The new state Capitol drew rave reviews. Its dome was inspired by the domes of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome and the United States Capitol. President Theodore Roosevelt called it "the most beautiful state Capital in the nation" and said, "It's the handsomest building I ever saw" at the dedication. In 1989, "The New York Times" praised it as "grand, even awesome at moments, but it is also a working building, accessible to citizens... a building that connects with the reality of daily life".