Supreme Court and Library Building (Salem, Oregon)
- Title
- Supreme Court and Library Building (Salem, Oregon)
- LC Subject
- Architecture, American Historic buildings
- Alternative
- Oregon Supreme Court Building (Salem, Oregon)
- Creator
- Knighton, William C., 1866-1938 Erixon, Fred A. (Fred Alfred), 1861-1942
- Photographer
- Katcha, Josette
- Description
- The Oregon Supreme Court Building was constructed in 1914 and designed in the Beaux Arts style by Oregon State Architect William C. Knighton. Home to the Oregon Supreme Court, Oregon Court of Appeals, Oregon Judicial Department, and the Oregon State Law Library, this building is located in the southeast corner of the Salem Capitol Mall, adjacent to the State Capitol building and sharing a block with the Justice Building to the north. The building is surrounded by mature trees and greenspace, extending the park-like appearance of the Capitol Mall. It is a 57,650 square foot, three-story rectilinear building with basement and attic. It is constructed of steel and concrete, clad primarily in white terra cotta with a granite veneer foundation, and topped with a flat roof and parapet. Its Beaux Arts style is clearly expressed by classical detailing such as symmetrical elevations, engaged Ionic columns, a traditional entablature, segmental-arched windows, and a pedimented roof parapet with small arched battlements. The interior boasts original marble floors and wainscot, a bifurcated grand stair, ornate plaster ceilings, mahogany trim, and a stained-glass skylight at the third-floor courtroom designed by Portland's own Povey Brothers. Spared from the devastating capitol fire of 1935, the Oregon Supreme Court Building is the oldest government building in Salem. Little has changed of the exterior and primary interior spaces since its construction. The exterior was restored in 2014 to repair deteriorating terra cotta units. Primary interior spaces retain their original finishes such as marble wainscoting and mahogany trim, and the building continues its original function as a courthouse and law library. The building retains high integrity and serves as an icon for the Judicial branch of government in Oregon and as a rare example of early 20th century architecture in the Salem Capitol Mall.
- View
- interior: view of the skylight superstructure from the attic, camera looking north
- Style Period
- Beaux-Arts (style)
- Work Type
- courthouses libraries (buildings)
- Location
- Salem >> Marion County >> Oregon >> United States
- Date
- 1914/1969
- View Date
- 2019-07-22
- Identifier
- OR_MarionCounty_OregonSupremeCourtBuilding_0014
- Rights
- In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
- Dc Rights Holder
- Oregon. State Historic Preservation Office
- Source
- Oregon. State Historic Preservation Office
- Type
- Image
- Format
- image/tiff
- Measurements
- 57,650 square feet
- Material
- granite, terra cotta, rubber
- Set
- Building Oregon
- Primary Set
- Building Oregon
- Institution
- University of Oregon
- Citation
- Oregon State Historic Preservation Office, Oregon State Historic Preservation Office, http://www.oregon.gov/OPRD/HCD/SHPO/