List of capitals in the United States
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a list of current and former national and subnational capital cities in the United States, which includes the legislature or seat of government of all states, territories, colonies, or kingdoms that are or were located in the United States, organized by current U.S. state location.
Contents |
[edit] National capitals
[edit] United States of America 
Washington, D.C. has been the national capital of the United States since 1800.
From 1774 to 1800, Congress met in numerous locations; as such, the following cities can be said to have once been the United States capital[1]:
[edit] First Continental Congress
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: September 5, 1774 to October 24, 1774
[edit] Second Continental Congress
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: May 10, 1775 to December 12, 1776
- Baltimore, Maryland: December 20, 1776 to February 27, 1777
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: March 4, 1777 to September 18, 1777
- Lancaster, Pennsylvania: September 27, 1777 (one day)
- York, Pennsylvania: September 30, 1777 to June 27, 1778
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: July 2, 1778 to March 1, 1781
[edit] Articles of Confederation
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: March 1, 1781 to June 21, 1783
- Princeton, New Jersey: June 30, 1783 to November 4, 1783
- Annapolis, Maryland: November 26, 1783 to August 19, 1784
- Trenton, New Jersey: November 1, 1784 to December 24, 1784
- New York, New York: January 11, 1785 to Autumn 1788
[edit] Constitution
- New York, New York: March 4, 1789 to August 12, 1790
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: December 6, 1790 to May 14, 1800
- Washington, D.C.: November 17, 1800 to present
[edit] Confederate States of America 
The Confederate States of America had three capitals during its existence.
- Montgomery, Alabama, February 4, 1861 - May 29, 1861
- Richmond, Virginia, May 6, 1861 (declared) – April 3, 1865
- Danville, Virginia, April 3, 1865 - April 10, 1865
[edit] Republic of Texas 
Before joining the United States in 1845, Texas was an independent nation known as the Republic of Texas. Seven cities served as its capital:
- Washington-on-the-Brazos, 1836
- Harrisburg, 1836
- Galveston, 1836
- Velasco, 1836
- Columbia, 1836
- Houston, 1837–1839
- Austin, 1839–1845
[edit] Kingdom and Republic of Hawaii 
Prior to becoming a territory of the United States in 1898, Hawaii was an independent nation. Two cities served as its capital:
- Lahaina, 1820–1845 (Kingdom of Hawaii)
- Honolulu, 1845–1894 (Kingdom); 1894–1898 (Republic of Hawaii)
[edit] State capitals and capital cities by state
- Each of the current state capitals is marked in bold.
- Territorial capitals (prior to statehood) are marked in italics.
- The year listed for each city is the starting date; the ending date is the starting date for the successor unless otherwise indicated.
- Most of the original Thirteen Colonies had their capitals occupied or attacked by the British during the American Revolution, the longest instance being New York City; state governments operated where and as they could. To some extent, this also applies to Southern states in the American Civil War. Neither of these is listed explicitly.
| State | Capital | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama[2] Statehood in 1819 |
St. Stephens | 1817 | Alabama Territory capital |
| Huntsville | 1819 | State capital | |
| Cahawba | 1820 | ||
| Tuscaloosa | 1826 | ||
| Montgomery | 1846 | State capital; Confederate national capital briefly during 1861 | |
| Alaska[3] Statehood in 1959 |
Sitka | 1808 | Russian Alaska capital (as New Archangel) |
| 1867 | Department of Alaska capital | ||
| 1900 | District of Alaska capitals | ||
| Juneau | 1906 | ||
| 1959 | State capital | ||
| Arizona[4] Statehood in 1912 |
Prescott | 1864 | Arizona Territory capitals |
| Tucson | 1867 | ||
| Prescott | 1877 | ||
| Phoenix | 1889 | ||
| 1912 | State capital | ||
| Arkansas[5] Statehood in 1836 |
Arkansas Post | 1819 | Arkansas Territory capitals |
| Little Rock | 1821 | ||
| 1836 | State capital; during 1861-1863, Washington was the Confederate state government capital | ||
| California[6] Statehood in 1850 |
Monterey | 1777 | Alta and Baja California capital under Spanish and Mexican rule |
| San José | 1850 | State capitals | |
| Vallejo | 1851 | ||
| Benicia | 1853 | ||
| Sacramento | 1854 | ||
| Colorado[7] Statehood in 1876 |
Auraria | 1859 | Territory of Jefferson capital |
| Colorado City | 1861 | Colorado Territory capital, federally unrecognized | |
| Golden | 1862 | Colorado Territory capitals | |
| Denver | 1867 | ||
| 1876 | State capital | ||
| Connecticut Statehood in 1776 |
Hartford | 1639 | Capitol of Connecticut Colony. |
| New Haven | 1640 | Capital of New Haven Colony until that colony's merger into Connecticut Colony in 1662. | |
| Joint Capitals | 1701 | From 1701 to 1874, New Haven and Hartford were "co-capitals," with the Legislature holding its May session in Hartford and its October session in New Haven. | |
| Hartford | 1875 | Hartford has been the sole capital since 1875. | |
| Delaware Statehood in 1776 |
New Castle | 1704 | Delaware colony capital |
| Dover | 1777 | State capital | |
| Florida[8] Statehood in 1845 |
St. Augustine | 1565 | Spanish Florida colonial capital |
| 1821 | Florida Territory capital; British East Florida capital | ||
| Pensacola | Florida Territory capital; British West Florida capital | ||
| Tallahassee | 1824 | Florida Territory capital | |
| 1845 | State capital | ||
| Georgia[9] Statehood in 1776 |
Savannah | 1733 | Georgia colony capital |
| 1777 | State capitals | ||
| Augusta | 1779 | ||
| Heard's Fort | 1780 | ||
| Augusta | 1781 | ||
| Savannah | 1782 | ||
| Ebenezer | 1782 | ||
| Savannah | 1784 | ||
| Augusta | 1786 | ||
| Louisville | 1796 | ||
| Milledgeville | 1807 | ||
| Macon | 1864 | ||
| Milledgeville | 1865 | ||
| Atlanta | 1868 | ||
| Hawaii Statehood in 1959 |
Lahaina | 1820 | Kingdom of Hawaii capital |
| Honolulu | 1845 | ||
| 1894 | Republic of Hawaii capital | ||
| 1898 | Hawaii Territory capital | ||
| 1959 | State capital | ||
| Idaho[10] Statehood in 1890 |
Lewiston | 1863 | Idaho Territory capitals |
| Boise | 1864 | ||
| 1890 | State capital | ||
| Illinois[11] Statehood in 1818 |
Kaskaskia | 1809 | Illinois Territory capital |
| Vandalia | 1819 | State capitals | |
| Springfield | 1839 | ||
| Indiana Statehood in 1816 |
Vincennes | 1800 | Indiana Territory capitals |
| Corydon | 1813 | ||
| 1816 | State capitals | ||
| Indianapolis | 1825 | ||
| Iowa[12] Statehood in 1846 |
Burlington | 1837 | Wisconsin Territory capital |
| 1838 | Iowa Territory capitals | ||
| Iowa City | 1841 | ||
| 1846 | State capitals | ||
| Des Moines | 1857 | ||
| Kansas[13] Statehood in 1861 |
Pawnee | 1855 | Kansas Territory capital (July 2-6) |
| Shawnee Mission | 1855 | Kansas Territory capital | |
| Lecompton | 1856 | De jure (pro-slavery) Kansas Territory capital | |
| Topeka | De facto capital | ||
| Topeka | 1861 | State capital | |
| Kentucky[14] Statehood in 1792 |
Danville | 1780 | Virginia's Kentucky District capital |
| Bowling Green | 1861 | Confederate state government capital, November, 1861 to February, 1862 | |
| Frankfort | 1792 | State capital | |
| Louisiana Statehood in 1812[15] |
Mobile Bay | 1702 | French colonial capitals |
| Biloxi | 1720 | ||
| New Orleans | 1722 | French and Spanish colonial capital | |
| 1803 | Orleans Territory capital | ||
| 1812 | State capitals | ||
| Donaldsonville | 1830 | ||
| New Orleans | 1831 | ||
| Baton Rouge | 1849 | ||
| Opelousas | 1862 | ||
| Shreveport | 1863 | ||
| New Orleans | 1865 | ||
| Baton Rouge | 1880 | ||
| Maine[16] Statehood in 1820 |
Portland | 1820 | State capitals de jure |
| Augusta | 1827 | ||
| Portland | 1832 | State capital de facto | |
| Augusta | 1832 | State capital | |
| Maryland[17] Statehood in 1776 |
St. Mary's City | 1634 | Province of Maryland capital |
| Annapolis | 1694 | Province of Maryland capital; previously named Anne Arundel Town | |
| 1777 | State capital; U.S. national capital (1783 - 1784) | ||
| Massachusetts Statehood in 1776 |
Plymouth | 1620 | Plymouth was the capital of Plymouth Colony from 1620 to 1691. After 1691, Plymouth Colony was absorbed into Massachusetts Bay Colony. |
| Boston | 1630 | Massachusetts Bay Colony capital | |
| 1776 | State capital | ||
| Michigan[18] Statehood in 1837 |
Detroit | 1805 | Michigan Territory capital; occupied by British forces 1812 - 1813 |
| 1837 | State capitals | ||
| Lansing | 1847 | ||
| Minnesota[19] Statehood in 1858 |
Saint Paul | 1849 | Minnesota Territory capital |
| 1858 | State capital | ||
| Mississippi[20] Statehood in 1817 |
Natchez | 1798 | Mississippi Territory capitals |
| Washington | 1802 | ||
| Natchez | 1817 | State capitals | |
| Jackson | 1821 | ||
| Missouri Statehood in 1821 |
St. Louis | 1765 | French colonial capital |
| 1804 | Missouri Territory capital | ||
| Saint Charles | 1821 | State capital until 1825 | |
| Marshall, Texas | Exiled pro-Confederate Missouri government capital | ||
| Jefferson City | 1826 | State capital | |
| Montana[21] Statehood in 1889 |
Bannack | 1864 | Montana Territory capital |
| Virginia City | 1865 | ||
| Helena | 1875 | ||
| 1889 | State capital | ||
| Nebraska Statehood in 1867 |
Omaha | 1854 | Nebraska Territory capital |
| Lincoln | 1867 | State capital | |
| Nevada[22] Statehood in 1864 |
Carson City | 1861 | Territorial capital |
| 1864 | State capital | ||
| New Hampshire[23] Statehood in 1776 |
Portsmouth | 1679 | Province of New Hampshire capital |
| Exeter | 1775 | Revolutionary War capital | |
| 1776 | State capitals | ||
| Concord | 1808 | ||
| New Jersey Statehood in 1776 |
Elizabethtown | 1665 | Province of New Jersey; now named Elizabeth |
| Perth Amboy | 1673 | Capital of the Colony of East Jersey after the colony was split in two. | |
| Burlington | 1673 | Capital of the Colony of West Jersey after the colony was split in two. | |
| Joint Capitals | 1702 | East Jersey and West Jersey were re-united as a single colony in 1702. Both towns functioned as the colonial capital during the remainder of the colonial period. | |
| Trenton | 1784 | State capital; U.S. national capital | |
| New Mexico Statehood in 1912 |
San Juan | 1598 | Provincial capital of New Spain |
| Santa Fe | 1609 | ||
| 1821 | Mexican territorial capital | ||
| 1850 | New Mexico Territory capital | ||
| 1912 | State capital | ||
| New York Statehood in 1776 |
New York | 1664 | Province of New York under British rule |
| Kingston | 1777 | State capitals | |
| Hurley | 1777 | ||
| Poughkeepsie | 1777 | ||
| New York | 1788 | State capital; U.S. national capital 1785 – 1788, 1789 – 1790 | |
| Albany | 1797 | State capital | |
| North Carolina Statehood in 1776 |
New Bern | 1712 | Colonial capital. (Carolina Colony divided into North and South Carolina in 1712. See South Carolina for period before division.) |
| 1776 | State capitals | ||
| Raleigh | 1794 | ||
| North Dakota Statehood in 1889 |
Yankton | 1861 | Dakota Territory capital; now part of South Dakota |
| Bismarck | 1883 | Dakota Territory capital | |
| 1889 | State capital | ||
| Ohio Statehood in 1803 |
Marietta | 1788 | Northwest Territory capitals |
| Chillicothe | 1800 | ||
| 1803 | State capitals | ||
| Zanesville | 1810 | ||
| Chillicothe | 1812 | ||
| Columbus | 1816 | ||
| Oklahoma Statehood in 1907 |
Tahlequah | 1838 | Cherokee capital |
| Tuskahoma | 1838 | Choctaw capital | |
| Tishomingo | 1855 | Chickasaw capital | |
| Wewoka | 1866 | Seminole capital | |
| Okmulgee | 1867 | Creek capital | |
| Guthrie | 1889 | Oklahoma Territory capital | |
| Guthrie | 1907 | State capitals | |
| Oklahoma City | 1910 | ||
| Oregon[24] Statehood in 1859 |
Fort Vancouver | 1825 | Oregon Country capital de facto |
| Oregon City | 1848 | Oregon Territory capitals | |
| Salem | 1851 | ||
| Corvallis | 1855 | ||
| Salem | 1855 | ||
| Salem | 1859 | State capital | |
| Pennsylvania[25] Statehood in 1776 |
Philadelphia | 1682 | Province of Pennsylvania capital |
| 1776 | State capital; U.S. national capital 1776, 1777, 1778-1783, 1790-1800 | ||
| Lancaster | 1799 | State capital; U.S. national capital 1777 | |
| Harrisburg | 1812 | State capital | |
| Rhode Island Statehood in 1776 |
Five Capitals | 1776 | From 1776 to 1854, Rhode Island had five capitals: Providence, Newport, East Greenwich, South Kingstown, and Bristol. The state legislature would rotate, meeting in each county seat. |
| Joint Capitals | 1854 | The state legislature alternated sessions between Providence and Newport. | |
| Providence | 1900 | Single state capital | |
| South Carolina Statehood in 1776 |
Charlestown | 1670 | Colonial capital. Capital of Carolina Colony before 1712. After Carolina Colony is divided into North and South Carolina in 1712, Charleston became the capital of the colony of South Carolina. |
| 1776 | State capitals | ||
| Columbia | 1786 | ||
| South Dakota Statehood in 1889 |
Yankton | 1861 | Dakota Territory capital |
| Bismarck | 1883 | Dakota Territory capital; now capital of North Dakota | |
| Pierre | 1889 | State capital | |
| Tennessee[26] Statehood in 1796 |
Rocky Mount | 1790 | Southwest Territory capital |
| Knoxville | 1791 | Southwest Territory capital; formerly White's Fort | |
| 1796 | State capital | ||
| Kingston | State capital for one day in 1807 to fulfill treaty obligations with the Cherokee | ||
| Nashville | 1812 | State capitals | |
| Murfreesboro | 1818 | ||
| Nashville | 1826 | ||
| Texas Statehood in 1845 |
Los Adaes | 1721 | Colonial capital; now part of Louisiana |
| San Antonio de Bexar | 1772 | Colonial capital; now San Antonio | |
| Saltillo | 1824 | Coahuila y Tejas capitals | |
| Monclova | 1833 | ||
| Washington | 1836 | Republic of Texas capital; now Washington-on-the-Brazos | |
| Galveston | 1836 | Temporary Republic of Texas capitals | |
| Harrisburg | 1836 | ||
| Velasco | 1836 | ||
| Columbia | 1836 | ||
| Houston | 1837 | Republic of Texas capital | |
| Austin | 1839 | Republic of Texas capital; named Waterloo until 1839 | |
| 1845 | State capital | ||
| Utah Statehood in 1896 |
Fillmore | 1850 | Utah Territory capitals |
| Salt Lake City | 1858 | ||
| 1896 | State capital | ||
| Vermont[27] Statehood in 1791 |
Windsor | 1777 | Vermont Republic capital |
| 1791 | State capitals | ||
| Montpelier | 1805 | ||
| Virginia[28] Statehood in 1776 |
Jamestown | 1619 | Virginia Colony capital |
| Williamsburg | 1699 | Virginia Colony capital; originally Middle Plantation | |
| 1776 | State capital | ||
| Richmond | 1780 | State capital; Confederate capital 1861-5
|
|
| Washington[29] Statehood in 1889 |
Fort Vancouver | 1825 | Oregon Country capital de facto |
| Oregon City | 1848 | Oregon Territory capitals | |
| Salem | 1851 | ||
| Olympia | 1853 | Washington Territory capital | |
| 1889 | State capital | ||
| West Virginia Statehood in 1863 |
Wheeling | 1863 | State capitals |
| Charleston | 1870 | ||
| Wheeling | 1875 | ||
| Charleston | 1885 | ||
| Wisconsin[30] Statehood in 1848 |
Belmont | 1836 | Wisconsin Territory capital |
| Burlington | 1837 | Wisconsin Territory capital, now part of Iowa | |
| Madison | 1838 | Wisconsin Territory capital | |
| 1848 | State capital | ||
| Wyoming[31] Statehood in 1890 |
Cheyenne | 1869 | Wyoming Territory capital |
| 1890 | State capital |
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ The Nine Capitals of the United States. United States Senate Historical Office. Accessed June 9, 2005. Based on Fortenbaugh, Robert, The Nine Capitals of the United States, York, PA: Maple Press, 1948.
- ^ Capitals of Alabama. Alabama Department of Archives and History. Updated October 29, 2001. Accessed June 9, 2005.
- ^ Frequently Asked Questions About Alaska. Statewide Library Electronic Doorway. Updated September 21, 2004. Accessed June 9, 2005; based on Alaska Blue Book 1993-94, 11th ed., Juneau, Department of Education, Division of State Libraries, Archives & Museums. ExploreNorth: The History of Sitka. Department of Community and Economic Development, Alaska Community Database Online. Accessed June 9, 2005.
- ^ Capitals before the Capitol. Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records. Accessed June 9, 2005.
- ^ Educational Materials: Facts. Arkansas Secretary of State. Accessed June 9, 2005. Washington State Park 19th century village in SW Arkansas. Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, Confederate Capital Old Division of State Parks. 2003. Accessed June 9, 2005.
- ^ Ebbert (Chief Editor), Brian S., E. Dotson Wilson, Chief Clerk of the Assembly (2006). California's Legislature. Sacramento, California: Sate of California, pp. 157-165. Retrieved on 2006-10-03.
- ^ Early Capitol and Legislative Assembly Locations Colorado State Archives, Colorado State Capitol Virtual Tour. Updated June 20, 2003. Accessed June 9, 2005.
- ^ Florida State History. Florida Division of Historical Resources.
- ^ Jackson, Edwin L. Story of Georgia's Capitols and Capital Cities. Carl Vinson Institute of Government. University of Georgia. 1988
- ^ Chronological History of Idaho. Idaho Office of the Governor. Created 2000. Accessed June 9, 2005.
- ^ Past Capitols; based on Illinois Bluebook, 1975-1976. Created March 5, 2005. Accessed June 10, 2005.
- ^ Sabin, Henry. Making of Iowa, chapter 24: Locating a Capital. Originally published 1900 by A. Flanagan Co. of Chicago and New York; published online by Iowa History Project, posted August 25, 2004. Accessed June 10, 2005.
- ^ Harding, Eldon. Stories from the Kansas State Capital: Choosing a Capital City--Why Topeka?. Kansas State Historical Society. April 2001. Accessed June 10, 2005.
- ^ Kentucky's State Capitols. Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. Accessed July 24, 2006.
- ^ Note: The Louisiana Capitals information may be incorrect or incomplete. See http://www.state.la.us/about_history2.htm and elsewhere.
- ^ Students Questions Frequently Ask. Maine State Senate. Accessed June 10, 2005.
- ^ Historical Chronology. Maryland State Archives. Accessed July 24, 2006.
- ^ Michigan in Brief State of Michigan. Updated March 7, 2005. Accessed June 10, 2005.
- ^ Saint Paul's 150th birthday. City of Saint Paul, Minnesota. Accessed June 9, 2005.
- ^ Bunn, Mike and Clay Williams, Capitals and Capitols: The Places and Spaces of Mississippi's Seat of Government. Mississippi History Now. Mississippi Historical Society Online. Posted September 2003. Accessed June 10, 2005.
- ^ Lambert, Kirby. Montana's crown jewel of architecture: The Montana state capitol Montana: The Magazine of Western History, Montana Historical Society. Summer 2002. Accessed June 10, 2005.
- ^ Rocha, Guy Nevada State Archives Historical Myth a Month: Myth #28, Las Vegas: Nevada's Next State Capital. Updated July 14, 2003. Accessed June 9, 2005; originally published as Sierra Sage, Carson City/Carson Valley, Nevada. May 1998 edition.
- ^ New Hampshire Senate Page For Kids. New Hampshire General Court. Accessed June 9, 2005. New Hampshire History in Brief. New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources. Created 1989. Accessed June 9, 2005.
- ^ Oregon Legislative Assembly History. Oregon State Archives. Accessed July 24, 2006.
- ^ The History of Pennsylvania's Capital. Pennsylvania Department of Education. Accessed July 24, 2006.
- ^ Capital Cities. Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture. 2002. Accessed March 12, 2006.
- ^ Early History of Montpelier, Vermont. Vermont Historical Society. Accessed June 9, 2005; adapted from Esther Munroe Swift, Vermont Place-Names: Footprints of History, 1977, 1996, and Montpelier Heritage Group, Three Walking Tours of Montpelier, Vt., 1991.
- ^ About Our Capital. Virginia General Assembly. Accessed July 20, 2006.
- ^ The History of Olympia. City of Olympia. Accessed June 9, 2005.
- ^ Cravens, Stanley H."Capitals and Capitols in Early Wisconsin". Wisconsin Blue Book, 1983-1984 edition.
- ^ Saban, Mary Thompson, Wyoming Sage: Brief History of Wyoming. Updated January 17, 2004. Accessed June 10, 2005.
[edit] See also
- List of historical national capitals (e.g. of the United States)
- List of countries with multiple capitals
- Historic regions of the United States
- Political divisions of the United States
[edit] External links
- Capitals of Alabama
- Florida Facts - The Capitol
- The Capitalization of Georgia
- The State Houses of Louisiana
- Las Vegas: Nevada's Next State Capital?
- New Hampshire Senate for Kids - Capitals
- Handbook of Texas Online – Capitals
- Colonial Capitals of the Dominion of Virginia
- Utah History To Go - Utah's Capitols
United States state capitals
| Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | California | Colorado | Connecticut | Delaware | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Idaho | Illinois | Indiana | Iowa | Kansas | Kentucky | Louisiana | Maine | Maryland | Massachusetts | Michigan | Minnesota | Mississippi | Missouri | Montana | Nebraska | Nevada | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New Mexico | New York | North Carolina | North Dakota | Ohio | Oklahoma | Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | South Dakota | Tennessee | Texas | Utah | Vermont | Virginia | Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming |
United States state lists
Location of the capital of the United States
