Tucked off to the side on the third floor of the Washington State Capitol Building, the State Reception Room contains multiple curiosities.
Still in use, visitors can walk right onto a 100-year-old carpet that was once supposedly the largest single-loom carpet in existence. Created by the Mohawk Carpet Company of New York in 1928, the giant piece is occasionally rolled up to reveal an antique wooden dance floor underneath.
On each far wall of the long hall, vexillophiles will enjoy the U.S. and Washington State flags on display. The U.S. flag features 42 stars, made locally after Washington gained admittance as the 42nd state in November 1889. The flag would never come to official fruition, however, as Idaho snuck in one day before the July 4, 1890 deadline to commission new flags nationally.
The other wall displays the original flag of Washington, which features a different portrait of the state’s namesake—clad as General Washington—than today’s current flag with his presidential portrait.
Unless you are a visiting dignitary, the best way to access the room is via the free capitol tours that depart every hour from the building’s main entry.