The Supreme Court of the United States:

A Brief Chronicle

Did You Know?

The U.S. Supreme Court wasn’t given its own building until 1935!

Did You Know?

Before that, the Supreme Court met in the US Capitol Building.

Until…

William Howard Taft was appointed Chief Justice of

the United States and began pushing the idea of moving the Supreme Court into its

own building.

In 1928

Congress responded to Taft’s initiative by creating the

United States Supreme Court Building Commission.

In 1929

Famous New York architect, Cass Gilbert, was formally hired by the commission to design the

Supreme Court building.

The classical Corinthian architectural style was selected because it best harmonized with nearby congressional buildings.

It was designed to signify the importance and dignity of the Court

and the Judiciary as a coequal, independent branch of the United

States government, and as a symbol of "the national ideal of justice”.

It measures 385 ft from front to back and 304 ft from side to side. At its greatest height, the building rises 4

stories above the ground floor.

Vermont marble was used on the exterior.

The four inner courtyards are of crystalline flaked, white Georgia marble.

The walls and floors of the corridors and entrance halls are

either wholly or partially of creamy Alabama marble.

American quartered white oak covers the offices

throughout the building, used in doors, trim, paneled walls,

and some floors.

The design was projected to cost $9,740,000 to build.

President Herbert Hoover laid the building’s cornerstone and

construction began.

In 1932

In 1935

The building was completed at a final cost of $9,395,566.

(4% less than the projected cost)

Unfortunately, both Taft and Gilbert died before the building’s completion.

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