It was built from 1867–1872 to house offices of the United States Customs Service, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

The building is typical of the notable designs completed under the direction of Alfred B. Mullett, Supervising Architect of the Treasury from 1865 to 1874.

Custom House is a skillful blend of the Renaissance Revival and Second Empire styles, which were popular in the United States during the mid- to late 19th century.

Double Corinthian order pilasters flank arched Venetian windows, each of which is capped with a shallow pediment.

Two counters run the length of the room and are fashioned of several different types of marble that were quarried on an island in Lake Champlain.

The gallery is ornamented with symbols relating to commerce in the United States, including corn and tobacco leaf motifs and dolphins flanked by oak and olive leaves.

[2] An eight-foot, walnut, pedestal-mounted counter capped with a spherical clock stands at the center of the customs hall.

The counter contains an octagonal writing surface decorated with flutes, bosses, a collar, and modified Ionic order scrolls.

The offices, which are more simply designed than the main hall, consist of plaster walls, and walnut baseboards, window surrounds, and doors.

The most notable alteration to the structure has occurred in the interior customs hall, where the original gas chandeliers have been replaced with the current surface-mounted ceiling fixtures.

The majority of the building's distinctive elements, such as the marbled checkerboard floor and decorative staircases, remain in place.