RALEIGH – A new exhibit at the State Capitol explores how government worked in the 19th century when the building housed all three branches of government. Checks and Balances: How Government Works at the North Carolina State Capitol is an exhibit that delves into the composition and operation of the state’s leadership. The exhibit opens October 9, 2009 and remains on display through January 19, 2010.
Checks and Balances begins with a simple premise: how would government look to a relative newcomer? Meet young George, a Page to the 1874 House of Representatives. In this new exhibit, visitors can join George as he learns how government worked at the State Capitol. Written to engage children and adults alike, the organization of state government is explained from the fictional Page’s point of view. Throughout the exhibit, George will discover how the Capitol functioned during Governor Curtis Brogden’s administration.
George will introduce the fundamentals of North Carolina’s government, which remain largely unchanged from the 1870s, while some labels will explore how government is run differently today. The young Page will investigate aspects of North Carolina’s government that may surprise some visitors, such as what the duties of the Sergeant-at-Arms entail or exactly how a bill becomes law in North Carolina. Many stations will pose questions to provoke visitors into thinking about core concepts of state administration while other panels will present trivia segments highlighting interesting facts about our government. For example, in the 1870s (when George is telling his story), the governor did not have veto power and could not serve a consecutive term. Each of these factors changed while Governor Jim Hunt was in office. In 1980, Hunt became the first governor elected to a second consecutive term and in 1996, he was the first governor in North Carolina to receive veto power.
A National Historic Landmark, the N.C. State Capitol is one of the finest and best-preserved examples of the Greek Revival style of architecture in the U.S. It features a domed rotunda and state senate and house chambers, meticulously restored to their 1840 appearance. Until 1888, its granite walls housed all of state government and the legislature met here until 1961. Today, the governor and her staff still occupy offices in the Capitol.
The State Capitol’s mission is to preserve and interpret the architecture, history, and functions of the 1840 Capitol building and Union Square where it is located. In downtown Raleigh, the State Capitol is bounded by Edenton, Salisbury, Morgan and Wilmington Streets. Free parking is available in state lots near the Capitol. For more information on the State Capitol call 919-733-4994 or go to http://www.nchistoricsites.org/capitol.
The State Capitol one of 27 State Historic Sites, part of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, the state agency dedicated to the promotion and protection of North Carolina’s arts, history and culture. For more information, visit www.ncculture.com.