William Kenzo Nakamura United States Courthouse

Seattle, United States

Open to visitors

The interior is normally open, possibly ticketed.

Strollie cannot guarantee access — always check before you travel.

Find out more

The William Kenzo Nakamura United States Courthouse, completed in 1940 in Seattle, is a ten-story Art Deco structure designed by Gilbert Stanley Underwood. Originally built to consolidate federal agencies, it sits at 1010 Fifth Avenue and contains five courtrooms. The building's design blends Neoclassical and modern abstract elements characteristic of its era. Since the 1970s it has served the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, becoming the principal venue for that court in 2004 after newer facilities opened elsewhere in the city. Renamed in 2001 to honor Medal of Honor recipient William K. Nakamura, the courthouse adjoins a prominent downtown green space featuring a sloping lawn with a central walkway, planters, hedges, and oak trees. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.