Portal:Texas/Selected article/2

The Texas State Capitol, located in Austin, Texas, is the fourth building to serve as the seat of Texas government. Originally designed by Elijah E. Myers, it was constructed from 1882-1888, and an extension and a major renovation were completed in the 1990s, with the extension being completely below ground. The building was recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 1986. Construction of the capitol building was funded through an article in the state constitution, adopted February 15, 1876, which authorized the sale of public lands for the purpose. The builders of the capitol were paid with three million acres (12,000 km²) of land in the Texas panhandle; this tract later became the XIT Ranch. The cornerstone for the building was laid on March 2, 1885. The original plan for the capitol called for it to be constructed from limestone quarried within the state; however there was some concern that the available limestone would be of variable quality. Hearing of the problem, the owners of Granite Mountain near Marble Falls offered to donate to the state free of charge the necessary amount of pink granite as an alternative.