The state motto for Kansas is “Ad Astra per aspera” which is Latin for “To the stars through difficulty”. It was coined in 1861, reflecting the pioneering spirit, but also the difficult times Kansas endured in becoming a state. Anti-slavery forces and slavery proponents waged political and actual battles fought in Kansas, which also led to the nickname “Bloody Kansas”.
We got a sense of the Kansas pioneering spirit on the drive to, and the overnight at, at a Corps of Engineering campground near Perry Lake. We passed nary a car on the road there from Kansas City and we could have danced naked an howled at the moon at the campground where eerily we were the only people!
The next day we leaned that the “Ad Astra per aspera” motto is on the state flag and can be found throughout the state capitol in Topeka, our next stop.
The relatively austere exterior of the Topeka capitol building is made entirely of Kansas limestone. Upon entry, the first floor feels more like an old penitentiary than a capitol, but historic evens, people and Kansas contributions are proudly displayed here.
As we climbed the first staircase to reach the next level, I felt like Dorothy stepping out of her house and into Oz. The drab colors of the rough rock below are transformed into beautiful golds, blues, and coppers! Here, the interior features 17 different marbles, some beautiful frescos, wonderfully ornate details, and a gorgeous copper dome!
The House chamber is a designed in French-Italian Renaissance style and its 1882 painted murals have been meticulously restored. Important historic figures are represented in the main rotunda and throughout there is a wonderful variety of artwork.
A fourteen-year period of renovations and refurbishments were completed in 2014, costing $332 million. The exterior masonry and copper dome were the main refurbishments. The Ad Astra statue at the top of the dome only from outside the building was added after schoolchildren voted for it. Created by Richard Bergen, it represents a Kaw warrior pointing his arrow at the North Star and is named for the state’s motto.
The Kansas statehouse is the only US capitol building where the public can go to the top of the dome and walk along the outside balcony for a birds-eye-view of the entire city and it is a must-see!
“The Dome Tour” is breathtaking – literally – with 296 steps and no elevator, but it is well worth the effort and free of charge. Beginning on the fifth floor, the tour explores the area between the inner dome (visible only when inside the capitol) and the outer one (which extends about 75 feet above the inner dome and upon which Ad Astra perches). Connecting the two domes are a series of stairs and landings that offer a unique look at the elaborate architecture. In this section you can see what the copper looked like before its refurbishment.
The state capitol is the tallest building in Topeka, not by law, but because its a small town of about 125,000 so there just isn’t a skyscraper skyline here. The largest industries in Kansas are aircraft, engine and part manufacturers, corn, wheat and soybean wholesaling, wireless telecommunication carriers, and agriculture. The capitol’s balcony allows you to walk all the way around the outside of the dome.
We were told on the tour that this city is working hard to reinvigorate and reinvent and we observed several construction projects in process, but the gloom of the day contributed to the sinking feeling that this city is in serious decline. The restored capitol is absolutely astounding and we can only hope the city’s on-going efforts and commitment will save the town; that they are headed to the stars through difficulty / ad astra per aspera.
