Gene Snyder United States Courthouse
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United States Post Office, Court House and Custom House
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View from the southwest
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| Location | 601 W. Broadway, Louisville, Kentucky |
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| Coordinates | 38°14′51″N 85°45′45″W / 38.24750°N 85.76250°WCoordinates: 38°14′51″N 85°45′45″W / 38.24750°N 85.76250°W |
| Built | 1931-32; 1936 |
| Architect | James A. Wetmore; Fike and Cook Co. |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| NRHP Reference # | 99000334 |
| Added to NRHP | March 18, 1999 |
The Gene Snyder U.S. Courthouse and Custom House, also known as United States Post Office, Court House and Custom House, is a historic courthouse, custom house, and post office located at Louisville in Jefferson County, Kentucky. It is the courthouse for the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places under the "United States Post Office, Court House and Custom House" name.
Construction of the Post Office, Court House and Custom House, as it was known historically, came at the end of a prosperous decade for the city of Louisville. The largest city in Kentucky, Louisville played a major role in the regional manufacturing and shipping industries, fostering an increasing population and urban development. New building projects highlighted the city's growth and prosperity, and the planned construction of the new federal building was another indication of Louisville's rising prominence. The new federal building was constructed from 1931 to 1932, under the Supervising Architect of the U.S. Treasury Department James A. Wetmore.
The building was among the first recipients of artwork commissioned by the Treasury Relief Art Project, that employed painters and sculptors to incorporate art within the interiors of federal buildings nationwide. In 1935, artist Frank Weathers Long, a Kentucky native, was commissioned to paint ten murals depicting regional themes of commerce, agriculture, and sport. In 1936, with a growing need for more offices and courtrooms, the PWA also funded the addition of the sixth floor. The interior of the building was renovated in 1950, and in 1958 the sixth story was damaged by a fire, prompting additional renovations.
In 1986, the building was renamed in honor of Marion Gene Snyder. Born in Louisville in 1928, Snyder was a prominent figure in Kentucky politics, serving several public offices, including U.S. Congressional Representative from 1963 to 1965 and 1967 to 1987.
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