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Saint Stephens
Saint Stephens, in southwest Alabama, was designated in the Congressional act creating the territory as the temporary seat of government. There, two sessions of the territorial legislature met. In accordance with the enabling act for statehood, the first Constitutional Convention assembled in the north Alabama town of Huntsville where the first session of the General Assembly was held in the same year. -
Cahaba
The territorial legislature, however, had chosen Cahaba, at the confluence of the Cahaba and Alabama Rivers, as the site for the capital of the state, so the second session of the legislature met there. Cahaba also was designated as the temporary seat of government in the Constitution, which expressly gave the 1825-26 legislature the power to decide upon a permanent site. That session of the General Assembly took the opportunity to select Tuscaloosa for the new capital. -
Tuscaloosa
Tuscaloosa was increasingly inconvenient as a seat of government for the rapidly growing state. Alabama's population gains concentrated in the state's more eastern counties as Indian lands there opened to white settlement, prompting a clamor for a more centrally located capital. -
Montgomery
An amendment approved by the voters of Alabama struck out the section of the Constitution designating the 1825-26 selection as the "permanent" site for the capital, freeing the legislature in 1846 to choose another site from among a number of competing river towns. Montgomery, on the Alabama River, won the ensuing 16-ballot contest in the General Assembly. -
Capitol Building
Andrew Dexter, one of the founders of the town, had held on to a prime piece of property ,dubbed "Goat Hill" for its use as pasturage, in long anticipation of the capital's eventual move to Montgomery. In selecting Montgomery the legislature expressly provided that the state should be put to no expense in securing lands or in erecting a capitol building. Thus, the citizens of the town immediately organized to secure the "Goat Hill" site and begin erecting a building. -
Capitol Building Burned
Near the beginning of the General Assembly's second session in Montgomery, the Capitol was destroyed by fire. -
New Building
The legislature appropriated $60,000 with which the central section of the present building was erected upon the foundations of the burned original. -
Renovations
Several improvements were made to increase the convenience and appearance of the Capitol's lower floor. -
Enlargement
And increase in its capacity was made. The legislature appropriated $25,000 for a "needed enlargement," which became an east wing. -
More Property Purchased
Another $150,000 was appropriated to purchase the privately owned property making up the south end of the capitol square, -
South Wing Added
A south wing was erected. -
North Wing Added
A north wing was added when an additional $100,000 came from the legislature. -
Addition to East Wing
An addition to the east wing was completed as part of a major restoration and refurbishing project for the entire structure.