Baltimore City Circuit Courthouses
Clarence M. Mitchell Jr. Courthouse | |
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United States of America | |
Coordinates | 39°17′27″N 76°36′47″W / 39.2907°N 76.613°W |
Construction started | 1896 |
Completed | 1900 |
Cost | $2.25 million |
Client | Mayor and City Council of Baltimore |
Technical details | |
Size | 6 floors |
Design and construction | |
Architect(s) | Wyatt and Nolting |
Designated | 1982 |
The Baltimore City Circuit Courthouses are state judicial facilities located in
The first courthouse in Baltimore Town was built in 1767 and also later housed briefly for a decade the new United States federal courts in the city, after the ratification and operation of the new
A second city/county courthouse of
A third and current courthouse, was built 1896–1900, on the entire city block west of the 1815-1822
A small federal district courthouse and
That Federal courts and central city Post Office on Calvert Street was replaced after only forty years of use in 1932, during the administration of 31st President
Together they house the 30 judges of the 8th Judicial Circuit for the State of Maryland (
History of area
What was the first federal courthouse in the city was constructed at what later became known as
Clarence M. Mitchell Jr. Courthouse
In 1894, 79 local and national architectural firms responded to a nationwide design competition under the
A number of murals were commissioned from notable artists, including the
Because of changing court needs, a joint evaluation study of the structure was completed in 1946 by architect Otto Eugene Adams and Henry Adams, Inc., under the administration of Mayor Thomas D'Alesandro Jr. The courthouse was expanded and renovated by 1950 to serve modern judicial needs (but the interior light courtyards were filled in to supply offices; there were other alterations characterized as ill-conceived).[7]
In 1985, this federal courthouse was rededicated in honor of Baltimore's noted national civil rights leader,
Description
The courthouse occupies a full city block. Eight Ionic columns, each weighing 35 tons and measuring 31 feet in height, support the base of the roof facing Calvert Street. These columns are seven feet taller than those surrounding the United States Capitol. Granite, quarried from Woodstock, Maryland, wraps the basement level and provides a solid base for the white marble-six story courthouse facade.
Courthouse East (old United States Courthouse and General Post Office for Baltimore)
U.S. Post Office and Courthouse | |
Location | 111 N. Calvert St., Baltimore, Maryland |
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Coordinates | 39°17′27″N 76°36′42″W / 39.290825°N 76.611657°W |
Area | 1.3 acres (0.53 ha) |
Built | 1930 |
Architect | Whetmore, James A.; Et al. |
Architectural style | Classical Revival |
NRHP reference No. | 77001530[12] |
Significant dates | |
Added to NRHP | March 25, 1977 |
Designated BCL | 1975 |
U.S. Post Office and Courthouse or "Courthouse East", is a historic combined post office and Federal courthouse located in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. It occupies an entire city block and measures 238 feet, 2 inches east-west by 279 feet, 10 inches north-south. It is of steel frame construction with concrete floors and tile roof, basement of granite, and outer walls of white Indiana limestone. The structure is six stories in height and provided with basement and two sub-basements. It was completed in 1932 at the beginning of the Great Depression, during the term of 30th President Herbert Hoover and provided thousands of jobs for the City. The Old Post Office/Federal Courthouse features some classical ornamentation on a fairly simplified stone exterior.
The Courthouse was transferred to the state in 1975 for its use in Baltimore following the relocation of the federal court functions to the new U.S. Courthouse (later named for local U.S. Rep. Edward Garmatz) at West Lombard and North Hanover streets, just south of the new Charles Center downtown redevelopment of the late 1950s-early 60's. In 1972, the main U.S. Post Office for the City was moved to large several-block sized structure at East Fayette, North Front Streets, east of the Jones Falls.
The state renovation/restoration of what is now known as Baltimore City "Courthouse East" was completed by 1990. Hord Coplan Macht Inc. was the architect and interior designer for the adaptive reuse of the old Baltimore Post Office; the restoration contractor was Lake Falls Construction Inc.[13]
History
Some notable federal district court cases held in this building, which include in 1973, when Vice President
See also
References
- ^ Rice, Laura. Maryland History In Prints 1743-1900. p. 28.
- ^ Rice, Laura. Maryland History in Prints 1743-1900. p. 97.
- ISBN 978-0-19-512822-2.
- ^ Master Plan for the Restoration and Renovation of the Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr. Courthouse. Baltimore, Maryland: Richter Cornbrooks Gribble, Inc. 1989.
- ^ "Clarence M. Mitchell Jr. Courthouse, Courtroom 451: Washington Surrendering His Commission". Maryland State Archives. Archived from the original on October 2, 2018. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
- ISBN 9781351561556. Archivedfrom the original on December 29, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
- ^ "Courthouse Plan Mapped, Renovation Program Recommended To Mayor," Baltimore (Morning) Sun, November 6, 1946.
- ^ "Baltimore African American Heritage Guide". Baltimore Area Convention and Visitors Association. Archived from the original on May 13, 2008. Retrieved May 7, 2008.
- ^ "Shabby courthouse robs law of dignity;" "A slum: Baltimore's circuit courthouses need major repair, deep cleaning and renovation"; The Sun. Baltimore, Md.: March 13, 2000. p. 8.A.
- ^ Edward Gunts, "'Temple of justice' fraying Mitchell Courthouse deserves a better fate than deterioration;" ARCHITECTURE; The Sun (Baltimore, Md.): October 1, 2000. p. 6.E.
- ^ Edward Gunts, "Court building obsolete, city told; New criminal courthouse, renovations would cost $293 million, report says;" The Sun, (Baltimore, Md.): December 9, 2002. p. 1.A.
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ Martin Azola named `Remodeler of the Year' (other awards included); by Edward Gunts (architecture reporter/critic), "The Sun", (Baltimore, Md.): December 2, 1990. p. 1.K.
- ^ "Maryland Historical Trust". United States Post Office and Courthouse, Baltimore City. Maryland Historical Trust. November 21, 2008. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved March 11, 2016.