[3] The minimal exterior ornamentation was intended to direct attention to the nearby Virginia State Capitol.

[4] The two main entrances refer to its original two functions, as do the quotations from famous Virginians inscribed on the four sides (all-caps removed; periods for original colons): The extensive 2003-2005 renovation retained the original entrances and many inside Art Deco details (such as wood paneling, marble features and copper light fixtures), but modernized the plumbing, HVAC and electrical systems (removing hazardous materials).

Constructed by the Works Progress Administration during the New Deal, the building served as the home of the Supreme Court of Virginia (formerly known as the Supreme Court of Appeals per the inscription above the Broad Street entrance) until it moved to the renovated former Federal Reserve Building in 1978.

This building's former reading rooms also temporarily housed Virginia General Assembly sessions in 2006 and 2007, during renovations to the capitol.

The building was chosen as the site of the marker because it housed the Supreme Court of Appeals, where the Lovings' case was heard.