Took a trip to the Pennsylvania state Capitol building today. Being from Texas, I’ve visited that state’s Capitol on numerous occasions and I figured the Pennsylvania Capitol would largely be similar. A Capitol is a Capitol, after all. Or so I thought. How wrong I was.

The Pennsylvania state Capitol building is an incredible work of art. Built in 1906 after the original building burned to the ground a few years earlier, it cost $13 million to build and furnish. In 1906, that was a huge chunk of change. Figure that amount in today’s dollars and you will likely have to scour the face of the Earth to find enough zeros and you’ll likely run out of ground to cover. Our tour guide said it is “priceless”. I suppose that’s a good word for it.

My only regret is that we chose to visit the Capitol on a day when the sun wasn’t shining. Both the Senate and House chambers are decorated with stained glass windows that would have absolutely shone brilliantly the 24-karat gold that decorates the walls inside. The paintings and murals on the walls also tell a unique story of the history of Pennsylvania and the principles that founder William Penn took great pride in. I really enjoyed the trip, as did the wife, and our three grandchildren, which act more like children since they live with us full time. The Pennsylvania Capitol is a true work of art to behold.