When construction first started on the Nebraska State Capitol in 1922, President Warren G. Harding had just installed the first radio in the White House, prohibition was underway, and construction on the original Yankee Stadium began. Fast forward almost 90 years, and President Obama has brought the first iPad to the White House, the alcohol industry in the U.S. is making over $115 billion annually, and the new Yankee Stadium has been erected across the street from the old one that was demolished.

The Nebraska State Capitol building, a National Historic Landmark, has remained steadfast over the last 89 years, playing witness to generation after generation of Lincolnites. The 15 story, 400 foot tall relic is the third Capitol building the state has had. The first Capitol building, a two story building made of brick, was built in Omaha right after the Civil War in 1867, but began to deteriorate as a result of poor construction, as did the second Capitol building after its completion in 1888. The Legislature voted to move the capital city to the small village of Lancaster, later renamed Lincoln, where the current Capitol building was constructed between 1922 and 1932.

Because the building has had its fair share of tussles with Mother Nature and Father Time over the last 89 years, it occasionally needs someone to dust off the cobwebs of antiquity and restore its integrity and juvenility, and downtown architectural firm Bahr Vermeer & Haecker (BVH) is doing just that.

The firm, in association with Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. (WJE), is currently in the final stages of a 15-year multi-faceted Capitol restoration project, the longest project they’ve ever worked on.

Dan Worth, BVH Senior Principal, can’t help but feel a monumental sense of accomplishment as the firm reaches a close on the restoration project.   

“The NE State Capitol represents so many things to us as Nebraskans – it symbolizes the aspirations and values of our state plus architecturally, it is one of the most significant 20th century buildings not only for our state but for the entire country. It is truly a ‘world class’ building. To have had the opportunity to help preserve and restore this landmark is both humbling as well as being one of the biggest professional accomplishments a preservation architect could aspire to. It certainly was a career milestone for me personally as well as one of BVH’s proudest accomplishments in our entire firm’s history.”

Over the course of the last 15 years, BVH has done extensive restoration work on several areas of the building. Aesthetically, they’ve cleaned and applied a new patina to the iconic 19-foot-tall bronze Sower that stands atop the Capitol building and also cleaned and repaired the gold tile clad dome and the thunder bird tile murals at the tower drum.

In addition, they’ve also restored the Indiana limestone masonry exterior, tower facade, bronze window systems, gold tile dome, tile murals, copper roofs, and roof plazas, and cleaned and repaired the lower façades of the building. Stones have been repaired or replaced on the Indiana Limestone masonry exterior, which has also been completely tuck-pointed .

The firm used drawings, photos, computer mapping, micro-abrasive techniques and window air infiltration to aid in the restoration process.

Structurally, BVH has repaired the tower stress relieving joints, reconstructed the north entry stairs/buffalo wing walls, restored the east and west entrances, replaced the three acre copper roof and made repairs to the south entrance and retaining walls. 

The final phase of the restoration process was completed last December when it officially reached Substantial Completion. The firm is currently finishing up some small punch list items and construction yard restoration.

In addition to the State Capitol building, BVH, which is located in the Haymarket, has had the opportunity to work on other historic sites in both the state of Nebraska and across the country since its foundation in 1968.

“BVH has been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work on some of our state’s and nation’s most treasured historic sites and landmarks,” Worth, who’s worked at BVH for over 25 years, said. “In my tenure with BVH, I have had the opportunity to work on the preservation of Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Gutzon Borglum’s Studio and Residence at Mount Rushmore National Monument, Wind Cave National Park, the restoration of St. Cecilia’s Cathedral in Omaha, the renovation of many University of NE and State College landmarks as well as the restoration of several museums at the Smithsonian Institution in our nation’s capital.”

By the end of 2011, a monograph describing the work done by BVH and WJE will be available for distribution. The document will detail the restoration process using both pictures and words.

For more information on BVH visit their website or Facebook page

For more information on the Capitol building, click here.