Recap: Byron White U.S. Courthouse Tour

About the tour:

This one and a half hour tour explored the architecture, history and use of Denver’s Byron White U.S. Courthouse on Tuesday, November 12, 2019. We learned about the evolution of the building from a multi-purpose structure into the courthouse we see today. We saw modern and historic court rooms, meeting rooms and judge’s chambers. We explored a museum dedicated to the life and work of the building’s namesake, Justice Byron White, as well as his actual chambers. We also learned about the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Federal court system. Weather and time permitted us to look at the building’s exterior and site plan. This tour was led by expert guide, Steve Massing, U.S. Courts staff, knowledgeable in both the history and architecture of the building and the operations of the court.

About the building:

The Byron White U.S. Courthouse introduced and popularized the Neoclassicall style in Denver on a grand scale. This building has been described as “a poem in marble”. Using native stone marble from Marble, Colorado, the exterior of the post office courthouse is clad entirely in marble. The building’s purpose has changed many times over the years as Denver has grown. Today, the building is the seat of the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, one of 13 Federal courts hearing appeals from courts throughout a six-state inter-mountain region.