United States Post Office and Courthouse (Los Angeles, California, 1910)

The second Los Angeles federal building in Los Angeles County, California, more formally the United States Post Office and Courthouse, was a government building in the United States was designed by James Knox Taylor ex officio and constructed between 1906 and 1910 on the block bounded by North Main, Spring, New High, and Temple Streets. The location was previously known as the Downey Block.[1]

United States Post Office and Courthouse
Postcard c. 1910 (New York Public Library collections)
Alternative namesLos Angeles Federal Building
General information
Address312 N. Spring Street
Town or cityLos Angeles, California
CountryUnited States
Coordinates34.0550°N 118.2414°W / 34.0550; -118.2414
Opened1910
Demolished1937

The second federal building was made of “red sandstone on a white granite base” and cost $500,000.[2] Upon completion, the six-story building[3] housed a post office, Southern District of California courtrooms,[4] customs offices, and revenue offices.[2] The "impressive" post office was a marble-lined hall within the building.[5] The circuit court moved into the building in September 1910.[6]

However, the population of Los Angeles grew rapidly in the early part of the 20th century, and a larger building was needed to serve the courts and federal agencies. The second federal building was razed in 1937 by the Works Progress Administration[7] to clear the site for the Spring Street Courthouse.[8]

The street address of this building may have been 201 N. Main Street.[9]

  • Second Los Angeles Federal Building (1910–1937)
    Second Los Angeles Federal Building (1910–1937)
  • "Post office" in blue is the second federal building (real estate map, 1921)
    "Post office" in blue is the second federal building (real estate map, 1921)
  • Caricature referencing Joseph Mesmer's fundraising for the second Los Angeles federal building
    Caricature referencing Joseph Mesmer's fundraising for the second Los Angeles federal building

See also

References
  1. Newmark, Marco R. (September 1942). "Pioneer Merchants of Los Angeles, Part I". Quarterly Publication of the Historical Society of Southern California. XXIV (3): 92–95 – via Hathi Trust.
  2. Standard Guide to Los Angeles, San Diego, and the Panama-California Exposition. Press Association. 1914.
  3. "U.S. Courthouse, Los Angeles, CA". www.gsa.gov. Retrieved 2022-12-13.
  4. "Historical Decades | Central District of California | United States District Court". www.cacd.uscourts.gov. Retrieved 2022-12-15.
  5. Stargel, Cory; Stargel, Sarah (2009). Early Downtown Los Angeles. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7385-7003-7.
  6. "Los Angeles Herald 24 September 1910 — California Digital Newspaper Collection". cdnc.ucr.edu. Retrieved 2023-02-21.
  7. Connolly, Donald H. and G. I. Farman. Report of Accomplishment of the Operations Division. Works Progress Administration, Southern California. January 1, 1939. Los Angeles Public Library: Works Progress Administration. 1939. p. 146.
  8. General Services Administration page on the United States Court House (Los Angeles).
  9. Survey (U.S.), Historical Records (1940). Inventory of Federal Archives in the States. Historical Records Survey.


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