Capitol Church History Tour

On April 16 I went with the women of my church congregation (since we moved we are now part of a different congregation) on a tour of the National Capitol building. This was a special tour because a man who works for the Church Education System came to be a co-guide and gave historical background on Joseph Smith's trip to Washington, DC and the relationship between the US government and the LDS Church.

We also had a regular tour guide that gave the secular history as well, which was interesting.  I hadn't been to the capitol since I was an intern for Wyoming Senator Mike Enzi on Capitol Hill in the fall of 2000 so it was fun to see everything again.

I love the rotunda of the capitol.  Back when I was an intern security was much more relaxed and there was an evening where I was wandering around and happened to be in the rotunda all alone.  It was so cool to think I was where so many great people had been before me.  It is so rare to get to be there without anyone else there.

Each state in the union is allowed to have two statues in the capitol and while I was an intern, Wyoming brought in its second statue which is of Chief Washakie.  I was lucky enough to go to the ceremony they had to introduce the statue into the capitol.  It was held in the rotunda and there was lots of Native American dancing from his descendants.  It was very cool and there has been a special place in my heart for the statue ever since.  I was very excited to see Chief Washakie in the new capitol visitor's center and had to snap some pictures.  

One tidbit of history that wasn't mentioned on the tour was that Chief Washakie was friends with Brigham Young (who also has a statue in the capitol) and was baptized as a member of the LDS church before he was baptized into the Episcopalian church.  I love all the details on the statue.