Quote: The North Dakota State Capitol is the centerpiece of this northern plains town, and often the only reason people visit this admittedly boring area of the country. The boredom doesn’t stop at just the town itself, but also in the architecture of its homely center of government. While the majority of the other 49 states have ornate, thrilling, vastly elegant buildings to house their governments, the state of North Dakota provides itself a concrete, unappealing office tower which will disappoint even the most optimistic traveler.

Since I am a fan of visiting State Capitols, I thought it sinful to see this state, which holds some very neat treasures, reduced to a laughing stock because of their Capitol, which resembles an apartment building in suburban Chicago. No glitz, no ornate columns, no marble staircases, and definitely no gold domes – just concrete, glass windows, and a parking lot.

The greenspace surrounding the Capitol complex is peaceful, though, and it is enjoyable to walk around. Take your photos of the Capitol and then head inside to be greeted by a tour guide, who will be glad to show you some of the more interesting features of the building. Not to judge a book by its cover, everyone should go on these tours to learn more about the state of North Dakota, and of the building itself (which doesn’t have a lot of history, it seemed).

I tried to remain optimistic, but nothing was catching my interest here. Usually, I love Capitols, but this one is a real snoozer, both inside and out. You won’t want to spend more than an hour here, and even that is pushing it. With so much natural beauty outside, I felt imprisoned spending more than was absolutely necessary at this building.

Visit the ND State Capitol online at: www.nd.gov/fac/historyinfo/history.html

From journals As Sweet as a Bismarck