AUGUSTA -- Even before he became governor, John McKernan started getting his hair cut at Duke's Rotary Barber & Beauty Shop.

As a congressman who represented Augusta in Washington for four years, McKernan stopped by for a trim at the venerable shop within walking distance of the state Capitol. When he became governor, he was already a well-established patron.

"I was all ready to settle in when I became governor," said McKernan, a Republican who served as governor from 1987 to 1995.

Governors past and present said they enjoyed their time in Augusta, whether or not they actually lived here full time. The city, especially city government, always proved a willing partner, they said.

It's a place where the governor can go pick up a pizza, said former Democratic Gov. Ken Curtis.

It's a place where the governor's son can go to a brand new high school, said current Gov. John Baldacci, also a Democrat.

And it's a place that's made all the right moves toward revitalization, such as removing the Edwards Mill dam, creating a walking trail along the Kennebec River, and turning the old city hall into senior housing, said former Gov. Angus King, an independent.

"There's a lot of potential that is just beginning to be realized," he said.

The city's fate could have been seriously altered if it hadn't fought so hard to get and retain the right to be the state capital.

And it was a fight.

Neil Rolde, a former state representative and historian, outlined Augusta's struggle to hold on to the capital in a speech he gave in 1982 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Maine Statehouse.

According to his research, the battle went something like this:

When Maine first became a state in 1820, the Legislature met in Portland. But everyone understood that the capital needed to be in a more central location.

At first, a legislative committee chose Hallowell, which at the time was "a thriving seaport."

But politics got in the way, and a separate group chose Augusta. After several years of arguments in the House and Senate, a cornerstone for the new Capitol was laid on July 4, 1829.

When it was finished in 1832, it cost just under $140,000, according to Rolde.

Even after the building was finished, and as late as 1907, members of the Portland delegation made attempts to move the Legislature back to their city, complaining that hotel accommodations in Augusta weren't up to par.

The matter is now well settled, Rolde reported.

"Since the last turbulent debate in 1907, Augusta has retained its role as Maine's capital and its government facilities have grown to the point where any thought of removal is patently unthinkable," he wrote.

For McKernan, who grew up in Bangor and settled in southern Maine, Augusta indeed proved to be a central location that properly provides what a sitting governor needs. He said city officials worked especially hard to make him feel welcome, and that he tried to participate in celebrations of the city in Capitol Park and in the Whatever Festival. The annual summer festival features events for families on and around the Kennebec River.

"We need to continue to see the kind of relationship that can grow between state government and the city," he said. "Having state government there is an asset."

Baldacci, another Bangor native, moved his family into the Blaine House just before being sworn into office in January 2003. Even before that, he lived in Augusta when he served as a state senator from 1982 to 1994, sharing an apartment with other lawmakers.

He, too, mentioned the city's many amenities -- the boat landing, trails, the state museum, civic center, the new YMCA and the imminent redevelopment of the old Kennebec Arsenal.

"I was born and raised in Bangor, but Augusta will always be like my second home," he said.

Curtis, who served as governor from 1967 to 1975, said his attachment to Augusta also extends prior to his service as governor.

Although he grew up in Leeds, he attended high school in Augusta "because I heard so many good things about Cony."

As governor, he said he and his family enjoyed city living.

"It's easier to be part of the community," he said. "It made the job a little more human, if that's the right term."

King, who did not move his family to Augusta but chose to continue to live in Brunswick during his eight-year term, said he spent a lot of time in the city. He said Augusta is a good state capital because the Statehouse doesn't get lost here.

"I think it's nice to keep state government connected to the heart of the state and it doesn't get carried away with an urban center," he said.

King praised the efforts of Sen. Elizabeth Mitchell, D-Vassalboro, who spearheaded much-needed Statehouse renovations while he was in office.

He said the building had become "downright shabby" with peeling paint and cracking plaster.

There was one thing -- he describes it as a wacky idea -- that didn't come to pass during his tenure.

He always wanted to unite the state government buildings located on opposite sides of the Kennebec.

"I always thought it would be cool to connect the two places with an aerial tramway across the river," he said.

Susan Cover -- 623-1056

scover@centralmaine.com