Not
long after completion of the State House in 1842, an internal
load-bearing wall was mistakenly removed in an attempt to enlarge a
room in the West Wing. The result was a sagging roof and a dangerous
bulge outward by the wing's western wall. The interior wall was quickly
restored and efforts were made to brace the exterior wall, but
structural problems persisted, compromising the stability of the wing's
staircase. For decades access to the offices on the second floor was by
means of a steep, single-flight external staircase.
The
present staircase was constructed in 1885 and is probably configured as
was half of the original Central Staircase. The artifacts of the United
Daughters of 1812 have been displayed here since the 1980s.
Visit the exhibit page for the Daughters of
1812
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