The E-Sylum:  Volume 8, Number 53, December 18, 2005, Article 21

COURTHOUSE BY SAN FRANCISCO MINT DESIGNER RENOVATED

According to a December 12 story by the Northwest
NewsChannel 8 in Portland, Oregon, on Monday a public
building in that city by the designer of the San
Francisco Mint has been reopened following an extensive
restoration: "The 130-year-old courthouse had become
deteriorated from decades of use. It's now open for
public tours."

"Pioneer Courthouse is the second oldest courthouse
west of the Mississippi River. It was listed as a
National Historic Landmark in 1977.

The courthouse was originally designed as a complete
federal building, according to the GSA. It primarily
housed the U.S. Court and a post office. Other functions
included assessor and collection offices for the Internal
Revenue Service and customs offices.

It was designed by Alfred B. Mullett, who also designed
the United States Mint in San Francisco."

To read the complete story (registration required): Full Story

The Portland Courthouse was constructed at about the
same time as the San Francisco Mint, and understanding
Mullett's thinking about both buildings goes a long way
toward explaining why the Mint survived the 1906
earthquake and fire.

From the Treasury Department's web page on the old Mint:
"Originally constructed on the edge of the city's downtown
in a predominantly residential and commercial area. The
desire for the building to be unencumbered by adjoining
structures was a central part of Supervising Architect
Alfred B. Mullett's architectural philosophy. A fire at
the Custom House in Portland, Maine, taught him the
importance of keeping public buildings free-standing,
"isolated by wide streets or open spaces."
Full Story
ncisco.shtml

"The Pioneer Courthouse is arguably the most important
building in the Pacific Northwest and is the oldest
standing Federal Building in this region. The Courthouse
and its surrounding parklike site occupies a full city
block in the center of downtown Portland."
Full Story
Document

[So there's the answer to our Quiz Question: Alfred Mullett
designed the old San Francisco Mint building.  He also
designed the Carson City, NV mint building.  Note that
Mullett is spelled with two Ts and is not to be confused
with the Mullet haircut.  From the Wikipedia entry: "The
mullet is a type of haircut, in which the hair is long at
the back of the head (usually at least to the shoulders),
but cut shorter on the top, front, and sides of the head.
The result looks like long hair from behind, but short
hair from the front.... The style has, since the early 90s,
become the subject of ridicule in some circles. A common
description of the mullet hairstyle and its "versatility"
is "Business in the front, party in the back."
Full Story
-Editor]

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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