The West Virginia State Capitol building, which was designed by architect Cass Gilbert and finished in 1932, has a stately view of the Kanawha River flowing through Charleston. The exterior is Indiana limestone with an impressive portico supported by Corinthian columns. The gilded dome peaks with an eagle at 292 feet, which is taller than the U.S. Capitol. During the Civil War, West Virginia became the 35th state on June 20, 1863, after seceding from the confederate state of Virginia.
