Old Courthouse

Old St. Louis County Courthouse
Market Street & Broadway
St. Louis, MO 63101
Admission: Free

http://www.nps.gov/jeff/planyourvisit/och.htm


The Old Courthouse in downtown St. Louis served as the county courthouse from 1828 to 1930 unitl the Civil Courts Building was built as a replacement. In the 100 years as the city's courthouse the structure was enlarged three times from its original design. First in 1838 adding the cupola and three additional wings, again in 1850, and finally in 1862 to its current size and adding the final dome. The original 1828 structure was demolished in the 1850 construction by adding a new east wing in the original building's location. (See the 1938 link for the original courthouse incorporated with the new rotunda.) The photo shows a clear plastic model on display at the courthouse of the current building with the original courthouse and additions shown inside it.















The courthouse today showcases exhibits on the first floor highlighting the westward expansion of America as well as exploring St. Louis' history from founding to present. One plaque on display read, "In 1860 foreign born residents made up 60% of St. Louis population; the largest group came from Germany. In the late nineteenth century St. Louis, people observed that the French had colonized the village; the Spanish had obtained the town by treaty; the American had acquired the community by purchase; and the Germans had dominated the city by immigration."

The Courthouse also has displays commemorating its role in history. On the first floor, a courtroom display commemorating the Dred Scott cases held in the 1847 and 1850. The original Scott courtroom was divided into smaller courtrooms in 1855 due to structural issues in the building. Another nationally significant case held at the courthouse occurred in 1873 when Virginia Minor filed suit after being denied the right to vote in an 1872 election. Both cases eventually went on to the Missouri and United States Supreme Courts. To learn more on these cases please see the National Parks Services website link above. On the second floor two fully restored courtrooms are available for viewing. (Photos of both the Dred Scott display as well as one courtroom are below.) Stairs leading up to the third and fourth floors allow visitors high above the ground floor to better see the numerous paintings inside the dome.










I hope this brief description encourages you to visit a familiar downtown St. Louis landmark. One last note of advice, plan your trip ahead especially during the summer as parking can be more difficult when the Cardinals are in town.