The Harlem Courthouse: The Oldest Jail Structure Still Standing in New York City

Location: 170 E 121st St, New York, NY 10035

What It’s Used For Today:

The Harlem Courthouse today is no longer being used as a courthouse where real criminals would get sentenced to jail and get put into a cell. Now the courthouse is being used for something educational and fun. They have turned it into a Youth Court which helps teenagers how to become  jurors, judges and advocates. They do this by using real life cases but their peers are the ones that are being judged.

History of the Harlem Courthouse:

The Harlem Courthouse, located at the corner of East 121st Street and Sylvan Place, is one of the oldest buildings that you can find in East Harlem.The Harlem Courthouse previously built for the police and district courts but is not used by other city agents. The building included the Fifth District Prison which was a jail with temporary holding cells. The court ended in 1961 in the reorganization of the state court system.

• The building was designated as a New York City landmark in 1967
• was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
• was built in 1891-93 and was designed by Thom and Wilson in the Romanesque Revival style.

Theoretical Concepts:

The Harlem Courthouse really has a sublime feel to it. For example in this photo you can see that the stairs have a odd shape compared to normal stairs you usually see.

These stairs in the building caught all of our attention. We all thought they were really cool but at same time it made us feel uneasy because of how how it goes, and how it spirals.

Gothic Elements in Architecture:

Let’s take a look at the Harlem Courthouse. In person, what first caught our eye was how tall it was!

When it comes to Gothic Architecture, when a building was very tall, it signified it was a reach towards the heaven. It was rather tall, similar to the castle that Count Dracula had owned in the novel Dracula

Adding to its height is it presence or vibe. The color of the building was a rather fiery red. Red represents both fire and love. Red can be characterized as a very emotional color, and the design of the building does show off the color vibe.

As for the layout of the building, we saw an enclosed gate. The first thing that came into mind was a prison cell, of how trapped or enclosed something can be.

As we take a look at the side of the building, we can see weeds growing on the side. This signifies age and goes to show that the building is far from new and has been around for many years.

Moving on to the windows, they are not your average square four sided windows. In some areas of the building, we see a style of windows that isn’t common. It is rather a rectangle with a semicircle at the tip

We also see a sort of clock at the very top of the building, which back then was a common way of being able to tell the time without the use of any electronics. It is also inscribed with roman numerals, from one to twelve, which was very common in the old age.

The Atmosphere of The Harlem Courthouse:

The atmosphere that the Harlem Courthouse creates is a bit gloomy and dark, especially when you know that the place was once used for imprisonment more than half a century ago. The exterior and interior design of the building also has gothic elements. The windows limited the amount of light that entered the cells, even during the daytime.

The courthouse stands out from its surrounding buildings, it’s like looking into the past in contrast to the more modern looking buildings around it. Its Pinnacles and steep gables are also elements of the Victorian Gothic that makes it stick out.

Book Quotes:

-“It was a fantastic chateau, much dilapidated, and indeed scarcely tenantable through age and neglect.” – The System of Dr. Tarr and Prof. Fether

This Courthouse looks like a miniature chateau or a castle. There are signs of age on the walls of the castle but it still manages to be visually appealing.

These Are Some Extra Photos:

By: Jorge, Marvi, Kevin, Mohammed.