Courthouse Square

The first courthouse and federal jail was built by Judge Wickersham in 1904 on this land. The fire of 1906 destroyed it, and the hastily built structure that replaced it was in very bad shape by 1932 when the Treasury Department commissioned the construction of this building. Although the federal offices moved in 1977, the old federal building has retained its rich decorative touches: cast aluminum doors and bald eagle transom grills; marble steps, floor tiles and wall panels; brass borders and bronze postal boxes. The Alaska Public Lands Information Center now occupies the basement, providing information year-round on state and federal lands and parks in Alaska.