United States Post Office and Courthouse (Peoria, Illinois) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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U.S. Post Office and Courthouse
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 Location in Peoria County, Illinois
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| Location | 100 NE. Monroe St., Peoria, Illinois |
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| Built | 1937-1938 |
| Architect | Howard Lovewell Cheney, Louis A. Simon |
| Architectural style | Moderne |
| NRHP reference No. | 12000878 |
| Added to NRHP | October 24, 2012 |
The U.S. Post Office and Courthouse is an important building in Peoria, Illinois. You can find it at 100 Northeast Monroe Street. This building serves as a courthouse for the Central District of Illinois. It's where legal cases for this area are heard.
The building was constructed between 1937 and 1938. It has a special design style called PWA Moderne. This style was popular for buildings made during the Public Works Administration (PWA) time. The PWA was a government program that built many public projects.
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About the Peoria Federal Building
This historic building in Peoria is more than just a courthouse. It also used to be the city's main post office until 1981. This means it handled all the mail for Peoria for many years. Today, it continues to be a key part of the federal government's work in the area.
Who Designed This Building?
The plans for the courthouse were provided by Louis A. Simon. He was the main architect for the U.S. government at that time. Another important architect, Howard Lovewell Cheney, was also involved. He was the architect who officially oversaw the project.
Building Design and Art
The outside of the courthouse is made of strong, beautiful granite stone. It also has fancy limestone decorations. Look closely above the Main Street entrance! You'll see special carvings called bas-relief panels. These were sculpted by an artist named Freeman L. Schoolcraft. Bas-relief means the carvings stick out only a little from the surface.
Inside the building, you'll find even more cool features. The ceilings are painted with designs. The walls are covered with a special type of marble called St. Genevieve marble. And the floors have interesting patterns made from terrazzo. Terrazzo is a mix of chips of marble, quartz, or glass set in cement.
A Historic Landmark
The U.S. Post Office and Courthouse is recognized as a very important building. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 24, 2012. This means it's a special place that is protected because of its history and unique design.
