Architect Charles Bulfinch, a New England native renowned for his work on state and national capitol buildings, designed the Maine State House in Augusta. He chose a Greek Revival style and utilized local granite for the building's facade. Construction commenced in 1829 and finished in 1832.

In 1909-1910, the State House received an extensive overhaul, designed by established New England architect G. Henri Desmond, whose other work included Portland High School and the Fidelity Trust Building on Portland's Congress Street. The renovation considerably altered the building's appearance and included the addition of the current dome. This image dated approximately twenty years after the renovation, depicts a newly updated State House.