A Beaux-Arts federal building from 1921, renamed in 1990 for a judge killed by a mail bomb.
At a glance
The Robert S. Vance Federal Building and United States Courthouse stands at 1800 5th Avenue North in Birmingham, Alabama. It opened in 1921 as the U.S. Post Office and Federal Building & Courthouse. The Beaux-Arts structure has served the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama and continues to house the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the same district.
History
Built in 1921, the building took on its current name in 1990. That year Congress passed H.R.3961 to honor Robert Smith Vance, a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals assassinated in 1989 by a mail bomb sent to his home. President George H. W. Bush signed the bill into law on May 29, 1990, as Public Law 101-304.
What you see
The building reflects the Beaux-Arts style. Its form carries the weight expected of early twentieth-century federal architecture.
Cultural significance
The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 3, 1976. Its renaming commemorates a federal judge whose assassination drew national attention to the dangers faced by the judiciary.
Key facts
- Country: United States
- City: Birmingham
- Coordinates: 33.5172, -86.8106
Practical information & getting there
The building is located at 1800 5th Avenue North in downtown Birmingham. It remains an active federal courthouse.
Sources & resources
Find it on the map
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