State House Resources

The following materials may be of use when researching the history of the present State House building in Indianapolis. Construction started in 1878 and was completed in 1888. Additional materials on the earlier building as well as the State House in Corydon are in the Indiana Division’s collections. For more information, please contact the Indiana Collection.

Books and Pamphlets

IND.PAM. 725.11 no. 2
Title: Description of plans for new state capitol of Indiana, signed, "Il Capitole".
Author: Eppinghousen, Charles.
Published: Indpls., 1876.
Eppinghousen’s plans were not used.

IND.PAM. 725.1 no. 6
Title: An act for erecting a new state house, and creating the State House commissioners.
Author: Indiana--Laws, statutes, etc.
Published: Indianapolis : Sentinel Company, 1877.
Available online through HathiTrust

IND. 725.1 I385in
Title: General instructions to architects offering designs for a capitol for the state of Indiana. 1877.
Author: Indiana State House Commissioners.
Published: Indpls., 1877.

IND.PAM. 725.11 no. 7
Title: Description of the new State House for the state of Indiana to be erected at Indianapolis.
Author: May, Edwin.
Published: Indianapolis, 1878.
Edwin May was chosen as the architect. His plans were dubbed "Lucidus Ordo," Latin for "a clear arrangement."

IND. 725.1 M466g
Title: General description of design for the Indiana state capitol.
Author: [May, Edwin?]
Published: n.p., n.d..

IND. 725.1 I385
Title: Reports (1877-1888)
Author: Indiana. State House Commissioners.
Published: Indianapolis.
Report No. 6 ; Report No. 14 ; Report No. 18 available online through Google Books

IND.PAM. 725.11 no. 3
Title: Specifications for the construction of the new state house for state of Indiana, to be erected at Indianapolis. Edwin May, architect.
Author: Indiana. State House Commissioners.
Published: Indpls., Ind., 1878.

IND. 725.1 I385c
Title: Proceedings at laying of cornerstone of new capitol of Indiana.
Author: Indiana State House Commissioners.
Published: Indpls., 1880.
Available online through Internet Archive

[f] IND. 725.1 I385n
Title: New state house for Indiana. Re-letting of unfinished work. Notice to bidders. [And schedules of specifications].
Author: Indiana State House Commissioners.
Published: [Indianapolis], [1883?].

IND. 725.11 S539s
Title: Statement to the legislative visiting committee relative to repairs of capitol building and additional space.
Author: Shea, John.
Published: 1917?

IND.PAM. 725.11 no. 1
Title: [Indiana's state capitol.].
Author: Indiana Historical Commission.
Published: Indpls, 1924.

IND.PAM. 725.11 no. 5
Title: Report ... with reference to the reconstruction, repair and equipment of legislative chambers, rooms and appurtenances in the State Capitol building, Indianapolis, Indiana.
Author: Indiana Legislative Advisory Commission.
Published: [1946].

IND.PAM. 725.11 no. 16
Title: Spirit of Indiana for Legislative Chamber in the Indiana.
State Capitol. Mural painting by Eugene F. Savage.
Published: [Indianapolis?, 1964?].

IND.PAM. 725.11 no. 18
Title: Indiana capitol buildings.
Author: Western Electric Co.--Indianapolis Plant--Stamp and Coin Club.
Published: Indianapolis, 1966.

IND.PAM. 725.11 no. 19
Title: Your guide to the Indiana state capitol.
Author: [Indiana. Department of Commerce].
Published: [Indianapolis, 1969?].

IND. 725.1 A673mar
Title: A report updating the 1975 Indiana capitol complex master plan with information necessary for decisions on the placement and advisability of Indiana state office building II and Indiana state parking structure.
Published: [Indianapolis? : s.n., 1979?].

IND. 725.1 A673mab, 1984
Title: Indiana Capitol Complex master plan, 1984-1995.
[Prepared for] Indiana State Office Building Commission [by] Archonics... [et al.].
Published: [Indianapolis? : The Commission?, 1984].

IND. 353.9 A669c
Title: Cost analysis of the Indiana Capitol Complex master plan, 1984- 1995 / [for the] Indiana State Office Building Commission.
Author: Archonics.
Published: [Indianapolis? : The Commission, 1984?].

IND. 353.9 F491
Title: Final report of the Space Utilization Subcommittee of the Legislative Council.
Published: Indianapolis, Ind. (Room 302, State House, Indianapolis 46204) : Indiana Legislative Services Agency, [1985].

IND. 977.201 M341Iwa
Title: A Walk through the Indiana State Capitol : the State House, 1888 to present.
Published: [Indianapolis?] : Indiana Dept. of Commerce, [1985?].

IND.PAM. 725.11 no. 22
Title: The Indiana State Capitol Building : a centennial restoration, 1888-1988.
Published: [Indianapolis] : Hoosier Celebration '88, [1988].

IND.PAM. 725.11 no. 4
Title: The Indiana State Capitol.
Author: Jones, Kelly K.
Published: Indianapolis, IN : State House Tour Office, Indiana Dept. of Administration, [1998].
Edition: Rev. / Archives and Records Administration.

IND. 725.11 I385s
Title: Indiana's State House.
Author: Weintraut & Associates Historians, Incorporated.
Published: [Indianapolis, Ind.] : Indiana Historical Bureau, c2000.

Filmstrip IND. 977.2 T727
Title: A Tour of the Indiana State Capitol (filmstrip).
Produced and distributed by RMI Film Production, Writer--consultant, Walter Morrow Burks.
Published: Kansas City, Mo. : RMI Productions, [1973].

Rare Books & Manuscripts

L620
Indiana State Capitol competition drawings collection

L574
Indiana State House collection 

S2566
Paul A. Davis, State Capitol copper roof tiles collection

Additional Resources

Historical information and a virtual tour of the building are on the Statehouse Tour Office website.

Prepared by Barney Thompson, Senior Subject Specialist, Indiana Division, Indiana State Library, November 2002. Revised by Andrea Glenn, State Documents Coordinator, Indiana Division, May 2018.

IN  7-18-2023