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THE LEWIS F. POWELL JR. UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE, RICHMOND, VA

This obtrusive facade in it’s distinctive Italianate style has served the nation for over 150 years and stands today in service to the American Judicial System. Oficially known as The Lewis F. Powell ,Jr. United States Courthouse, it is the last of more than 70 original structures of this design still owned and managed by the U.S. Government. Built in the 1850’s at double the estimated cost, designed by The Treasury Department’s first Supervising Architect, it was acclaimed as Richmond’s first completely fireproof building. Just two years after it’s completion, it would become the executive headquarters of a ‘government in rebelloin’ determined to bring down by a violent conflict the very system that built it. Here, decisions were made that affected the course of the bloodiest conflict in American history and changed the lives forever of those who lived through it. The building has been threatened with distruction by fire and human indifference, hosted persons both famous and infamous, and was at one time accused of being a house of prostitution. It has been a banking institution, a place of religous ceremony, and had the city’s first Womans’ Suffrage meeting. Persons have been condemned to death here, people have died here, and some have been sent to war from this building. Originally built as a Custom House and Post Office, with a District Courtroom on it’s third floor, it is the oldest Federal Building in the city of Richmond. It has experienced three major renovations during it’s long life, and contrary to popular belief, does not contain any of it’s original nineteenth century courtrooms or office spaces. The United States Postal Service vacated the building in 1991 and, in an effort to restore the interior to it’s original 1858 appearance, part of the Main Street Lobby and office spaces on the third floor were renovated in 1996. The U.S. District Court, Bankruptcy Court, and other agencies moved to a new building on East Broad Street in 2008. Currently, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is the only occupant of this historic landmark. Today, after all it’s expansion and alteration, the Courthouse remains a fine example of the Italianate style. It’s future has been in doubt numerous times, and it’s demolition has been proposed periodically as a measure to improve the view to Virginia’s Capitol Square.