Name/Title
StereographEntry/Object ID
2023.055.3.0339Description
A black and white stereograph. Image is of the interior of the Supreme Courtoom. Above the image "11" is printed, below the image "29492 The Supreme Courtroom in the Capitol, Washington, D. C." is printed, to the left of the image "Keystone View Company COPYRIGHTED Manufacturers MADE IN U.S.A. Publishers" is printed, to the right of the image "Meadville, Pa., New York, N. Y., Chicago, Ill., London, England." is printed. On the reverse the following is printed:
29492
THE SUPREME COURT ROOM, CAPITOL BUILDING, WASHINGTON, D. C.
Crossing the Rotunda to the N. wing of the Capitol and turning to the right, we enter the chamber of the Supreme Court of the Unied States. As Statuary Hall was formerly the meeting place of the House, so the present Supreme Court Chamber was formerly that of the Senate. It is a room of great dignity, 75 ft. in length by 45 ft. in breadth and 45 ft. high, largely constructed of marble and stucco after designs taken from ancient Greek theaters. In this room President Jefferson twice took the oath of office and delivered his inaugural address, here the treaty for the purchase of the Louisana Territory from France was ratified by the Senate and here was read the historic message from President Monroe in which he enunciated the "monroe Doctrine." ince it has been occupied by the Supreme, Court, many legal decisions of profound importance have been handed down from the long bench of the Justices which we see at the right. Should we enter the room today when the Court is in sesion we should see the Chief Justice occupying the central chair. At his right hand would be the Associate Justice longest in service and further to the right the next three in order of seniority. At his left would be the four junior Associate Justices.
On the wall opposite to us we see two of the eight marble busts of past Chieft Justices which are in the chamber, the one above the door representing Morrison R. Waite, Chief Justice from 1874 to 1888, and the one to the left, Chief Justice Roger B. Taney, 1835-1864. Probably in no other single apartment in the Capitol does the visitor feel so deeply the strenght, the dignity and the stability of the United States Government as in the Supreme Court Chamber, where for many decades past, its most important laws have been interpreted and rendered valid.
Copyrigth Keystone View CompanyCollection
Photograph Collection