RG 060, Commission to Make Repairs to Capitol and to Procure Site for New Building for State Officials

Inventory of Records

Finding aid prepared by Connecticut State Library staff.

Copyright © 2007 by the Connecticut State Library

Historical Note

The Commission was established by the General Assembly in 1903 to make repairs to the State Capitol and to “investigate and ascertain the necessity of erecting an additional building.” Governor Abiram Chamberlain appointed Morgan G. Bulkeley, H. Wales Lines, Charles C. Cook, W.O. Burr, and L. W. Robinson to the five-member commission. In 1905, the Commission was asked to purchase land, to procure plans and specifications for a new State Library and Supreme Court building, and obtain bids for its construction. Soon thereafter the Comptroller was added to the commission as an ex officio member and the commission embarked on securing land and contracting for and fully complete and furnish a building to be used by the State Library, Supreme Court and Memorial Hall. Secretary Robinson and Treasurer Cook were chosen as the Building Committee that was responsible for the construction of the State Library and Supreme Court Building. Samuel O. Prentice, Judge of the Supreme Court, and State Librarian George S. Godard consulted with the commission during the planning and construction of the building designed by Donn Barber, architect. The building opened on November 28, 1910, the day after Thanksgiving and on the anniversary of Godard's appointment.

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Scope and Content

Records include correspondence, meeting minutes, arbitration agreements and contracts, financial records, and photographs documenting the construction of the new State Library and Supreme Court Building

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Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

Construction Photographs
In 2005 and 2006, the State Archives funded a project to make 8 X 10 prints of the construction photographs so that the originals could be retired from use. In addition, the State Archives obtained b&w negatives of the original shots so that duplicates could be made. Photograph boxes 1 and 2 of the originals are restricted as is box 5 that contains the negatives. Box 6 that contains the use copies may be used by researchers. Boxes 3 and 4 contain original photographs that were not duplicated because they do not show the building under construction. Only these originals may be used by researchers.

Some of these records are stored at an off-site facility and therefore may not be available on a same-day basis.

See the Rules and Procedures for Researchers Using Archival Records and Secured Collections policy.

Restrictions on Use

See the Reproduction and Publications of State Library Collections policy.

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Related Material

Classified Archives:
727.8 C761d, Detailed plans, elevations and specifications... by Donn Barber, architect, 7 oversized volumes.
727.8 C761p, Floor plans of the State Library and Supreme Court building, by Donn Barber, architect 1 oversize volume.
727.8 C761p supp, Loose correspondence, contracts, etc.

PG 220, Connecticut State Library Collection.

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Index Terms

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Container List