Louisiana Purchase

Arkansas – Little Rock – In 1804, Arkansas Post became part of the United States as a result of the Louisiana Purchase from France. When Arkansas was designated a federal territory in 1819, the capital was placed at Arkansas Post. In 1820, Little Rock became the territorial capital because of its central location within the territory and its proximity to the Arkansas River. Little Rock remained the capital when Arkansas was admitted to the union as a state in 1836. However, during the Civil War, the state’s Confederate government relocated the capital twice: first to Hot Springs, then to Washington in Hempstead County, where it remained until the war’s end. The capital was then returned to Little Rock, where it has remained ever since.

California – Sacramento – The journey of California’s Capitol to its final location in Sacramento took five years. The first State Constitutional Convention was held in 1849 at Colton Hall in Monterey. However, just a month later, the legislators relocated to a two-story adobe hotel in Pueblo de San Jose, where it remained until May 1, 1851. In January 1852, the capital was relocated to Vallejo because San Jose was relatively small and lacked adequate accommodations and services. However, Vallejo was just as limited, and after a brief stay, the legislature relocated to Sacramento on January 5, 1852, where it remained for about a year. It then moved back to Vallejo for about a month, from January 3, 1853, to February 4, 1853, before moving to Benicia in February 1853. The politicians used a new city hall that was an improvement over the previous capital, but the town was too small for the growing state government. One report stated: “At least one hundred men had no place to sleep except barrooms of saloons.” Finally, it was moved back to Sacramento on February 25, 1854, and has remained there since.

Denver, Colorado, in 1859.

Colorado – Denver – After the Pike’s Peak Gold Rush of 1858-1861, the Territory of Colorado was organized on February 28, 1861, and Colorado City became its first capital. However, it was relocated to Golden City in 1863 and remained there until 1869. Finally, it was relocated to Denver in 1869 and has remained there since. Colorado was admitted to the Union in August 1876.

Connecticut – Hartford – Until 1662, the state consisted of two separate colonies- the Connecticut Colony (Hartford) and the New Haven Colony. After King Charles II united them, Hartford served as the capital of the new union until 1701. That year, the General Court approved a plan to establish co-capitals, one in New Haven and the other in Hartford. Each city was responsible for different parts of the government, though the General Assembly always met in Hartford. The two capitals continued to operate until 1875, when the General Assembly decided that there should be only one capital and that it should be located at Hartford. Connecticut became a state on January 9, 1788.

Old Statehouse in Dover, Delaware, by the Historic American Buildings Survey.

Delaware – Dover – The “Three Lower Counties,” which would become the state of Delaware, were once part of Pennsylvania. However, these well-established counties grew dissatisfied with William Penn’s rule, and in 1704, he granted them a separate legislature; New Castle became Delaware’s colonial capital. The counties remained part of Pennsylvania until 1776, when economic, cultural, and political differences led to a permanent separation. In 1777, the capital was relocated from New Castle to Dover due to its central location, which protected it from British raiders on the Delaware River during the American Revolution. Afterward, the state capital was temporarily relocated several times to Wilmington, New Castle, and Lewes (twice) before being permanently established in Dover in October 1781. Delaware became a state on December 7, 1787. Dover is the longest-serving capital in terms of statehood.

Florida – Tallahassee – Before 1821, under Spanish rule, Florida was divided into two regions on either side of the Apalachicola River. The capital of East Florida was St. Augustine, and the capital of West Florida was Pensacola. Legislators decided to transfer government business from St. Augustine to Pensacola, establishing it as a new territory for alternating sessions. However, travel was hazardous and a 400-mile, 20-day round trip. In 1824, leaders needed a centralized capital and chose Tallahassee because it was midway between the two principal cities. It has remained there ever since.

Skyline of Atlanta, the capital city of Georgia, by Carol Highsmith.

Georgia – Atlanta – Georgia has had five different capitals in its history. The first was Savannah, the seat of government during British colonial rule. When Savannah fell to the British forces at the beginning of the Revolutionary War, the capital was relocated to Augusta, then moved to various sites in Wilkes County, Ebenezer, and possibly even South Carolina, before settling again in Savannah in 1782. The capital returned to Augusta in 1786, but ten years later, it was moved to the new city of Louisville, where it remained until 1806. In 1807, the state capital was officially moved to Milledgeville, which rapidly declined during the Reconstruction era. In 1868, it was moved to Atlanta, where it remains today.

Idaho – Boise – Although Lewiston, Idaho, briefly served as Idaho’s capital after the formation of Idaho Territory in 1863, the territorial Legislature moved the capital to Boise on December 24, 1864. Idaho became a state on July 3, 1890, and the capital remained at Boise.

Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii, by Carol Highsmith.

Hawaii – Honolulu – In the Middle Ages, Hawaii became a monarchy under a single king or queen who ruled all Polynesian tribes. The first known European to visit Hawaii was Captain William Brown of the United Kingdom, who sailed into what is now known as Honolulu Harbor in 1778. The Hawaiian monarchy was overthrown by the United States in 1893, and the islands were annexed as a territory in 1898, with Honolulu as its capital. Hawaii became a state on August 21, 1959, and Honolulu, its largest city, remained the capital.

Aerial view of Indianapolis, Indiana, by Carol Highsmith.

Indiana – Indianapolis – After the Indiana Territory was created in May 1800, Vincennes became the first territorial capital. However, it was moved to Corydon, a more central location, in 1813. In June 1816, delegates convened to draft the state’s first Constitution, and the state was admitted to the Union in December of that year. On January 1, 1925, the state government’s seat of government relocated to Indianapolis, where it has remained since.

Iowa – Des Moines – The area that is now Iowa was originally part of the Louisiana Purchase and the Missouri Territory. When Missouri became a state in 1821, this area, along with part of Minnesota and the Dakotas, became an unorganized territory. From 1838 to 1841, Burlington served as the temporary capital of Iowa before Iowa City was designated as the official territorial capital. When the southeastern portion of the unorganized territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Iowa in December 1846, the capital remained at Iowa City. However, with the influx of settlers, citizens felt that the state’s capital should be moved to a more central location, and it was relocated to Des Moines in 1857.

Kansas’ First Capitol in the extinct town of Pawnee by Kathy Alexander.

Kansas – Topeka – After the Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed in May 1854, Kansas became a territory, and the question of whether Kansas would be a free or a slave state was decided by a vote of Kansans. This immediately caused conflict among the new settlers, who were dubbed “Bleeding Kansas.” During this period, several places served as territorial capitals, including a temporary capital at Leavenworth for about two months before relocating to Shawnee Mission, which was used as the territorial capital until the following spring. The first official capital was designated in the now-extinct town of Pawnee, but the building was only used for five days before the legislature returned to the Shawnee Mission. In August 1855, the Territorial Legislature selected Lecompton, which continued as the capital during the remainder of the Territorial period. Kansas became a state on January 29, 1861. At an election in November 1861, the people selected Topeka as the permanent capital of Kansas.

Kentucky – Frankfort – After 1775, Kentucky experienced rapid growth as the first settlements were established west of the Appalachian Mountains. Virginia claimed the region as part of its territory. However, after several years, most residents wanted to separate from Virginia due to the distance to the state capital and the region’s limited trade and economy. In 1788, Virginia consented to Kentucky’s statehood, and Kentucky’s final push for statehood officially began with a convention held at Danville in April 1792. In June 1792, Kentucky was admitted to the Union, and Frankfort became the state capital the same year after pledging more manpower toward constructing a statehouse than any other city.

Old State Capitol in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, by the Historic American Buildings Survey.

Louisiana, including Baton Rouge and New Orleans, was founded in 1718 and became the capital of the French colony of Louisiana in 1722. In 1803, the region was sold to the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase. At that time, New Orleans continued to be the capital of the Territory of Orleans. Louisiana became a state on April 30, 1812, and the State Legislature passed a resolution declaring that the seat of government be moved to a “more convenient place.” However, no action was taken until 1829, when the Legislature voted to move to Donaldsonville. It convened for the first time in Donaldsonville in January 1830; however, the leaders were “dissatisfied with the quarters there” and adjourned shortly after that to return to New Orleans. In 1847, the city of Baton Rouge donated land for the construction of the new capital, which was dedicated in December 1849. After the Civil War began, New Orleans and Baton Rouge were occupied by the Union Army. The state government was relocated to Opelousas in 1862 and then to Shreveport in 1864. In the meantime, the vacant Capitol in Baton Rouge was gutted by an accidental fire. After the war, the state government returned to New Orleans, meeting in various places until it could appropriate money to rebuild the Old State Capitol. After the renovations were completed, the legislature returned in May 1882.

Aerial view of Annapolis, Maryland, by Carol Highsmith.

Maryland – Annapolis – The Maryland State House housed the United States government from November 26, 1783, to August 13, 1784, and the Treaty of Paris was ratified there on January 14, 1784. So Annapolis became the first peacetime capital of the U.S. When Maryland became a state on April 28, 1788, Annapolis became its capital. It is the smallest capital city by land area in the nation.

Massachusetts – Boston – As one of the oldest cities in the country, founded in 1630, Boston was chosen as the capital of what was initially known as the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Massachusetts became the sixth state to join the United States on February 6, 1788. However, Boston was not the first capital of the territory; Plymouth predates Boston and served as the capital of Massachusetts when it was known as Plymouth Colony. Today, Boston is the longest-serving capital.

Michigan – Lansing – After more than a century of French and British rule, the United States government set aside the Michigan region as part of the Northwest Territory in 1787. After Congress created the Territory of Michigan in 1805, Detroit became the territorial capital on July 1 of that year. When Michigan became a state on January 26, 1837, Detroit remained the capital until March 1847, when the governor signed a bill naming Lansing Township in Ingham County the new capital. Horrified observers, noting that there was not even a village at the location, termed it a “howling wilderness.” A wooden structure was hastily erected to serve as a temporary Capitol building. In January 1848, the capital moved, and a settlement called “Michigan, Michigan,” began to rise around it, but was changed a few months later to “Lansing.”

Winter festival in St. Paul, Minnesota, by Carol Highsmith.

Minnesota – St. Paul – Located in east-central Minnesota along the banks of the Mississippi River, St. Paul became the territorial capital of Minnesota when it was split from the Iowa and Wisconsin territories in March 1849. When Minnesota became a state in May 1858, it remained the capital city and has since.

Capitol building in Helena, Montana, 1896.

Montana – Helena – In May 1864, the Montana Territory was organized from the Idaho Territory, and Helena became the territorial capital in 1875. When Montana was admitted as the 41st state in the Union in November 1889, the capital remained in Helena.

Nebraska – Lincoln – The Territory of Nebraska was created by the Kansas-Nebraska Act in May 1854, and Omaha became the territorial capital. However, this was inconvenient for many people who lived south of the Platte River, as crossing it was difficult. When Nebraska became a state in March 1867, a commission soon convened to select a new capital location, and the small village of Lancaster was chosen in July. The town’s name was soon changed to Lincoln after President Abraham Lincoln, and a new Capitol building was completed on December 1, 1868.

Nevada – Carson City – Nevada Territory was organized in March 1861, and Genoa, the first settlement, served as the provisional capital for a brief time before it was relocated to Carson City. When Nevada was admitted to the Union in October 1864, the capital remained at Carson City and continues to do so today.

The state capitol in Concord, New Hampshire, by Carol Highsmith.

New Hampshire – Concord – Portsmouth was the capital of the colony of New Hampshire in 1689. One of the Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule during the American Revolution (1765-1783), New Hampshire’s General Assembly shuttled around during the war to various places, including Concord, Hopkinton, Dover, Amherst, Charlestown, and Hanover, before officially settling in Exeter. In January 1776, it became the first colony to establish an independent government and the first to draft a constitution. After the war, New Hampshire citizens clamored for a centrally located capital, and travel-weary lawmakers agreed. Concord became New Hampshire’s de facto capital in 1808, though not by law until 1816.

New Jersey – Trenton – Elizabeth, New Jersey, was the first capital during the colonial period. First called “Elizabethtown,” it was founded in 1664 by English settlers and named the provincial capital in 1668. On December 18, 1787, New Jersey ratified the new Constitution, becoming the third state to join the Union. Trenton was made the official capital of New Jersey in 1790.

New Mexico – Santa Fe – Established in 1610, Santa Fe, New Mexico, is the third-oldest city and the oldest capital city in the United States, founded by European colonists. Santa Fe was the capital of the “Kingdom of New Mexico,” which Spain claimed after Francisco Vázquez de Coronado’s 1540 expedition. Santa Fe remained Spain’s provincial seat until 1821, when Mexico gained independence from Spain and Santa Fe became the capital of the Mexican territory. In 1848, Mexico signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, ceding New Mexico and California to the United States. When New Mexico was admitted to the Union as the 47th state on January 6, 1912, Santa Fe remained the capital, making it the longest-serving capital in the United States. It is also the highest in elevation at 7,000 ft.

New York Capitol in Albany by Carol Highsmith.

New York – Albany – In September 1777, New York leaders met in Kingston to declare the province a sovereign state and establish the first New York State Senate. The state was the 11th to join the Union on July 26, 1788. Subsequently, the Legislature frequently relocated the state capital between Albany, Kingston, Hurley, Poughkeepsie, and New York City. In 1797, the state capital of New York was moved permanently to Albany.

North Carolina – Raleigh – Bath, the oldest town in North Carolina, was the first nominal capital from 1705 until 1722, when Edenton took over the role. Years passed before modest government facilities became available. Several attempts to establish a seat of state government failed until 1766, when New Bern was selected. Here, construction began on several new buildings. When New Bern was threatened by enemy attacks during the American Revolution, the government took to the roads, meeting in the state’s coastal and inland towns. In the meantime, the state’s population had moved westward, and in 1788, a State Convention voted to fix the capital within ten miles of Isaac Hunter’s plantation in Wake County. A committee later purchased 1,000 acres of Joel Lane’s plantation, and a plan for the new city of Raleigh was drawn up. Raleigh became the capital of North Carolina in 1792.

Columbus, Ohio Skyline by Carol Highsmith.

Ohio – Columbus – When the American Revolution ended in 1783, the area that would become Ohio became part of the United States. A few years later, in 1787, the United States established the Northwest Territory, which included what would later become Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, and part of Minnesota. In 1800, the Ohio territorial capital was established at Chillicothe, and in 1802, as Ohio moved toward statehood, the city hosted the Ohio Constitutional Convention. On March 1, 1803, Ohio was admitted into the Union as the 17th state, and Chillicothe remained the capital. In 1810, the state government relocated to Zanesville, but it remained there for only two years before returning to Chillicothe. In 1816, the capital was relocated for the final time to Columbus, where it remains today.

Oklahoma – Oklahoma City – In 1825, all the land lying west of the Mississippi River was designated “Indian Country.” However, as more people pushed westward, the Indian Territory would eventually encompass the present-day states of Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, and part of Iowa. Through treaties, many tribes were pushed into this region. However, the Indian Territory shrank as much of this area became states, leaving only Oklahoma as the designated Indian Territory. Soon after, this area was reduced again when the Organic Act of May 1890 created the Oklahoma Territory from part of it. At that time, Guthrie was made the territorial capital. Oklahoma became the 46th state to enter the union on November 16, 1907. In 1910, the state allowed voters to decide whether to move the capital to Oklahoma City. After the measure passed, Oklahoma City became the official capital in June. To this date, Oklahoma City is the shortest-serving current state capital.

The Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg by Carol Highsmith.

Pennsylvania – Harrisburg – From 1681 to 1729, Pennsylvania’s colonial legislature met wherever it could find space, including taverns, private residences, and town halls. In 1729, the Pennsylvania Assembly voted to appropriate money to build a statehouse in Philadelphia. Known as Independence Hall today, it was finished and occupied in 1735 and became famous as the colonies moved toward revolution. Here, both the Declaration of Independence and the new nation’s Constitution were debated and signed. Between 1790 and 1800, when Philadelphia served as the nation’s capital, the state and national legislatures convened in the building. By 1799, the State Assembly moved westward to Lancaster, and a year later, Congress convened in Washington, D.C. However, Lancaster’s life as the state capital was brief; it moved to Harrisburg in 1812 and has remained there since.

Oregon – Salem – The Territory of Oregon became an organized territory of the United States on August 14, 1848, and Oregon City became the territorial capital at the end of the Oregon Trail. A large territory, it also included the future states of Idaho, Washington, and part of Montana. As Oregon continued to grow, it eventually broke off from the other regions in the territory, and on February 14, 1859, Oregon was admitted into the Union as the 33rd state. On May 14, 1852, the capital was moved to Salem.

Providence, Rhode Island, by Carol Highsmith.

Rhode Island – Providence – Between 1681 and 1854, Rhode Island’s government rotated among Providence, Newport, Bristol, East Greenwich, and Kingston. In the meantime, Rhode Island became the last of the original 13 colonies to ratify the Constitution on May 29, 1790. In 1854, the state began to rotate its capital between Newport and Providence, a practice that continued for more than 40 years. By 1900, Providence had grown, while Newport had declined. In 1901, Providence became the sole capital of Rhode Island.

Pierre, South Dakota Capitol Building by Kathy Alexander.

South Dakota – Pierre – When the Territory of Dakota was created on March 2, 1861, Yankton, South Dakota, served as the first territorial capital. It was moved to Bismarck, in present-day North Dakota, two years later. On November 2, 1889, the territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of North Dakota and South Dakota. At that time, Pierre was designated as the state capital of South Dakota.

Tennessee – Nashville – The Territory South of the River Ohio, more commonly known as the Southwest Territory, was an organized and incorporated territory of the United States established in May 1790. Tennessee was admitted to the Union as the 16th state on June 1, 1796, and Knoxville was designated the first capital. In 1812, the General Assembly relocated to Nashville, where it remained for five years. Kingston served as the capital for one day in 1807 when the general assembly convened to fulfill a treaty obligation with the Cherokee Indians. In 1817, the capital was returned to Knoxville, but in 1818, the General Assembly relocated to Murfreesboro, situated in the state’s geographic center. There it met at the local Presbyterian Church until 1826, when it moved to Nashville for the last time.

Austin, Texas Skyline by Kathy Alexander.

Texas – Austin – Before Texas became its own republic, its capital under Spanish rule was Monclova, in the present-day Mexican state of Coahuila. In 1721, the capital was located in Los Adaes (modern-day Robeline, Louisiana) and remained there for half a century. The seat of government was then moved to San Antonio in 1772, where it remained until 1824. After the Mexican War of Independence, Texas was united with Coahuila, with Saltillo as the provincial capital. On March 9, 1833, Monclova was made the capital of Coahuila and Texas. In March 1836, Texas declared its independence at Washington-on-the-Brazos. That year, the newly independent government met at several locations, including Harrisburg and Velasco, before designating Columbia as the first capital of the Republic of Texas in October 1836. The following year, the capital moved to Houston, where it stayed until 1839. That year, Waterloo was chosen to replace Houston as the capital of Texas. Shortly after, the city’s name was changed to Austin in honor of Stephen F. Austin, the “Father of Texas” and the first Secretary of State for the Republic. When President Samuel Houston feared an attack on Austin by the Mexicans, the government was returned to Houston on March 13, 1842. The Constitution of 1845 stipulated that Austin would be the capital until 1850, when a vote would be required to choose the permanent capital. Austin won the majority, but another election was scheduled for 20 years later and held in 1872, at which time Austin won again. It has remained there since.

Utah – Salt Lake City – The Territory of Utah was established in 1850, and in 1851, Brigham Young designated Fillmore, located in central Utah, as the territorial capital. Construction on the Capitol building began in 1852, and in 1855, the territorial legislature met there for the first and only time. In 1856, the legislature relocated the Territorial Capital to the larger community of Salt Lake City, which remains there to this day. On January 4, 1896, Utah was admitted to the Union as the 45th state.

Capitol building in Montpelier, Vermont, by Carol Highsmith.

Vermont – Montpelier – Vermont was part of a disputed territory between New York and New Hampshire. Still, in January 1777, the area’s representatives met in Westminster, declared the state independent, and called it the Republic of New Connecticut. Almost six months later, representatives of the new republic met in Windsor and changed the name to the Republic of Vermont. At first, the Vermont General Assembly met only once every two years, and the seat of government shifted between towns east and west of the Green Mountains. Vermont officially became a state on March 4, 1791, but the capital continued to shift until 1805, when the General Assembly chose Montpelier as the new seat of the state government. Montpelier, located near the state’s center, is the nation’s smallest capital by population.

The Washington State Capitol Building in Olympia by Carol Highsmith.

Washington – Olympia – The Territory of Washington was established from the portion of the Oregon Territory north of the lower Columbia River in March 1853. Initially, it included Idaho and parts of Montana and Wyoming before attaining its final boundaries in 1863. At that time, Olympia was chosen as the territorial capital. As Washington worked toward statehood, multiple settlements contended for the title of capital, including Olympia, Steilacoom, Vancouver, and Port Townsend. However, when Washington was admitted as a state in November 1889, the capital remained at Olympia.

West Virginia – Charleston – When the state seceded from Virginia and the Confederacy in early 1861, the seat of government was held at Wheeling. West Virginia became the 35th state in the Union on June 20, 1863. By 1865, the government had outgrown the building in Wheeling and voted to relocate to Charleston, which would be the permanent capital. However, the legislature remained in Wheeling until 1870, when the new building was completed. The legislature met in the building until 1875, when the City of Wheeling offered to build a new Capitol if the legislature would return to the city. Fueled by the lack of railroad access in Charleston, the capital was moved back to Wheeling in 1875. However, in 1877, a statewide election was held to determine a permanent capital, and Charleston won.

Frontier Days in Cheyenne, Wyoming, by Carol Highsmith.

Wyoming – Cheyenne – The Territory of Wyoming was established in July 1868, and Cheyenne, on the path of the transcontinental railroad, became the territorial capital in 1869. The Wyoming State Capitol was constructed between 1886 and 1890. Wyoming was admitted to the Union on July 10, 1890, and its capital has remained in Cheyenne since then.

©Kathy Alexander/Legends of America, updated February 2026.

Also See:

Bucket List Attraction in Each State

Geography of the United States

Learning Opportunities

United States Maps

United States Photo Gallery

See Sources.