Governor's Mansion

Governor's Mansion is a common term for the official residence of a governor, as in the cases for the official residences of U.S. state governors.

See also

Governor's Mansion (Shawnee, Oklahoma)

The Governor's Mansion in Shawnee, Oklahoma was built in 1903, on the speculation that Shawnee would be selected as the state capital and that this structure would become the Governor's official residence when Oklahoma became a state. However, Oklahoma did not attain statehood until 1907, and the Legislature chose Guthrie as the first capital, before naming Oklahoma City as the permanent state capital in 1910.

The house was built in an area known as Shawnee's first neighborhood, "...where the first generation of merchants, town leaders and early professionals lived."

The house was never used as the Governor's Mansion. Once it was clear that Shawnee would not become the state capital, the mansion became just another private residence. It is also known as the Giza House, because it was once owned by Zygmund O. Giza. It is still considered a local landmark and local residents still refer to it as the Governor's Mansion. It was registered with the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

Executive Mansion (Virginia)

The Virginia Governor's Mansion, better known as the Executive Mansion, is located in Richmond, Virginia, on Capitol Square and serves as the official residence of the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Designed by Alexander Parris, it is the oldest occupied governor's mansion in the United States. It has served as the home of Virginia governors and their families since 1813. This mansion is both a Virginia and a National Historic Landmark, and has had a number of successive renovations and expansions during the 20th century. Adjacent and immediately north of Capitol Square is the Court End neighborhood, which houses the White House of the Confederacy. During the Civil War, Virginia's statehouse, also in Richmond, housed offices of the Confederacy.

History

When Richmond became the capital of Virginia during 1779, there was no residence for the governor, but Thomas Jefferson rented one. The state was so poor that they could not pay the rent in time, so they blamed Jefferson for the problem. The state finally paid their rent and built a residence for the governor on the site of the present building.