Phoenix, AZ - Capitol #37

When we arrive at a Capitol and only get to spend 10 minutes inside, we only cheat ourselves. ): But we were having so much fun with friends, and it was the 37th Capitol - how different could it be?!?

Capitol at back, "new" legislative houses on either side. 

Upon arrival, there were protestors - still!

When we arrived, there were people sitting in lawn chairs in small groups chatting. I didn't take any photos because they didn't draw attention. Apparently, there was a Trump rally walk from somewhere to the Capitol and that was the group on the lawn.

So, of course, there had to be an anti-Trump group, too. That was the peaceful militia standing at attention across the street. Arizona is an open-carry state so people have all sorts of larger weapons and they can just walk around with them. It was a little foreign and scary to us, but when I asked the sheriff near the parking lot where to cross the street, he said, "well, the safest place would be the crosswalk." So we walked right next to the gun people and felt safe.

(Side note: on the way out, I asked the sheriff who the groups were and found out about the Trump people. Then I was curious why the anti-Trump democrats were pro-gun. He told me that in Arizona, pro-gun does transcend party lines, but the group today was libertarian. Interesting.)

This Capitol building was the Capitol before Arizona became the 48th state. 

While this historic Capitol is now a museum, the new offices of government are strictly utilitarian and offer virtually no architectural interest or history. ):

Lego flag!

Old elevator shaft

Petrified wood