Historical Self-Guided Tour Location #5
Text-only: Welcome to the House Finance committee room. This room serves the Finance Committee for the House of Representatives. The finance committees have jurisdiction over “all appropriation, revenue, capital improvement, and bonding measures, the executive budget, and the programs and activities of the Department of Revenue.”
Like the Senate Finance room, you were just in, this room has kept its original appearance. When the Capitol opened, this wing of the building was occupied by the district court, US Attorney’s Office and the US Marshal’s Office. Like the Superior Court down the hall, the State District Court also moved into the Dimond Courthouse when its construction was completed in 1975. While still a court room, arraignments were often held here with a steady flow accused individuals and inmates.
While the building has undergone several renovations, care has been given to keep this committee room’s 1930’s period feels. In 2012 an extensive 4-year project was started to provide seismic stabilization for the building’s foundation and a complete exterior renovation. During this project every exterior wall and window was replaced throughout the building and structural concrete was strengthened. To preserve this room, the interior walls were not disturbed, and all work was completed from scaffolding on the exterior.
Next: The two floors below us are active office space throughout the year. I’m going to go radio-silent for the next 2 floors but will rejoin you on the 1st floor. For now, I’ll give a series of instructions, but if you forget them, just remember one thing- we’ll talk next on the 1st floor!
Proceed by stairwell or elevator down one floor to the 4th floor. This floor is exclusively legislator office space, but the hallways are filled with front pages of newspapers highlighting important events in Alaska’s history. Please take as much or as little time on this floor. Our estimated times for a tour allow 5 minutes on this floor to look around. Take a picture of a front page if you need to be somewhere soon so you can read it later.
When you have finished looking around the 4th floor, proceed down one more to the 3rd floor which is home of the Governor. The 3rd floor hosts office space for the Governor & Lt. Governor’s offices. Fun fact- Alaska has no Secretary of State. Typical Secretary of State duties is conferred to the Lt. Governor. Like the 4th floor, the 3rd is also occupied year-round so please be respectful of the people working in close proximity by keeping volume down. Please check out the Hall of Governors and Lt. Governors. We budget you 10 minutes on this floor in our estimated times. When you’ve finished here, please head down 2 more floors to the 1st floor. I’ll pick back up with you there, just outside the elevators at a display case filled with Alaska’s Natural resources.