Halls of Justice Chicago Federal Courthouse 1932

Henry Ives Cobb designed the Federal Building on a grand scale reminiscent of the Beaux-Arts style of architecture that dominated the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. The building was immense - one of the largest and most costly erected in Chicago at that time. It was bounded by Adams, Clark and Dearborn Streets and Jackson Boulevard, consuming an entire city block. The interior of the central rotunda rose 300-feet, and with a diameter of 100-feet, it rivaled that of the Capitol in Washington D.C. Construction began in 1898 and was not completed until 1905 when it opened its doors to house federal courts, the city's main post office, and various other governmental agencies. The Federal Building met its fate in 1965 when it was demolished to give way to the Bauhaus-influenced Dirksen and Kluczynski buildings. Two other examples of Cobb's architectural contributions to the city include the Chicago Athletic Club and the Newberry Library.