Imagine a world where state capitols never existed. There would be no safety net to fall back on. Where would we go if there was a zombie apocalypse? Would we just stay in our homes and fight for our own individual lives? No. We would band together at a central location, a state capitol perhaps, and fight together. That is what a capitol does; it brings us together in a time of need, a time of desperation.

Before 1836, there was no Wisconsin State Capitol - which means there was no place to come together. However, in 1836 our legislancestors (legislative ancestors) met in a cramped little, house-like building in the town of Belmont and set the framework for our beautiful state of Wisconsin and capitol in Madison. They wrote up 47 laws, most of which included the framework of Wisconsin - roads, buildings, city plans, etc.

The move from Madison to Belmont had a significant impact on the Belmontcommunity. People and businesses left town. Some businesses stayed and weathered the storm. Eventually, in 1967, the whole town moved closer to the railway tracks and became the new town known as Leslie.

Without this history, we would never of had what we have today in Madison, Wisconsin - a beautiful capitol building. Be it a place to come together and fight zombies or come together and help those in need, fight for what is right or just enjoy the flower beds in the summer; whatever the capitol means to you, it will always be a place where people come together to weather the storm to me.