Oregon’s first two capitol buildings were destroyed by fire. The second one, used from 1876 to 1935, had a traditional appearance. This third version, constructed in Salem in 1938, has a distinctive Art Deco design. Crowing the stark, marble façade is a ribbed, cylinder dome. At the very top is an 8.5 ton, gold-leaf statue representing the Oregon Pioneer. The sculpture is reachable by climbing the tower’s 121 spiraling steps to an observation deck.
