This virtual cache highlights some interesting quirks of the Wisconsin State Capitol Building. All locations are accessible to the general public. The Capitol Building is open Monday through Friday from 8am to 6pm and Saturday to Sunday from 8am to 4pm. On State and Federal Holidays the building closes at 4pm.
Special thanks go out to rumdum for the idea to use the capitol for this virtual reward and to jks1033 for suggestions on features to highlight. Interior waypoints are always a bit squishy, so you may just have to wander!
This is the fourth Wisconsin capitol building and the third in Madison. Construction began in late 1906 and continued one wing at a time until it was completed in 1917 at a total cost of $7.25 million. The building looks the same on all sides so that none of the businesses around the square felt like they were on the back side.
1. Intentionally Unfinished
When construction was completed over 100 years ago, stone masons left one small job unfinished because of a tradition that says "only God is perfect." To spot the imperfection, stand at the posted coordinates facing the south wing of the building to the left of the staircase. Notice that each window on the first floor is bracketed by a small finial in the shape of a leaf. That is, all of them except for one. Which window is left unfinished? If you have trouble spotting it, note that you're standing at ground level and must climb the stairs to enter on level one. Now...can this missing detail really be called an imperfection if it was intentional? 🤔
2. Capitol Fossils
The building uses 43 types of stone from six countries and eight states. The corridor floors, walls and columns are made of marble from the states of Tennessee, Missouri, Vermont, Georgia, New York, and Maryland; granite from the states of Wisconsin and Minnesota; and limestone from the states of Minnesota and Illinois. Marble from the countries of France, Italy, Greece, Algeria and Germany, and syenite from Norway are also represented. Other Wisconsin granites are located throughout the public hallways on the ground, first, and second floors.
Naturally occurring fossils are found in the stone throughout the capital. To see one of the most recognizable, head inside to the first floor (you may have to go up a level if you entered on the ground floor!) and proceed to waypoint two in the North Gallery. You're looking for the left grand staircase, fourth step from the bottom on the right half. What do you see?
3. Banned
Old buildings often include features you won't see today. The capitol contains an item that stretches from the ground floor to the fourth floor, a fact which led to the National Fire Protection Association banning new installations of such items in 1997. What is the name of the company that manufactured this item, and in what city was the company located? This information can be found on any floor, but we recommend visiting the ground floor and at least one other to fully appreciate the craftsmanship.
4. Small Details
The capitol building is full of fine details that are easy to overlook. There is no specific waypoint for this question because you can find the necessary information on any wooden door with a knob. Find the nearest one, then take a closer look. What word appears on each doorknob, and what design element appears on each door plate?
5. Rotunda
No trip to the capitol would be complete without spending at least a few minutes in the rotunda. Don't forget to snap a thumbs up picture for your log!
To claim your find:
Contact us via message center or email and answer the following questions:
- At the posted coordinates, which first floor window is left unfinished?
- At waypoint two, which fossil did you see in the fourth step of the left grand staircase?
- At waypoint three, what company manufactured the multi-floor feature, and in what city was the company located?
- What word appears on each doorknob, and what design element appears on each door plate?
Post with your online log a picture of yourself giving a thumps up while standing in the capitol rotunda. A photo including your face is encouraged but not required. Optionally, we would love it if you tell us where you're from and share a little more about your experience in the capitol building!
Virtual Rewards 4.0 - 2024-2025
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between January 17, 2024 and January 17, 2025. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 4.0 on the Geocaching Blog.