University of Memphis, School of Law campus
Encyclopedia
The University of Memphis, School of Law building (also commonly known as the Customs House, Post Office, or Courthouse reflecting its prior uses) is a 5-story former federal building, located in downtown Memphis. As of 2010, the building is owned entirely by the University of Memphis
and houses its law school. It is located at the corner of Front Street and Madison Avenue. It has 169000 square feet (15,700.6 m²) of usable space that has been re-purposed as classrooms, offices, administrative space. One of the original courtrooms from the building's former use as a courthouse has been restored as the University of Memphis moot courtroom
. The building is made of steel and concrete, and employs many decorative elements including Tennessee marble
, granite, and detailed plaster work.
overlooking the Mississippi River
affords it magnificent westerly views of the river, including Mud Island, and Arkansas
. Because of its location on a natural promontory, the building was not affected by the 2011 Mississippi River floods
.
It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1980.
offices, as well as the University of Memphis, Legal Aid Clinic.
University of Memphis
The University of Memphis is an American public research university located in the Normal Station neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee and is the flagship public research university of the Tennessee Board of Regents system....
and houses its law school. It is located at the corner of Front Street and Madison Avenue. It has 169000 square feet (15,700.6 m²) of usable space that has been re-purposed as classrooms, offices, administrative space. One of the original courtrooms from the building's former use as a courthouse has been restored as the University of Memphis moot courtroom
Moot court
A moot court is an extracurricular activity at many law schools in which participants take part in simulated court proceedings, usually to include drafting briefs and participating in oral argument. The term derives from Anglo Saxon times, when a moot was a gathering of prominent men in a...
. The building is made of steel and concrete, and employs many decorative elements including Tennessee marble
Tennessee marble
Tennessee marble is a type of crystalline limestone found primarily in East Tennessee, in the southeastern United States. Long esteemed by architects and builders for its pinkish-gray color and the ease with which it is polished, this stone has been used in the construction of numerous notable...
, granite, and detailed plaster work.
Location
The building, which has an address of 1 North Front Street, Memphis, TN 38103-2189, sits just west of Court Square, Memphis. The building's location on a natural bluffBluff
Bluff may refer to:* a type of deception* an empty boast-Geography:* a very steep and broad hill or small cliff, frequently next to a river or ocean*feeder bluffAustralia* Bluff, Queensland, a town in QueenslandCanada...
overlooking the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
affords it magnificent westerly views of the river, including Mud Island, and Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
. Because of its location on a natural promontory, the building was not affected by the 2011 Mississippi River floods
2011 Mississippi River floods
The Mississippi River floods in April and May 2011 were among the largest and most damaging recorded along the U.S. waterway in the past century, comparable in extent to the major floods of 1927 and 1993. In April 2011, two major storm systems deposited record levels of rainfall on the Mississippi...
.
History
The building was built originally in the 1880s to house the U.S. Customs House, but it provided space for several other federal offices. Locally, it became known as the "Customs House." Over the following one hundred years, the U.S. federal building served many purposes, including as the federal courthouse.It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1980.
Current Use
After extensive award-winning renovations,, in 2010 the building became home to the University of Memphis, School of Law. As such, it houses the University of Memphis Law ReviewUniversity of Memphis Law Review
The University of Memphis Law Review is a student-run legal journal. It is the main law review of the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law.A predecessor of the review, entitled Memphis State University Law Commentary began publishing a topically arranged loose-leaf in post binders in 1968. Its first...
offices, as well as the University of Memphis, Legal Aid Clinic.
See also
- University of Memphis, School of Law
- List of tallest buildings in Memphis
- Downtown Memphis