THE FILM:

About the Film

The Idaho Capitol has been called the state’s historic campfire. Our documentary will bring that campfire to every living room in the state.

The program, premiering in January of 2010, will document the renovation, remodeling, and expansion of the Capitol, including the addition of the new “wings” for senators and representatives.

But we would be remiss to ignore the rich and colorful history surrounding Idaho’s search for a capitol, dating back to events in the 1860’s that threatened to split the state asunder.

The actual work on the Capitol building commenced in 1905, under the tutelage of two dissimilar architects, John Tourtellotte and Charles Hummel. Their collaboration produced a building literally flooded with light, where “all the forces of nature are harnessed and made to serve and contribute to the welfare of man in this building.”

For more than a century, the Capitol has let us stand on its steps and make our most joyful sounds. Its walls have echoed our anger at injustice, commemorated our greatest victories, and in defeat has inspired us to fight another day. It has nurtured our greatest ideas, yet has remained open and forgiving of all our worst ones.

The building is singular among capitols in that it harbors little in the way of sculpture and murals. It is sturdy, secure, straightforward and secular. But stories abound in the winding marble staircases; in the terra cotta dome; in the columns covered with faux marble called scagliola; in the sandstone quarried by prisoners; and in the central vacuum system and geothermal heating ducts.

The stories aren’t always obvious. The original architects designed a building that fits its space so well that it can be overlooked. The buff sandstone exterior blends with the predominate colors in the foothills behind it. The grand old building requires us to stand back, generally in front of the Union Pacific Train Station, to get the full impact. Yet, even a short time inside inspires new stories, changes the outlook of any citizen taking time to stand in the light.

Our documentary will be available for every school child in the state. It will live on the Internet and can be morphed into an electronic tour of the Capitol for any visitor to the building.

This singular building reflects the dreams of the generation that built it; and it continues to hold our attention and love today.