National Historic Landmark

US Court House and Post Office

Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California
Listed
February 9, 2006
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
06000001

About this property

The Spring Street Courthouse, formerly the United States Court House in Downtown Los Angeles, is a Moderne style building that originally served as both a post office and a courthouse. The building was designed by Gilbert Stanley Underwood and Louis A. Simon, and construction was completed in 1940. It formerly housed federal courts but is now used by Los Angeles Superior Court. The United States Court House initially housed court facilities for the United States District Court for the Southern District of California, until the District was redrawn in 1966. It thereafter functioned as a court house with judges from the United States District Court for the Central District of California. In 2016 the federal courts moved to the new First Street Courthouse. There is another federal court house in the Roybal Building in Downtown Los Angeles. In February 2006, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as U.S. Court House and Post Office. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2012, as the site of Gonzalo Mendez et al v. Westminster School District of Orange County, et al, a major legal case in advancing the civil rights of Mexican-Americans, and a precursor to the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case.

Location

312 N. Spring St.
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California
34.05478, -118.24180

Categories

ARCHITECTURECOMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTPOLITICS/GOVERNMENT
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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Conflict & War
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The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
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Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
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The Community
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Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
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Nearby Historic Sites

Federal Building
Modern
0.1 mi
Los Angeles Plaza Historic District
Early Republic
0.2 mi
Plaza Substation
Industrial
0.3 mi
Higgins Building
Industrial
0.3 mi
Little Tokyo Historic District
Listed
0.3 mi

Nearby Battles

Siege of Los Angeles
1846Mexican-American War
0.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was US Court House and Post Office listed on the National Register?

US Court House and Post Office was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 9, 2006.

What type of historic resource is US Court House and Post Office?

US Court House and Post Office is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is US Court House and Post Office a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. US Court House and Post Office has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for US Court House and Post Office?

The period of significance for US Court House and Post Office is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near US Court House and Post Office?

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