Nebraska State Capitol

Designed by acclaimed architect Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue and completed in 1932, the Nebraska State Capitol is widely recognized as one of the most innovative capitol buildings in the United States. Departing from the traditional domed capitol, Goodhue envisioned a soaring 400-foot tower that combined Art Deco, Neo-Byzantine, and Gothic Revival influences into a distinctly American civic landmark. The tower—the first functional high-rise incorporated into a state capitol—was conceived to give the building a commanding presence above Nebraska’s expansive plains. Richly decorated with murals, mosaics, sculptural programs, and decorative finishes celebrating the state’s history and natural resources, the Capitol is home to the nation’s only unicameral state legislature and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1976.

To support the ongoing preservation of the Capitol’s significant interiors, EverGreene completed a comprehensive historic finishes investigation. Conservators created more than sixty paint exposure windows throughout the building, documenting the sequence of historic paint campaigns and developing a detailed report that identified and color-matched the original decorative finishes. The study also included cleaning and coating removal tests in the Governor’s Hearing Room, along with binder analysis to evaluate existing finishes and inform compatible in-fill repairs. In the Law Library, EverGreene conducted additional paint investigations using large exposure windows and prepared a report documenting the original decorative stencil layout. The team also performed cleaning tests and identified the historic textile wall covering in the Court of Appeals, providing critical information to guide future conservation and restoration efforts.