GLORY RETURNS TO THE GRAND OLD COURTHOUSE.
Known for its detailed Greek Revival architecture, which includes chiseled stone, rotundas, tall symmetrical columns, and a towering dome, the Old Courthouse stands as one of the most significant historical buildings in the city of St. Louis. The interior renovation, which was its first comprehensive renovation since 1979, was completed in May of this year. Visitors can now once again walk the majestic and historic halls of the Old Courthouse and learn about its history through new exhibitions.
The program manager for museum services and interpretation at the Old Courthouse, Pam Sanfilippo, describes the space as “hallowed ground,” being home to Dred Scott’s first trial in 1848, Dred Scott v. Emerson, wherein he fought for his freedom. While they were enslaved in Missouri for the majority of their lives, Dred and his wife, Harriet Scott, were also taken to live in the free states of Illinois and Wisconsin during their enslavement. According to the Missouri Compromise, the Scotts should have been freed from slavery while in the free territory. However, they were denied the right. In the Dred Scott v. Sandford court ruling in 1857, Congress deemed that it did not have the jurisdiction to ban slavery in any territory. This directly challenged the Missouri Compromise—written into law 37 years prior—which deemed it unconstitutional, enraging Northern sympathizers. This case not only heightened tensions between the North and South but was also a defeating ruling for abolitionists since it increased the possibility of slavery expanding into northern “free” states with no federal repercussions.
The Old Courthouse is also known as the place of Virginia Minor’s case in support of women’s voting rights and the location of the legal battles of over 300 other suits of St. Louis slaves fighting for their freedom.Walking through the main entrance into the hall of the Old Courthouse, visitors will see the artistic brainchild of architects William Rumbold and Henry Singleton.
The dome in the building’s main entrance hall contains intricate details on the ceiling that seem like they are piped on with icing. Turquoise fluted columns that tower 15 feet high support each of the three levels of the dome. Swirling capitals (the uppermost portion of the supporting columns) are coated in luminescent gold paint.
If visitors stand in the middle of the main floor rotunda, look up, and speak into the dome, they can experience incredible acoustics as their voices echo back at them. Murals on the ceiling’s lunettes, originally painted by Carl Wimar in 1862, detail key historic St. Louis figures and events. One of the oldest preserved elements of the courthouse is the rotunda’s limestone floor. Once a rough surface, it has since been buffed and smoothed by centuries of foot traffic. Beyond the main entrance to the rotunda, there are four restored and newly curated off-shoot wings to explore, along with two replica courtrooms upstairs.
Southeast and Southwest Galleries
To the right of the main entrance is the wing to the Southwest Gallery named See You in Court. This gallery is a refurbished and fully furnished courtroom that is also a classroom used for educational purposes, like class field trips where students can hold a mock trial.
An informational placard describes the bar—a wooden railing separating the judge, lawyers, and jury from the rest of the public—and helps explain the phrase “passing the bar.” When a student becomes a licensed attorney, they can then pass the bar that separates the legal officials from the general public. Several additional placards are placed around the room, explaining the significance of the furniture and describing the US court system.
This same wing leads to the Southeast Gallery named Designed for Justice, where visitors can learn about the creation of the courthouse, how it was built, and who was involved. In this bright, airy space, the original ceramic tile floors, six-foot-tall windows that let in natural light, and towering ceilings have all been restored. On exhibit are eight-foot-tall displays of the original blueprints and plans for the Old Courthouse along with the biographies of the men who created them. Visitors can look over three-dimensional models of the courthouse and read about its intricate construction process.
Northeast and Northwest Galleries
To the left of the main entrance is the elevator and stair access to the second floor. Beyond that, this wing offers two additional exhibits: the Northeast Gallery exhibit named Dred and Harriet Scott and the Northwest Gallery exhibit named Pathways to Freedom. These exhibits tell the compelling stories of the Scott family and many other Black St. Louisans who fought relentlessly for their freedom throughout the Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement.
The Northeast Gallery exhibit includes a large display with an educational video on Dred and Harriet Scott, narrated by Dred and Harriet Scott’s great-great-granddaughter, Lynne Jackson. The Northwest Gallery contains historical maps and photographs that help tell the stories of Black St. Louisans throughout the 1800s. Within the exhibit are interactive elements, such as large touchscreen pads, where visitors can walk through timelines or see high-resolution historical images up close. Visitors can also view artifacts such as a school desk that would have been used by students in the 1800s.
Second Floor Courtrooms
History hangs heavy in the air in the two reconstructed courtrooms from 1860 and 1910 on the second floor. “We’re telling stories where they happened. This is where it all started,” the program manager, Pam, says. Each of the courtrooms are filled with furnishings from the time period.
In the 1910 east courtroom adorned with towering columns and red walls, visitors can stand in the exact place where Dred and Harriet Scott won their freedom in 1857.
The Old Courthouse museum is free to the public and is open from 9 am–5 pm, seven days a week. Visit at 11 North 4th Street, St. Louis, or go to Nps.gov/Jeff.
The History of the Old Courthouse
In the early 1800s, St. Louis had no government buildings where court could be held. Oftentimes, legal business was done inside a church, a home, or even a store. Following a donation of land from St. Louisan Auguste Chouteau and Judge John B. C. Lucas in 1816, the courthouse began construction. The city’s first courthouse was a simple brick structure that was completed in 1828. The land was donated under the contingency that it be “used forever as the site on which the courthouse of the County of St. Louis should be erected,” according to the land deed.
Though the original courthouse was completed in 1828, by 1839, the population of St. Louis had increased exponentially, outgrowing its designated space for court proceedings. Under the creative direction of architect Henry Singleton, a second courthouse was designed that would include the original courthouse as its east wing, and in 1839, construction began. This would start the transformation of the courthouse to become the artistic and architectural wonder that St. Louisans recognize today.
By 1930, the old building was abandoned by the city of St. Louis, and for the next 10 years, that space was utilized by an art school and a religious organization and housed the offices of two justices of peace. Around this time, descendants of Auguste Chouteau and Judge John B. C. Lucas fought with the city over ownership of the original building and its property since it was no longer being used for the purpose that was stated on the deed. However, the court eventually ruled against the families, and the courthouse was deeded to the federal government.
Meanwhile, President Franklin D. Roosevelt incorporated the Old Courthouse and its land as part of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. On December 21, 1935, under executive order 7253, President Roosevelt declared the structure a place of “national significance for the inspiration and benefit of the people of the United States.” The Jefferson National Expansion Memorial became a part of the Gateway Arch National Park in 2018.
This article was originally published in the July/August edition of Missouri Life magazine.
The Old Courthouse museum is free to the public and is open from 9 am–5 pm, seven days a week. Visit at 11 North 4th Street, St. Louis, or go to Nps.gov/Jeff.
