Brief History

In 1893, the U.S. Post Office was considered outdated and led people within Denver, CO to inquire about a new, larger building for the Post Office and Federal Courts.  In 1903, the authorization for a new building was approved, but could not be funded until 1908.  James Knox Taylor, the Architect of the Treasury Department chose Tracy, Swartwout and Litchfield to design a new Post Office and Courthouse. 

Evarts Tracy (1868-1922) and Egerton Swartwout (1870-1943) both graduated from Yale University and worked as draftsmen in New York.  Electus Litchfield (1872-1952) graduated from Brookland Polytechnic Institute and the Stevens Institute of Technology and joined the others in a partnership in 1908.

Between 1994 and 1997, decisions were made to restore the U.S. Courthouse in Denver, CO.  Pine's Stone Company was contacted and began to search for a stone to match the marble used many years ago.  Because of Pine’s Stone’s reputation for their ability to find, furnish or duplicate any stone from around the world, they came across a solution at the Yule Marble Quarry not far from their office. 

Pine’s Stone spoke with the Yule Marble Quarry and also with New Mexico Travertine, a large fabrication and stone supplier in Belen, New Mexico to get the restoration process going.  New Mexico Travertine completed all of the Balusters for the Courthouse and in the closing stages it was stunning.

  

EMBRACING THE GREEN MOVEMENT...
WITH STONE

 

 

 

  
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In 1910 the construction began and opened in January of 1916.  In 1973 the U.S. Post Office and Courthouse was listed into the National Register of Historic Places and in 1994 was renamed in the honor of U.S. Supreme Court Justice, Byron R. White (1917-2002) who was a native of Fort Collins, CO.

Architecture

The Byron R. White U.S. Courthouse is an example of the Neo-Classical architecture that was well known throughout the twentieth century.  It is located in downtown Denver, takes up an entire city block and stands four stories high. 

Yule Marble, from the Yule Marble Quarry in Marble, CO approximately 15 miles from Pine’s Stone Company was the material used for the design of the U.S. Courthouse. 

  
       
       
   

 

Reference:

"Byron R. White U.S. Courthouse, Denver, Colorado." Byron R. White U.S. Courthouse, Denver, Colorado. 12 Oct. 2006. U.S. General Services Administration. 22 Feb. 2007 <http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?programId=9590&channelId= 7572&ooid=19382&contentId=19978&pageTypeId=8195&contentType=GSA_BASIC&programPage=%2Fep%
2Fprogram%2FgsaBasic.jsp&P=PMHP>.

 
       
Pine's Stone Company, Inc. | Glenwood Springs, Colorado | Toll Free 800.928.2940 | Office 970.945.2940 | Fax 970.945.7962