1000 SW 3rd Ave. Law of Nature Sculpture Garden
The Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse is located along S.W. 3rd Ave. It serves as a federal courthouse where important legal cases are heard. The building is named after Mark O. Hatfield, a longtime Oregon senator.In a patio on the 9th Floor of the courthouse is a sculpture garden called Law of Nature. This artwork shows how laws and justice are connected to fairness, balance, and nature. It depicts a jury trial with an owl as a judge, a dog as an attorney and a cat on trial. The jury consists of other animals. Together, the courthouse and sculpture represent the importance of law, democracy, and public service in Portland.From the 16th floor, you can see nearly all of downtown Portland.
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Questions for Discussion
Have you read stories where animals take the form of humans?
What do you think about the animals and their roles in the trial?
Vocabulary
Courthouse – A building where legal cases are heard.
Justice – Fair treatment according to the law.
Sculpture – A three-dimensional work of art.
Democracy – A system of government run by the people.
Senator – An elected government official.
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State Education Standards:
Social Studies 3.11. Describe how individuals, groups, events, and developments have shaped the communities and regions. Historical Knowledge
Social Studies 3.12. Compare and contrast the history of the local community to other communities in the region. Historical Knowledge
Social Studies 3.17. Use a variety of historical sources (artifacts, pictures, documents) to identify factual evidence. Historical Thinking