Austin's previous U.S. courthouse was built between 1877 and 1881, but by the 1920s the federal district court had come to need additional space.

In June 1934, Congress passed a measure appropriating $415,000 for the construction of the new U.S. courthouse in Austin, with some funding coming from the Public Works Administration.

The new courthouse was completed and opened to the public in December 2012, at which point all federal courts and offices in the old building were closed.

[6] The City of Austin had considered pursuing the site as well, but it ultimately decided to support the county's bid for the courthouse; other nongovernmental organizations also applied to the GSA for the use of the building, including some hoping to use the facility for services to assist the homeless.

[8] After a seventeen-month renovation, staff from the probate courts and county clerk's offices moved into the building in October 2020, and the facility was rededicated on November 18, 2020.

Its design exemplifies the PWA Moderne architectural style of many Great Depression-era public buildings, with its symmetrical rectangular form, recessed vertical window bays, and smooth stonework exterior decorated with neoclassical flourishes, stylized eagles and geometric detailing.

[2] The main entry is in the south facade, where gray granite steps lead to four bronze doors beneath a central massing that projects from the front and top of the building.

An incised horizontal band wraps the building near the roofline, and the structure's square corners gradually chamfer as they approach the roof.