List of capitals of the United States

Capitals of the United States of America

Venues for the continental congresses from 1774 to 1789

• Philadelphia (1774–76, 1777, 1781–83)
  • September 5 - October 24, 1774 venue of the First Continental Congress
  • May 10, 1775 - December 12, 1776 venue of the Second Continental Congress
  • March 4 - September 18, 1777 venue of the Second Continental Congress
  • July 2, 1778 - March 1, 1781 venue of the Second Continental Congress
  • March 1, 1781 - June 21, 1783 Venue of the Second Continental Congress under Articles of Confederation
• Baltimore (1776-77)
  • December 20, 1776 - February 27, 1777 venue of the Second Continental Congress
• Lancaster (1777)
  • September 27, 1777 (only one day) venue of the Second Continental Congress
• York (1777-78)
  • September 30, 1777 - June 27, 1778 Venue of the Second Continental Congress
• Princeton (1783)
  • June 30 - November 4, 1783 Location of the Second Continental Congress under Articles of Confederation
• Annapolis (1783-84)
  • November 26, 1783 - August 19, 1784 Venue of the Second Continental Congress under Articles of Confederation
• Trenton (1784)
  • November 1 - December 24, 1784 Venue of the Second Continental Congress under the Articles of Confederation
• New York (1785-89)
  • January 11 - November 4, 1785 Venue of the Second Continental Congress under Articles of Confederation
  • November 7, 1785 - November 3, 1786 Venue of the Second Continental Congress under Articles of Confederation
  • November 6, 1786 - October 30, 1787 Venue of the Second Continental Congress under Articles of Confederation
  • November 5, 1787 - October 21, 1788 Venue of the Second Continental Congress under Articles of Confederation
  • November 3, 1788 - March 2, 1789 Venue of the Second Continental Congress under Articles of Confederation

Capitals of the United States of America after the Constitution came into force on March 4, 1789

• new York
  • 1789–1790 capital of the United States of America
• Philadelphia
  • 1790–1800 capital of the United States of America
• Washington, DC
  • since June 11, 1800 capital of the United States of America

Capitals of the Confederate States of America from 1861 to 1865

• Montgomery
  • February 4 - May 29, 1861 Capital of the Confederate States of America
• Richmond
  • 1861–1865 capital of the Confederate States of America
• Danville
  • April 3 - April 10, 1865 Capital of the Confederate States of America

State capitals

For a table of states with their current capital cities, see the US State article .

For the sake of clarity, this list is not sorted alphabetically according to the capitals - as these sometimes changed - but according to the states. Eleven states joined the Confederation in 1861 (see notes in italics).

1. Alabama (December 14, 1819, 22nd state of the USA) - Joined the Confederate States in 1861, re-joined the Union in 1868
   • Huntsville (until 1820)
   • Cahawba (1820-26)
   • Tuscaloosa (1826-47)
   • Montgomery (since 1847)
2. Alaska (January 3, 1959, 49th state)
   • Juneau
3. Arizona (February 14, 1912, 48th US state)
   • Phoenix
4. Arkansas (June 15, 1836, 25th state of the USA) - Accession to the Confederate States in 1861, re-entry into the Union in 1868
   • Little rock
   • Washington
5. Colorado (August 1, 1876, 38th state)
   • Denver
6. Connecticut (January 9, 1788, 5th US state)
   • Hartford and New Haven (simultaneous capitals until 1875)
   • Hartford (sole capital since 1875)
7. Delaware (December 7, 1787, 1st US state)
   • Dover
8. Florida (March 3, 1845, 27th state in the USA) - Joined the Confederate States in 1861, re-admitted to the Union in 1868
   • Tallahassee
9. Georgia (January 2, 1788, 4th state of the USA) - acceded to the Confederate States in 1861, re-admitted to the Union in 1870
   • Augusta (until 1796)
   • Louisville (1796-1804)
   • Milledgeville (1804-68)
   • Atlanta (since 1868)
10. Hawaii (August 21, 1959, 50th US state)
    • Honolulu
11. Idaho (July 3, 1890, 43rd state)
    • Boise
12. Illinois (December 3, 1818, 21st US state)
    • Kaskaskia (until 1820)
    • Vandalia (1820-39)
    • Springfield (since 1839)
13. Indiana (December 11, 1816, 19th state in U.S.)
    • Corydon (until 1825)
    • Indianapolis (since 1825)
14. Iowa (December 28, 1846, 29th U.S. state)
    • Iowa City (until 1857)
    • Des Moines (since 1857)
15. California (September 9, 1850, 31st US state)
    • San Jose (until 1852)
    • Vallejo (1852-53)
    • Benicia (1853-54)
    • Sacramento (since 1854)
16. Kansas (January 29, 1861, 34th state)
    • Topeka
17. Kentucky (June 1, 1792, 15th US state)
    • Lexington (June 1 - December 5, 1792)
    • Frankfort (since December 5, 1792)
    • Bowling Green (1861–62 Confederate Capital)
18. Louisiana (April 30, 1812, 18th state in the USA) - Accession to the Confederate States in 1861, re-entry into the Union in 1868
    • New Orleans (until 1830, 1831–49, 1862–65 capital of the unionists and 1865–82)
    • Donaldsonville (1830-31)
    • Baton Rouge (1849–62 and since 1882)
    • Opelousas (1862–63 Confederate capital)
    • Shreveport (1863-65 Confederate capital)
19. Maine (March 15, 1820, 23rd US state)
    • Portland (until 1832)
    • Augusta (since 1832)
20. Maryland (April 28, 1788, 7th US state)
    • Annapolis
21. Massachusetts (February 6, 1788, 6th US state)
    • Boston
22. Michigan (January 26, 1837, 26th US state)
    • Detroit (until 1847)
    • Lansing (since 1847, renamed Lansing from Michigan in 1848)
23. Minnesota (May 11, 1858, 32nd state in the U.S.)
    • Saint Paul
24. Mississippi (December 10, 1817, 20th state in the USA) - Joined the Confederate States in 1861, re-admitted to the Union in 1870
    • Natchez (until 1821)
    • Columbia (1821-22)
    • Jackson (since 1822)
25. Missouri (August 10, 1821, 24th US state)
    • Saint Charles (until 1826)
    • Jefferson City (since 1826)
    • Marshall (Texas) (1862–65 seat of the Confederate government-in-exile)
26. Montana (November 8, 1889, 41st state in the USA)
    • Helena
27. Nebraska (March 1, 1867, 37th state)
    • Omaha (until August 14, 1867)
    • Lincoln (since August 14, 1867)
28. Nevada (October 31, 1864, 36th state in the U.S.)
    • Carson City
29. New Hampshire (June 21, 1788, 9th US state)
    • Exeter (until 1789)
    • Portsmouth (1789-1808)
    • Concord (since 1808)
30. New Jersey (December 18, 1787, 3rd US state)
    • Burlington and Perth Amboy (simultaneous capitals until 1790)
    • Trenton (since 1790)
31. New Mexico (January 6, 1912, 47th state in the U.S.)
    • Santa Fe
32. New York (July 26, 1788, 11th US state)
    • New York (until 1797)
    • Albany (since 1797)
33. North Carolina (November 21, 1789, 12th state of the USA) - acceded to the Confederate States in 1861, admitted to the Union in 1868
    • New Bern (until 1794)
    • Raleigh (since 1794)
34. North Dakota (November 2, 1889, 39th US state)
    • Bismarck
35. Ohio (March 1, 1803, 17th state)
    • Chillicothe (until 1810 and 1812–16)
    • Zanesville (1810-12)
    • Columbus (since 1816)
36. Oklahoma (November 16, 1907, 46th US state)
    • Guthrie (until 1910)
    • Oklahoma City (since 1910)
37. Oregon (February 14, 1859, 33rd state in the U.S.)
    • Salem
38. Pennsylvania (December 12, 1787, 2nd US state)
    • Philadelphia (until 1799)
    • Lancaster (1799-1812)
    • Harrisburg (since 1812)
39. Rhode Island (May 29, 1790, 13th US state)
    • Bristol , East Greenwich , Newport , Providence and South Kingstown (co-capitals until 1854)
    • Newport and Providence (1854-1900 simultaneous capitals)
    • Providence (sole capital since 1900)
40. South Carolina (May 23, 1788, 8th US state) - Joined the Confederate States in 1861, re-admitted to the Union in 1868
    • Charleston (until 1790)
    • Columbia (since 1790)
41. South Dakota (November 2, 1889, 40th state)
    • Pierre
42. Tennessee (June 1, 1796, 16th state of the USA) - Joined the Confederate States in 1861, rejoined the Union in 1866
    • Knoxville (until 1812 and 1815-17)
    • Nashville (1812-15 and since 1843)
    • Murfreesboro (1817–43)
43. Texas (December 29, 1845, 28th state of the USA) - Joined the Confederate States in 1861, re-admitted to the Union in 1870
    • Austin
44. Utah (January 4, 1896, 45th state)
    • Salt Lake City
45. Vermont (March 4, 1791, 14th US state)
    • Rutland and Windsor (simultaneous capitals until 1805)
    • Montpelier (since 1805)
46. Virginia (June 25, 1788, 10th state of the USA) - 1861 accession to the Confederate States, 1870 admission to the Union
    • Richmond
47. Washington (November 11, 1889, 42nd US state)
    • Olympia
48. West Virginia (June 20, 1863, 35th state)
    • Wheeling (until 1870 and 1875–85)
    • Charleston (1870–75 and since 1885)
49. Wisconsin (May 29, 1848, 30th US state)
    • Madison
50. Wyoming (July 10, 1890, 44th state)
    • Cheyenne

Capitals of the dependent areas

The date indicates the time of possession and eventual return of the area by the USA; the current political status is also given

• US Virgin Islands of the United States (March 31, 1917, external self-governing territory)
  • Charlotte Amalie
• American Samoa (April 17, 1900, external self-governing territory)
  • Pago Pago
• Guam (June 21, 1898, external self-governing territory)
  • Hagåtña (renamed from Agana to Hagåtña in 1998; renamed Akashi during the Japanese occupation 1941-44)
• Northern Mariana Islands (June 17, 1975, Associated Commonwealth of Nations)
  • Saipan
• Panama Canal Zone (February 23, 1904 - December 31, 1999, under the sovereign and defensive powers of the USA)
  • Balboa
• Jarvis Island / Jarvis Island , Midway Islands / Midway Islands , Johnston Atoll / Johnston Atoll , Kingmanriff / Kingman Reef as well as Navassa , Palmyra and Wake are uninhabited or on some only US military is stationed. They are administered by the US Department of the Interior , the US Department of Defense or the US military.