Embracing Huntsville's Space Age Courthouse

Portion of mural by Marvin H. Thomas, 1971, located in the Madison County Courthouse lobby

When I moved to Huntsville in the early 1990s I immediately fell in love with the historic architecture. I grew up in a city where most buildings were from the 1960's and the lone building over the advanced age of 75 was a museum). Downtown Huntsville amazed me with its three historic districts encompassing homes from 1814-1955 with a smorgasbord of architectural styles including Federal, Greek Revival, Italianate, Victorian, Craftsman Bungalow, and many more. 

The commercial buildings of downtown are just as impressive and range from the 1835 Greek Revival style First National Bank to Italianate, Art Deco, and early 20th century Commercial Style buildings.

In the midst of all this traditional architecture, at the center of the downtown square, the International Style Madison County Courthouse stands in stark contrast, but it would have fit in just fine in many other locations around the world (and right across town at the Marshall Space Flight Center). By the 1990s, however, the International style (and its contemporary, Midcentury Modern) was aging and seemed boring. It had become so ubiquitous that architect James Nagle told an audience in Chicago, “You got off an airplane in the 1970s, and you didn't know where you were.” I became one of the many Huntsvillians who thought the courthouse was an eyesore amid the beauty of the older architecture, and I too was appalled to learn of the beautiful courthouse that had been torn down to build it.

1960s-era postcard "Madison County Courthouse, Huntsville, Alabama, 'Space City, USA.' The new multi-million dollar building gives the county government more room to serve the people of Madison County."

However, replacing the courthouse was nothing new at the time. The current building is the fourth courthouse to occupy the square. The first was built in 1811 (with the second story completed in 1818), and was topped by a cupola, weathervane, and gilded eagle. The first governor of Alabama was inaugurated in that building. In 1837 it was sold at auction and removed. 

The second courthouse was completed in 1840. It was generally considered to be quite beautiful, and a herd of pet deer lived on the lawn. A four-faced clock tower and bell were added to the dome in 1849. Surprisingly, after a failed attempt at remodeling the decaying building in 1913, its columns were found to be hollow and crumbling. They were not reused on the third courthouse, although the clock tower, bell and weathervane were installed on the new building.

Madison County’s second courthouse 1840-1913, by local architect George Steele (photo from the Historic American Buildings Survey Collection, Library of Congress)

The third courthouse was built in 1914. Solid stone columns were specified in the plans this time. They survived the razing of this building and are now at the Huntsville Botanical Garden. The weathervane is atop the old First National Bank building; the bell has recently been put on display outside the current courthouse; and five courtroom chairs are on display in the lobby. The location of the clock is unknown. 

Madison County's third courthouse (1914-1964), designed by C.K. Colley of Nashville

A few items from the razed courthouse can be found around Huntsville.

Huntsville's population grew in the decades of the 1940s-1960s with the establishment of military manufacturing plants, Redstone Arsenal, NASA and the Space Race. By 1961 plans were being made, once again, for a new courthouse. As before, there were those who wanted to retain the current building and find other solutions for the lack of space, but the majority wanted a new Space Age courthouse to represent the “Rocket City.” 

Madison County's fourth courthouse, 1966, designed by Jones, Crowe, Mann & Associates and Northington, Smith, Kranert & Associates 

The 11-story building was completed in 1966 in the then-popular International style which began in Germany in the 1920s and featured new construction techniques with glass, steel and concrete; the emphasis of volume over mass; a lack of applied ornamentation; and the elimination of all reference to past architecture. This may sound boring, mainly because we have become so accustomed to the style, but it was new and exciting at the time. 

"The Court House that Space Built!!!"

The Huntsville Times called it “one of the most modern buildings in the South.” “The architectural work in the new courthouse is regarded by authorities as ‘the best anywhere.’” The booklet handed out at the 1967 dedication ceremony summarized the feeling at the time: “This new, modern structure will tell visitors that Madison Countians are progressive and ambitious.” 

The low-rise, high-rise design was not primarily an aesthetic choice; it was due to the north side of the site being located above Big Spring Cavern and thus unable to support the weight of a high-rise. The design was a corporate honor award winner in the 16th annual Gulf States Regional Conference of the American Institute of Architects. 

The glass curtain walls of the Madison County Courthouse and the Chicago Federal Center (by the father of modern architecture, Mies van der Rohe, 3-building complex completed between 1959 and 1974)

The International style may be lacking in “applied ornamentation” but there are plenty of details to appreciate, both interior and exterior, starting with the “mushroom” columns forming a colonnade on all four sides of the Madison County Courthouse (more indicative of the New Formalism style of the same time period). The more I look at the details of architecture, and the more I learn about any style, the more I begin to appreciate it. Although, I admit, I am still trying to learn to appreciate the high rise tower portion of the courthouse.

Mushroom columns on the Madison County Courthouse

Just like Frank Lloyd Wright's SC Johnson Building's columns, the courthouse columns are tapered toward the bottom, providing the appearance of effortlessly supporting the weight above. 

Mushroom columns on the Madison County Courthouse

"Mushroom/Lily Pad/Dendriform" columns in Frank Lloyd Wright's SC Johnson Administration Building, completed in 1939 (Photo from scjohnson.com)

The Hawaii State Capitol, built 1965-69, has similar columns except they taper toward the top.

The Madison County Courthouse has a magnificent set of undulating, multi-level staircases reminiscent of those in the iconic TWA Flight Center at JFK Airport, but on an even grander scale.

Madison County Courthouse lobby

The recently restored TWA Flight Center, designed by Eero Saarinen, built in 1962

Madison County Courthouse lobby

While the exterior of the courthouse features concrete and glass,  the interior incorporates travertine walls and terrazzo flooring, along with a beautiful 3-story tall mosaic mural depicting the history of Madison County.

The top two stories of the three-story tall mosaic, by artist Norman Thomson, mosaicist Ramon Sanches, and historian Dr. Frances Roberts

As examples of this type of architecture slowly disappear, along with other midcentury styles, a re-appreciation is emerging and many cities are capitalizing on their Modern Era (1930s-1970s) architecture. Cities such as Palm Springs, Sarasota, Oklahoma City, Phoenix, and Columbus, Indiana draw overflow crowds for their versions of “Modernism Week.” They also have self-guided architectural tour maps, guided tours, and other events that draw tourists year round. The Historic Huntsville Foundation is moving Huntsville in this direction by initiating the listing of the McThornmor Acres neighborhood (homes) to the National Register of Historic Places, in anticipation of it becoming Alabama's first Space Age Historic District. I would love to see a map for a driving tour of some of Huntsville's interesting examples of Modern Era architecture. We have plenty of them!

The Imperial Gardens Apartments, 2024 Memorial Parkway NW, built in 1965

Former Parkway Country Club (and Plush Horse nightclub), now Restoration Church, 2021 Golf Road SW, built in 1962

The Landmark, 2400 Bob Wallace Avenue SW, built in 1963. The owner, Bob Burkett, has plans to refurbish the columns, and he would like to add lighting beneath the decorative stainless steel grates (above the long windows), just as the building had when it was new. You need to look at these buildings up-close to appreciate the variety of rich materials. This facade incorporates three different types of stone with markedly different finishes.

Insurance Market, Inc, 2021 Clinton Avenue West, built in 1962. Concrete screen block!

West Station Post Office, 3605 Governors Drive SW. 

United Church of Huntsville, 7906 Whitesburg Drive

Huntsville has many Modern Era churches and, of course, the fabulous Eggbeater Jesus Church must be on any list of architecture to see in Huntsville.

First Baptist Church, 600 Governors Drive SW, built in 1966

Rather than lament the architecture that is already gone, let's focus on enjoying what we still have (along with advocating for high-quality architecture in new construction).