On This Date in Missouri Senate History, the date was March 24, 1911, the day the Missouri General Assembly passed legislation to pay for a new Capitol.
Just a month prior, fire destroyed Missouri’s second Capitol building. The Legislature was still in session at the time of the fire, and moved to different locations in Jefferson City. For one day, the Missouri House of Representatives held session at the Jefferson City Opera House and the Missouri Senate met at the Cole County Courthouse. After this, Missouri senators would meet at the Supreme Court Building, while representatives would convene at St. Peters Hall.
March 24 saw lawmakers give final passage to measures that would issue bonds to pay for erecting a new Capitol, one of which was meant for an August election. The other would have been decided the following November, had the August election not received a two-thirds majority.
On March 25, the governor would sign the legislation. The following Aug. 1, the needed majority put the wheels into motion. Groundbreaking on Missouri’s third, and present, Capitol took place on May 6, 1913.
But, it all started on March 24, 1911, the date marking final passage of legislation to let voters decide on a new Missouri State Capitol, on This Date in Missouri Senate History.
(Sources: Missouri Senate Journal and Missouri State Capitol Commission Centennial Timeline)