Missouri State Capitol was Destroyed Again

On February 5, 1911, the second Missouri State Capitol was destroyed by fire. A bolt of lightning hit the dome of the Missouri State Capitol, sparking a fire that tore through the building. Firefighters across mid-Missouri rushed to Jefferson City to try and save the building. By the time the sun came up, and onlookers could survey the damage, the beautiful structure was a complete loss. The first state capitol in Jefferson City had also burned to the ground in 1837. The third capitol building to be erected, which is the current Capitol, took six years to build and opened in 1917. 

Based upon content from the book Missouri 365: This Day in Missouri History by John W. Brown, broadcaster and Missouri historian. Get your copy at Reedy Press.

Image from Picryl licensed under the public domain.