Oregon State Capitol in Salem is the center of state government and the outcome of a long struggle over Oregon’s capital, which Salem secured decisively by 1864 after earlier contests with Oregon City and Corvallis. Two earlier capitols on this site were destroyed by fire, the first in 1855 and the second in 1935. The present building, completed in 1938 and expanded in 1977, replaced them with an Art Deco design by Trowbridge & Livingston and Francis Keally. Its marble construction, distinctive cupola, and landscaped grounds reflect a modern statehouse shaped by political conflict, repeated loss, and rebuilding.