Entry from
April 30, 2005
The true administration of justice is the firmest pillar of good government
"The true administration of justice is the firmest pillar of good government" is on top of all those Corinthian columns on the New York State Supreme Courthouse, in Foley Square (60 Centre Street, Manhattan).
The New York County Supreme Court (although "supreme," this is not to be confused with the highest state court, the Court of Appeals) is inside.
http://www.courts.state.ny.us/supctmanh/Court%20History.htm
On the front of the 60 Centre courthouse is this inscription, taken from a letter of George Washington to the Attorney General in 1789: "The true administration of justice is the firmest pillar of good government." This remains both an inspiration and a challenge to the court, which continues to strive today, as it has for more than 300 years, to provide justice to the public of this great City and State.
http://memory.loc.gov
(Type in "firmest pillar" and see the actual September 28, 1789 letter! - ed.)
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcas/html/building/man_supremecourt.html
New York State Supreme Courthouse
60 Centre Street
New York, NY 10007
Date Built: 1919-1925
Architect: Guy Lowell
The Supreme Courthouse (New York County Court) overlooks Foley Square and is located between Worth and Pearl Streets. The building houses the Supreme Court and the Office of the County Clerk.
"In 1927 the New York County Court moved from the old Tweed Courthouse to this spacious granite-faced building. The Boston architect Guy Lowell won a competition in 1913 with a design for a round building. Construction was delayed and the design altered to a hexagonal form; work finally began in 1919. The Roman classical style chosen was popular for courthouse architecture in the first decades of the 20th century."*
The courthouse was the first major New York commission for the well-known Boston architect Guy Lowell (1870-1927). He designed the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and the building plan for Philips Academy at Andover, Massachusetts. He was also a landscape architect and designed formal gardens for Andrew Carnegie and J. Pierpont Morgan in New York.
The courthouse rises above a 100-foot wide flight of steps to an imposing colonnade of 10 granite fluted Corinthian columns. Above the columns are engraved words of George Washington: "The true administration of justice is the firmest pillar of good government."
Above this is a triangular pediment, 140-feet long, with 14 classical figures in high relief. Along the huge roofline are three statues representing Law, Truth and Equity. All of the pediment sculpture was carved by Frederick Warren Allen.
"The monumental character of the exterior continues on the interior, with its central rotunda and radial corridors. In the 1930s, under the sponsorship of the federal government's artists' relief programs, Attilio Pusterla painted a series of murals on the vestibule ceiling and on the rotunda dome."*
The New York State Supreme Court building was designated a City Landmark in 1966.
The New York County Supreme Court (although "supreme," this is not to be confused with the highest state court, the Court of Appeals) is inside.
http://www.courts.state.ny.us/supctmanh/Court%20History.htm
On the front of the 60 Centre courthouse is this inscription, taken from a letter of George Washington to the Attorney General in 1789: "The true administration of justice is the firmest pillar of good government." This remains both an inspiration and a challenge to the court, which continues to strive today, as it has for more than 300 years, to provide justice to the public of this great City and State.
http://memory.loc.gov
(Type in "firmest pillar" and see the actual September 28, 1789 letter! - ed.)
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcas/html/building/man_supremecourt.html
New York State Supreme Courthouse
60 Centre Street
New York, NY 10007
Date Built: 1919-1925
Architect: Guy Lowell
The Supreme Courthouse (New York County Court) overlooks Foley Square and is located between Worth and Pearl Streets. The building houses the Supreme Court and the Office of the County Clerk.
"In 1927 the New York County Court moved from the old Tweed Courthouse to this spacious granite-faced building. The Boston architect Guy Lowell won a competition in 1913 with a design for a round building. Construction was delayed and the design altered to a hexagonal form; work finally began in 1919. The Roman classical style chosen was popular for courthouse architecture in the first decades of the 20th century."*
The courthouse was the first major New York commission for the well-known Boston architect Guy Lowell (1870-1927). He designed the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and the building plan for Philips Academy at Andover, Massachusetts. He was also a landscape architect and designed formal gardens for Andrew Carnegie and J. Pierpont Morgan in New York.
The courthouse rises above a 100-foot wide flight of steps to an imposing colonnade of 10 granite fluted Corinthian columns. Above the columns are engraved words of George Washington: "The true administration of justice is the firmest pillar of good government."
Above this is a triangular pediment, 140-feet long, with 14 classical figures in high relief. Along the huge roofline are three statues representing Law, Truth and Equity. All of the pediment sculpture was carved by Frederick Warren Allen.
"The monumental character of the exterior continues on the interior, with its central rotunda and radial corridors. In the 1930s, under the sponsorship of the federal government's artists' relief programs, Attilio Pusterla painted a series of murals on the vestibule ceiling and on the rotunda dome."*
The New York State Supreme Court building was designated a City Landmark in 1966.