SW EO-355 Colorado State Capitol with its three mile-high markers

The Colorado State Capitol Building is in Denver (“the mile-high city”) and houses the Colorado General Assembly and the offices of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Colorado. The building is intentionally reminiscent of the United States Capitol. It was constructed in the 1890s from Colorado white granite and opened for use in November 1894. The distinctive gold dome consists of real gold leaf, first added in 1908, commemorating the Colorado Gold Rush.

The Colorado State Capitol sits slightly higher than the rest of downtown Denver. It is the height of an 18-storey when measured from the main entrance hall to the top of the dome.  The official elevation of Denver is measured outside the west entrance to the building, where the 15th step is engraved with the words "One Mile Above Sea Level." From this step, at 5,280 feet (1,609 m), the sun can be seen setting behind the Rocky Mountains. A second mile high marker was set in the 18th step in 1969 when Colorado State University students resurveyed the elevation. In 2003, a more accurate measurement was made with modern means and the 13th step was identified as being one mile (1.6 km) high, where a 3rd marker was installed.

The interior of the building uses Colorado Rose Onyx, a rare rose marble from a quarry near Beulah, Colorado. The amount used in the building consumed the entire known supply. White Yule Marble from the quarries near Marble, Colorado was also used throughout the capitol for the floors.

This postcard came from Cherise P. (28 November 2014) Swap-bot.