William Kenzo Nakamura United States Courthouse

The ten-story courthouse features terracotta panels, polished terrazzo floors, and five courtrooms equipped with fifteen-foot windows facing the city streets.

Built in 1940 for 1.7 million dollars, this structure became the first single-purpose federal courthouse in the western United States.

The building received its name in 2001 to honor Private First Class William Kenzo Nakamura, who died protecting his platoon in Italy during World War II.

The courthouse serves as one of four regular meeting places for the Ninth Circuit Court, handling appeals from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska.

The building combines concrete frame construction with Art Deco patterns and a neoclassical temple-style facade designed by architect Gilbert Stanley Underwood.

Location: Seattle

Inception: August 1940

Architects: Gilbert Stanley Underwood

Architectural style: rustic architecture

Floors above the ground: 10

GPS coordinates: 47.60720,-122.33100

Latest update: September 23, 2025 14:24