIRGINIA: RichmondRichmond, Virginia.eurobanks/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Jamestown served as the original capital of the Colony of Virginia for most of the 17th century, before the capital was moved to Williamsburg in 1699, according to the Virginia General Assembly.
During the Revolutionary War, Thomas Jefferson, then the governor of Virginia, led an effort to move the capital to Richmond, and it officially became the capital in 1780.
Supporters cited it as safer than Williamsburg from a potential British attack while still sitting along a river (although British forces would attack the city in 1781) and more centrally located for the state's growing population.
WASHINGTON: OlympiaOlympia, Washington.ChrisBoswell/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Olympia's status as Washington's capital dates back to when the Evergreen State was still a territory. Olympia served as the territorial capital since 1853 and was a contender in the statewide election to name a state capital in 1889.
The city received more votes than its challengers, North Yakima and Ellensburg, and defeated them in a subsequent runoff election, per the Washington Secretary of State.
WEST VIRGINIA: CharlestonCharleston, West Virginia.6381380/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Charleston only became West Virginia's permanent capital after a lengthy feud with another city, Wheeling. From 1863 to 1885, the capital alternated between the two cities three times, with critics of Wheeling arguing it wasn't as centrally located as Charleston.
Charleston was ultimately decided the winner in an 1877 election, becoming the permanent capital eight years later, per the West Virginia Encyclopedia Online.
WISCONSIN: MadisonMadison, Wisconsin.John Touscany/Getty Images
When Wisconsin was a territory, Belmont briefly served as its original capital. Legislators quickly sought a new capital city, and the politician and land speculator James Duane Doty proposed his empty plot of land, Wisconsin Public Radio reported.
Doty lobbied legislators with real-estate opportunities and even robes, and Madison was made the new capital in an ensuing legislative vote.
WYOMING: CheyenneCheyenne, Wyoming.Cheri Alguire/Getty Images
Cheyenne's founding coincided with the Union Pacific Railroad's westward expansion. The company planned to develop a townsite in the area, and Cheyenne was settled in 1867, becoming the capital of the Wyoming Territory two years later, per WyoHistory.org.
The city remained the capital after Wyoming was granted statehood in 1890.
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