Old federal courthouse holds memories, history, architectural treasures

SALT LAKE CITY — During the past week, the Frank E. Moss Courthouse took on a carnival-like atmosphere.

Movie and singing stars stood outside the courthouse in protest. Banners were waved. Protest songs were sung. A school bus driver even took a detour from a field trip to take a bus-load of fifth-graders past the rally, ultimately costing him his job.

The Tim DeChristopher trial was the latest in a long storied history of infamous cases in Utah's legal history that all happened at Utah's federal courthouse.

For more than eight decades, the courthouse at the corner of 400 South and Main Street has been the stage for some of the state's, and the nation's, highest profile cases, including Brian David Mitchell, accused of kidnapping Elizabeth Smart; Gary Gilmore whose conviction and subsequent execution marked the return of the death penalty in the United States; the Olympic bribery scandal; and the Singer-Swapp standoff.

The Frank E. Moss Courthouse also stands as one of Salt Lake City's architectural treasures with its elaborate classical revival style. Inside, several of the old courtrooms are so ornate they have the appearance of a movie set.

The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

"I have one of the three historical courtrooms. It's the smallest in the building. It's also the most beautiful. I'm happy every time I look at it," said Tena Campbell, chief judge for the U.S. District Court of Utah.

But as beloved as the courthouse is to judges and all involved in the federal justice system, it is no longer practical to use. In fact, Utah outgrew its federal courthouse nearly 20 years ago.

"It doesn't fit our needs," Campbell said.

On Feb. 24, ground was broken just to the west of the current building for a new federal courthouse. The new building will rise 10 stories and have 368,000 square feet. But project managers note that the building will appear to be taller because some of the floors will have 20-foot high ceilings.

Construction on the original courthouse was completed in 1905. The land the courthouse was built on was reportedly purchased for one silver dollar. The building originally was also the site of the U.S. Post Office.

Renovations were made on the granite and sandstone structure with Doric grooved columns in 1912 and 1932, bringing the courthouse to its current rendition. But it has remained essentially the same now for nearly 80 years. It was renamed the Frank E. Moss Courthouse in 1990 after the former Utah senator.