page_title: List of courthouses in Boston
section_title: Built in the 19th century
hierarchical_section_title: List of courthouses in Boston / Built in the 19th century
context_page_description: This list includes courthouse buildings in Boston, Massachusetts, used by municipal, county, state and federal courts, from the 17th century through the present.
context_section_description: Suffolk County Courthouse, also called Johnson Hall; built 1810 by Charles Bulfinch, School Street, Boston. Functioned as county court (1810-1841) and U.S. court (1810-1836). "Remodeled for use as a city hall by [Gridley J.F.] Bryant, 1840-1841. Demolished 1863."
  The Stone Court-House in Court-Square, to which for distinction's sake we have given the name of Johnson Hall ... (with reference to the memory of lsaac Johnson esq. ... a chief patron of the first settlers of Boston ...) was built in 1810. It is described as consisting of an octagon centre, 55 ft. wide, with two wings, 26 by 40 feet, connected by the entrance and passages to the centre. The length of the whole building is 140 ft. The lower story of the centre is improved by the Register of Deeds, and Clerk of the C.C.P. -— the second story by the County Courts, and the upper by the Common Council of the city. The Mayor and Aldermen's room is in the upper story of the western wing; under that are the offices of the Auditor and City Marshal, and on the lower floor the Probate Office. ln the eastern wing are the offices of the Clerk of the S.J. Court, rooms for the judges and for the juries, and one occupied by the Law Library.
  Municipal Court House, built 1822, Leverett Street
  Court house, built 1836, Court Square. Housed municipal court beginning in 1837.
  The first floor contains rooms for the Police Court and Justices Court, the United States Marshal's room, and the offices of the clerks of the Supreme Court, Court of Common Pleas, and Police Court. The second story contains the rooms of the United States and the Supreme Judicial Courts, as also the Law Library, the rooms for the judges of the United States and Supreme Courts, and the clerk's office of the United States Court. The upper or third story includes the Common Pleas and Municipal Court rooms and the rooms of the judges of those courts, the jury rooms of the several courts, the clerk's office and the witness rooms of the municipal court, and the grand jury room.
  U.S. Court House, Bowdoin Square; used c. 1858.
  Masonic Temple, corner Tremont Street and Temple Place; used as U.S. federal court, 1858-1885. Built 1832. "The building was sold to the U.S. government for $105,000 for use as a federal courthouse in 1858."  "The federal government in 1885 sold the building at acution." In 1886 R.H. Stearns & Co. moved into the "remodeled building. ... [It] continued as their place of business until 1908, when it was completely torn down."
  U.S. Post Office and Subtreasury, built 1885. Alfred B. Mullett, supervising architect. "The U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts met here ... [1883- 1929]; the U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Massachusetts met here from 1883, prior to completion, until that court was abolished in 1912. Razed in 1929."
  John Adams Courthouse, built 1893, Pemberton Square. Designed by George Albert Clough. Functioned as Suffolk County Courthouse c. 1893. Currently houses the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court and the Massachusetts Appeals Court
caption: U.S. Courthouse (at right), in former Masonic Temple, Tremont St., 1858-1885. Built 1832, demolished 1908
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