The J. Bratton Davis United States Bankruptcy Courthouse is the courthouse of the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina, located in Columbia, South Carolina. Originally built in 1936, under the supervision of architect Harold Tatum. The court was named after J. Bratton Davis, a bankruptcy judge who was first appointed in 1978 who later became a US Bankruptcy Court Judge for the District of South Carolina, and he served in that capacity until 2000.
The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was added to the list on March 2, 1979.
Video J. Bratton Davis United States Bankruptcy Courthouse
History
In the summer of 1932, the Postal General and the Minister of Finance authorized $ 550,000 (later reduced to $ 500,000) for construction of new courthouses and office buildings in Columbia, South Carolina. This structure was intended to replace the older Federal Building built in 1875 at 1737 Main Street. The mayor of Columbia began to investigate the possibility of buying by the old Federal-owned city. The city is set to swap its property in the southeast corner of Laurel and Assembly Roads for the Federal Building on Main. The original Federal Building still stands on Main Street as Columbia City Hall.
The US Courthouse was designed by Harold Tatum in 1935. Tatum is a University of Pennsylvania graduate and is one of the few architects trained at Columbia universities. Archibald Brown (possibly representing the Federal Government) is the Construction Engineer and James Barnes of Springfield, Ohio was awarded a contract to build the building.
The building was built in 1936. The original electrical work was done by Miller Electrical Company of Columbia and Jacksonville, Florida. Concrete work is done by Concrete Construction and Supply Company of Columbia. The original construction photographs (which can be found in the building's office) are done by Sargeant Studios of Columbia. The building was ordained on 18 January 1937 and originally housed in the US District Court, the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Justice, and the Office of the DA.
Maps J. Bratton Davis United States Bankruptcy Courthouse
Architectural description
The significance of the building lies in its architecture rather than its history. Of special note is the use of monolithic concrete is poured as a building material. The use of poured monolithic concrete is common for ordinary building types (such as warehouses), but it is (and is) unusual for elaborate style structures and details to be constructed in this way.
This building is a Renaissance Renaissance style, and has basements, first, second, and third, the fourth partial level on the east and west side and the fifth partial story with mirador rising from the center of the building. The building is a concrete and masonry construction, with steel and wood roof truss. The exterior walls and trim are all concrete. The building has a rusticated base, rusticated quoins, smooth walls and trabeated fenestration accented with various types of pediments.
The Federal Building derives many meanings from the construction methods. The building was built of monolithic concrete poured. This is the first building built in this way in South Carolina and one of the first in the country to use this construction method.
The front face is divided into five bays. The central pavilion project is outside the facade. It is detailed with six Ionic grooved pilasters that define five bays in the central pavilion. Pilaster supports non-enriched entablature and pediment. The central pavilion divides the front facade into two wings (east and west). The entrance is in the middle of the building. It consists of three hidden curved openings defined by destroyed voussoirs. Each opening contains a decorative wooden fan light. The original wooden doors have been replaced with steel ones but the contemporary doors are reminiscent of the original. The concrete platform stretches the building's central pavilion and supports two wrought iron lamps. The rear facade repeats the front pattern.
The center of the building contains a rectangular level plan. The fourth level of meditation is the fifth octagonal level that used to have weather stations and observatory towers (mirador).
The two sides of the facade are divided into five bays with a central bay determined by the pilester involved from the Tuscan order. Window heads are more prominent than those in front and back.
Fenestration varies at every level. At the first level, the windows were eight times eight, hung twice, stuck in the rusty front by emitting a rusticated voussoir. The second level opening is detailed with a series of simple prints except in the middle pavilion where the central openings have a scroll rod broken while the floating holes have plain pediments. The opening of the middle window of each end of the pavilion is detailed with the segmented archer and ancestor. At the third level, the windows are eight times bigger, double, except for the central pavilion where they are twelve years older than twelve. All fenestrations in the rear (south) facade repeat the forward pattern except at the third level where the window is blocked-on on the south side of the courtroom.
The inside of the building has undergone several changes since construction. The most notable feature is the third floor courtroom which seems to be in almost original condition.
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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