statecapitols.tigerleaf.com
Capitol Info Section: Telling Them Apart
Page: Manhunting, A Poem

This page is unique. There are four capitols compared to each other, and (I apologize for this) a poem is used for the association. All four buildings are red with white trim, which is unusual as capitols go but confusing when you try to distinguish them. The domes, cupolas, and cupola towers are the features I use to distinguish them, so those are the parts the association poem refers to. Oh, and the states are placed in the poem and on this page in alphabetical order to help keep them arranged neatly in my mind. Here is the poem:

Manhunting

Hunting for menfolk in white and in red,
Delicate Della wants someone to wed,
Muscular Mary, a boyfriend instead,
The Boss was near with gold on his head,
And Quicksilver Carson? "Too far," they both said.
Look out, Boston!

Delaware – Delicate Della

image courtesy of
Irene Adams, Colorado Springs

The Design
Delaware is very proud of being the "First State," which they are because they were the first to ratify the Constitution of the United States. One would expect the first state to have a very old capitol building, so when you look at the Delaware State House, it is not surprising to see a Georgian Revival design without the dome that so many newer states included in theirs. It is surprising, however, to then learn this capitol was built in 1932. Delaware is also proud of the style of their capital city, so they made their new State House fit right in.

Delicate Della
This capitol is red, handmade brick with a white cupola tower and white trim. The tall, slender tower is delicate in appearance compared to the domes and cupolas of the other three red-and-white capitols on this page.

An Association
Just make "Delicate" part of a nickname;
Delicate Della for
Delicate Della - ware.

image courtesy of Irene Adams, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Delaware's Line in "Manhunting"
Delicate Della wants someone to wed,

Maryland — Muscular Mary

image courtesy of Vladimir Ivanov

Muscular Mary
The effect of the dome and cupola tower on this red brick, white trim capitol is more massive than the Delaware tower. It looks muscular in comparison.

An Association
I used "muscular" to make a nickname;
Muscular Mary for
Muscular Mary - land.

Maryland's Line in "Manhunting"
Muscular Mary,
a boyfriend instead,

State House from Francis St.
image courtesy of Angela Lewis

State House Visitor Entrance
image courtesy of
Department of Legislative Services

Two Fronts
The Maryland capitol has two entrances on opposite sides of the building. Both sides are frequently pictured as the front. The tower doesn't appear as massive from the visitor entrance side.

Massachusetts — The Boss

image courtesy of Della M. Huff

The Full Picture
The original, red brick portion of the Massachusetts state house is almost always the only part pictured. This is an unusual panoramic image of the whole front since it includes the white marble wing additions on both sides.

The Changes
The appearance of this state house has changed over the years. The dome went from wood-shingled, to copper, to gold, to gray, and back to gold; the red brick was painted white from 1825 to 1928; and those huge wings were added to both sides.

image courtesy of Galen R. Frysinger

An Association
One who wears a gold conquistador's helmet ought to be the boss. Boston is Massachusetts' capital. The Boss - ton, Massachusetts.

Massachusetts' Line in "Manhunting"
The Boss was near with gold on his head,

image courtesy of
Galen R. Frysinger

The Helmet
This building is red brick with white trim and wings. Since this capitol is on a hill and most photographs are taken from below, the dome usually appears to be part of the peaked roof in front of it. This combination resembles a conquistador's helmet, don't you agree?

Nevada —
Quicksilver Carson

Native sandstone was used for the exterior of the Nevada capitol. It isn't quite as red as the three brick capitols above, but it looks very much like them at first glance with its white trim.

The silver-colored, domed roof of the cupola is in honor of Nevada's nickname, the 'Silver State.'

Nevada's Line in "Manhunting"
And Quicksilver Carson? "Too far," they both said.

front and dome images courtesy of
Nevada Commission on Tourism

An Association
The silver dome is unique (though Illinois comes close) and easy to pair with either Nevada's 'Silver State' nickname or one like Quicksilver Carson for the Nevada capital, Carson City.
Quicksilver Carson - City, Nevada.

One more time, the poem:

Manhunting

Hunting for menfolk in white and in red,
Delicate Della wants someone to wed,
Muscular Mary, a boyfriend instead,
The Boss was near with gold on his head,
And Quicksilver Carson? "Too far," they both said.
Look out, Boston!