Teaching with Historic Federal Buildings Lesson Plan

Students and teachers can explore and learn about three historic federal buildings in an interactive lesson plan entitled Federal Courthouses and Post Offices: Symbols of Pride and Permanence in American Communities. The buildings are:

• Pioneer Courthouse in Portland, Oregon (1875)
• Byron R. White U.S. Courthouse in Denver, Colorado (1916)
• Gene Snyder U.S. Courthouse and Custom House in Louisville, Kentucky (1932)

The teacher lesson plan covers:

• History behind the creation of a unified federal building program
• The role federal buildings have played in American communities throughout the nation’s history
• Establishment of the Office of the Supervising Architect of the U.S. Treasury Department
• Establishment of the U.S. General Services Administration

The lesson plan was created cooperatively by the National Park Service (NPS) Teaching with Historic Places program and the GSA Public Buildings Service, in partnership with the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers.