Elbert P. Tuttle United States Court of Appeals Building, Federal courthouse in Downtown Atlanta, United States.
The Elbert P. Tuttle United States Court of Appeals Building is a five-story structure in Renaissance Revival style located in downtown Atlanta. Its exterior walls are clad in granite, and inside you will find a marble-covered lobby along with courtrooms that feature ornate wooden details throughout.
Congress funded a combined post office and courthouse as Atlanta's population grew after the Civil War; ground was broken in 1907 and the building was completed in 1910. It housed postal and court functions until 1981, when the newly created Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals occupied it. It was renamed in 1989 for Judge Elbert Parr Tuttle (1897–1996).
This building served as a place where major civil rights decisions were made that changed lives throughout the South. Visitors can sense this history as they walk through the ornately designed courtrooms with their detailed wooden interiors.
The building fills the block bounded by Forsyth, Fairlie, Poplar and Walton streets, with its main facade on Forsyth Street. The courtrooms are on the third floor, reached by a marble staircase with a cast-iron baluster. Enter from the street side facing Forsyth to see the vaulted first-floor lobby and its domed ends.
During construction work in 1907, workers uncovered a natural rock formation at the site that resembled an American eagle. This unexpected discovery became part of the building's local history and remains an intriguing detail from the time it was created.
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