The James A. Redden Federal Courthouse, formerly the United States Post Office and Courthouse, is a federal courthouse located in Medford, Oregon, United States. Completed in 1916 under the supervision of architect Oscar Wenderoth, it houses the United States District Court for the District of Oregon. A substantial extension was completed in 1940, under the supervision of architect, Louis A. Simon. In September 1996, the United States Senate enacted a bill introduced by Oregon Senator Mark Hatfield to rename the building for long-serving District Court judge James A. Redden.S.1875 -- To designate the United States courthouse in Medford, Oregon, as the 'James A. Redden Federal Courthouse'. In 2025 the building was listed for accelerated disposition (sale) by the federal government, having 29,834 square feet of rentable space.
Significance The building is the earliest remaining federal courthouse in southern Oregon, and an early embodiment of the federal government in that region. The building, which was designed in the office of Oscar Wenderoth - Supervising Architect, U.S. Treasury, was constructed from 1915 to 1916. An identical building was constructed in Pendleton, Oregon, at the same time. Mr. Wenderoth was appointed to his position in 1912 and was responsible for planning many government buildings, especially post offices, before his retirement in 1929. The Medford Federal Building - U.S. Courthouse was designed with many elements of the Georgian Revival style including symmetry, rectangular plan with only minor protrusions, small window panes, arched topped windows (divided as a fan light), classically detailed cornice and balustrade, and red brick exterior. There are also elements of the Second Renaissance Revival style, such as the rusticated first story (performed in brick), a raised first floor with stone base, the lack of front door ornamentation, second level door height casement windows, and wrought iron window ornamentation. These elements give the overall composition a sense of larger scale that is more befitting a federal building. The Oregon State Historic Preservation Office classifies the building as American Renaissance Revival.General Services Administration page on the James A. Redden Federal Courthouse.
The courthouse played an important role in the development and growth of Medford. In the early 1880s the Oregon and California Railroad, which was setting tracks south from Portland, began making surveys in southern Oregon. By the fall of 1883 trains were running into Grants Pass. Jacksonville, the county seat and the most important town in this portion of the state, was naturally supposed to be the next station on the railroad. The railroad asked Jacksonville for a $25,000 bonus (reportedly to compensate for the difficulties in passing over the Applegate Ridge of mountains), but the city refused. The Oregon and California railroad subsequently rerouted the railroad through the center of the Rogue River Valley where it proceeded to start a new town. Medford was named after the hometown of the railroad engineer, David Loring of Medford, Massachusetts. Land for the town site and railroad purposes was donated to the Railroad by local landowners, C.C. Beekman, C. Mingus, C.W. Brobeck and Ira J. Phipps, and on December 20, 1883, the town was founded. Due to the rail stop in the center of the rich agricultural/orchard producing Rogue River Valley, the town grew rapidly and by 1890 Medford housed 1,791 residents. (The 1990 population of Medford was 49,900, while Jacksonville was 2,005). By 1910, the monthly postal receipts had increased from the initial $2–$3 to over $2,000. On October 2, 1910, the Medford Daily Tribune reported that "No better criterion of city's growth can be named than its postal receipts." That same year congress had appropriated $110,000 for a new U.S. Post Office and Courthouse. The building was to replace the previous temporary postal facilities (three prior locations) and to provide a U.S. District Court presence in a high-quality, non-combustible structure. City residents were so enthused by the prospect of the new structure that many offered potential sites. The chosen lot at the corner of Sixth and Holly, only three blocks from the railroad depot, was chosen. The land, which was donated by Bert and May Anderson and W.C. and Flossie Green, was formally dedicated on March 13, 1911 with a payment of $1.
In 1939, the Federal Works Agency, with Louis A. Simon as Supervising Architect and W.G. Noll as Chief Architect, designed a major addition on the north side of the building, and significant interior remodelling for a cost of $230,000. The project provided additional public and workroom facilities for the Post Office at the first floor, consolidated court operations on the second floor, and provided general office space at the third floor. The design included a two-story light-well which retained natural light for the courtroom and (by skylight) the interior of the postal workroom.
In 1966, the post office moved to new facilities two blocks south.Medford Mail Tribune, March 8, 1966, page 1. Since that time, the building has been utilized for court operations and general office space. Medford has recently adopted a comprehensive plan that encourages downtown development. There has been substantial effort to enhance existing buildings and locate new city, county and federal facilities in the core area, which is bordered at the north by the Medford Federal Building - U.S. Courthouse. In addition to being a governmental center for southern Oregon, Medford is also a center for commerce. The population and tourism of the Rogue River Valley, including historic towns of Jacksonville and Ashland, are growing rapidly. The Medford Federal Building - U.S. Courthouse stands as a functioning symbol of prewar pride and optimism.
Architecture
The courthouse is an example of Renaissance Revival architecture. Its exterior is primarily brick and granite.
Site The nearly level, undeveloped site was selected from among several offered as donations from the local citizens, in part due to its location a short distance from the railroad station to the east. The site is now located at the north end of Medford's government and business district. The Medford Federal Building - U.S. Courthouse is located on a lot measuring 140.2 feet by 125.25 feet at the northwest corner of West Sixth Street and North Holly Street. A setback of approximately twenty feet from the two streets (south and east sides) allowed for wide sidewalks with maple street trees, and grass next to the building. The north portion of the site was originally used for mail loading and had a hitching rail for the general public, while the west portion had an access drive. Both were constructed with macadam paving and had concrete curbs. The remaining portions of the site were landscaped with planting beds and seeded grass areas separated by concrete curbing. From the surrounding concrete sidewalks the building was elevated four to five feet to the first floor level. The primary entrance on the center of the south facade was approached via a light-colored raised granite platform which led to the ceremonial granite entry steps, all designed in the classical manner.
Exterior The facades of the building were designed with elements of both the Georgian Revival, and Second Renaissance Revival styles which were popular at the beginning of the twentieth century. The front (south side) has the most interesting mix of elements. The symmetrical elevation is organized around five central bays which are defined by single Doric style pilasters at the interior bays and paired pilasters at the ends. The central portion is then flanked on each end by narrow bays that are only slightly recessed. The two-story pilasters rise from a buff-colored sandstone belt course at the second-floor line. The pilasters support a sandstone string course, cornice, and parapet. Originally the parapet had a balustrade in portions aligning with the five bays. The first story, which is detailed in red brick and follows the organization above, is elevated and defined by a sandstone water table course. (Note: This is an interesting design that combines a Renaissance style rustication, which was normally performed in stone, with the red brick of the Georgian Revival style). There are arched openings in the rusticated brick at the five central bays. A voussoir (in the rusticated brick) is detailed at each of these first story openings by individually cut radiating bricks. There originally were paired entry doors with an arched light above at the center three openings. Each of the outer two openings were at one time filled with a three-piece arched top wood casement windows. Each of these were later converted back to doors matching the center pair. At the five central arch openings on the second story, there are Renaissance style wood and glass paired doors with operable transoms. The doors are enclosed with black, wrought iron balcony railings. The arch of the opening is treated as a tympanum and has a bas-relief garlanded sandstone ornament. The third story openings are simplified, rectangular, and have paired casement windows. All of the doors and windows featured multiple light configurations. Four large, ornamental iron, wall mounted fixtures light the entry.
Essentially rectangular, the well-proportioned original building measured 90.0 feet wide by 57.5 feet deep in plan. The original treatment on the two identical end elevations is restrained compared to the front. The horizontal string courses, brick rustication, cornice and parapet detailing continues, but the pilasters and arched openings are omitted in favor of four evenly spaced rectangular openings in a flat wall, (the end walls of the 1939 addition are recessed from the original.) The original rear (now light-well) elevation reflected the organization of the front and also its interior functions. The central portion of the facade was defined by symmetrically flanking narrow bays that were slightly recessed. The first story had five large glazed rectangular openings in the rusticated brick which provided north light to the postal workroom. A protruding mail vestibule/loading dock occupied the center bay. At the second story, there were three large arched glazed openings with fan lights providing light to the courtroom. These were flanked by tall rectangular openings with circular attic windows directly above. Due to the courtroom height, the third story windows were only located at the flanking bays. Stone, brick, and balcony detailing continued to the rear elevation. Similar to the end elevations, the pilasters were omitted from the north facade.
The original construction used common brick exterior walls faced with buff-colored sandstone above, and light-colored granite at and below grade, and red rough faced finish brick. The walls rested on a reinforced concrete foundation. The interior structure was steel frame that was fire-proofed with concrete. Floors were reinforced concrete slabs. Hollow clay tile was used for furring and interior partitions and was typically plastered.