United States Post Office and Courthouse (Meridian, Mississippi) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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United States Post Office and Courthouse
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Post Office-Courthouse in 2018
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 Location in Mississippi
Location in the United States
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| Location | 2100 9th St, Meridian, Mississippi |
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| Area | 1.4 acres (0.57 ha) |
| Built | 1933 |
| Architect | P.J. Krouse & Fort |
| Architectural style | Art Deco |
| NRHP reference No. | 84002236 |
| Added to NRHP | May 17, 1984 |
The United States Post Office and Courthouse in Meridian, Mississippi is a historic building. It was built in 1933. This building is special because it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. This means it's an important place in history.
The building is made of limestone and has three floors. It was designed in a cool style called Art Deco. For many years, it was home to Meridian's main post office. It also had a federal courthouse. The courthouse closed in 2012, but the building is still open. The post office still works there today.
Contents
Meridian's First Post Office
Meridian's first post office was very small. In 1853, one of the city's founders, John T. Ball, opened a log store. He convinced the government to put a small post office inside his store.
Over the years, the post office moved several times. People in Meridian wanted a bigger, special building for their federal services. This dream came true in 1898. A new, large building was finally built.
The First Federal Building
The first federal building was designed by an architect named William Martin Aiken. It cost $80,000, which was a lot of money back then! This three-story building was located at 8th Street and 22nd Avenue. It held both the post office and the city's courthouse.
The courthouse was used by federal courts until 1933. As Meridian grew, the building became very busy. By 1899, the post office had many mail carriers and clerks. To handle more mail, an addition was built onto the east side of the building in 1911. This first federal building was later taken down in the 1950s.
A New Federal Building for Meridian
During the Great Depression, the government helped build new federal buildings in many important towns. The new Meridian Post Office and Courthouse was one of these projects. It was built at 9th Street and 21st Avenue in 1933. This building was known for its large size and good design.
Art Deco Style and Design
The new courthouse was designed by a local architect named P.J. Krouse. He used the Art Deco style. This specific type of Art Deco is called "simplified classical mode." Unlike some Art Deco buildings that are very fancy, this one uses simple stone or brick. It looks a bit like old classical temples. Another example of this style is the War Memorial Building in Jackson.
The building is made of limestone and has a basement. Granite steps lead up to the main entrance. There's a cool bronze grill with a corn design on it. Across the top of the building, you can read these words: "Neither snow nor rain nor gloom of night shall stay these couriers."
Above the top edge, there's a wall with a repeated design of an eagle and a steer. A large flagpole stands outside the entrance. Four lamps light up the entrance-way. Each lamp is a glass globe that glows with two colors of amber.
Inside, the front entrance opens into a foyer. There are two granite steps leading to the main lobby. In the middle of the foyer floor, there's a beautiful marble mosaic. The foyer also has four marble columns. The lobby has marble floors and a building directory made of bronze.
In 1963, the basement and first floor were made bigger at the back of the building. This change did not affect how the outside of the building looked.
Important Court Cases
The courthouse in this building was the site of many important court cases. Some of the most well-known cases happened during the Civil Rights Movement.
On May 31, 1961, James Meredith filed a lawsuit in this court. He was trying to attend the University of Mississippi. His case eventually went all the way to the Supreme Court, which decided he had the right to go to the university.
The Meridian courthouse was also where the United States v. Price case took place in 1967. This trial involved 19 men. It was about the deaths of James Chaney, Michael Schwerner, and Andrew Goodman. This trial was very important because it was the first time a jury in Mississippi, made up of only white people, found white people guilty of crimes related to civil rights.
Over time, fewer federal court cases were held here. By the 1980s and 1990s, only a few trials happened each year. No federal judges have been based at this courthouse since the 1990s. Today, most court papers are filed online. Judges come from bigger cities if they are needed for a case.
Courthouse Closes
In September 2012, the Judicial Conference of the United States announced that the building would no longer be used for trials.
