Old Courthouse
Old Courthouse
4.5
Historic SitesPoints of Interest & LandmarksGovernment Buildings
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
About
Walk the halls where ordinary Americans made civil rights history. Built in 1839, the Old Courthouse is a prime example of mid-19th century federal architecture. But it is two landmark cases that secure its place in history. Beginning in 1847, the enslaved Dred Scott twice sued for his and his wife Harriet’s freedom. But, the U.S. Supreme Court decided against them, ruling that African-Americans were not citizens and had no right to sue. In 1873, St. Louis suffragette Virginia Minor and her husband filed a civil suit arguing for women’s right to vote. Although their suit was denied, they brought great attention to the fight for voting rights for all U.S. citizens.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
1,058 reviews
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Michael K
Kennesaw, GA556 contributions
Oct 2019
There's a lot of really interesting stuff in this old courthouse, but its focus is on the old Dred Scott case from the 19th century. There have been renovations since that terrible case, but the building itself hasn't changed that much. This is well worth a couple hours for anyone with a love of history and/or legal background.
Written March 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Have Camera, Will Travel
South Bend, IN3,712 contributions
Aug 2020
Unfortunately, as with many things in 2020, we could not go inside, but we wandered around the outside and I took a ton of pictures. The building is in great shape and it takes great photos. There are information boards around the building and some statues and the like. It's a good partner to the Arch.
Written August 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mark Barnes
Indianapolis, IN567 contributions
Oct 2020 • Family
You should stop here on your visit to st louis. Unfortunately you can't go inside right now. There is some really neat history inside. Also it is a good pic to get the courthouse inside the arch.
Written October 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
FLGIRL
The Villages, FL595 contributions
May 2022
This is apart of the Gateway Arch, National Park, but is currently under renovation. It does make for a beautiful picture when standing in Kiener Plaza Park. Also this is a great place to start walking from then up Chestnut to 14th street and back down Market street to see all the different buildings downtown. The architecture of the different buildings is so worth the walk.
Written May 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CharlieinTexas
Austin, TX5,146 contributions
May 2021 • Couples
At first I thought this was some type of state house, if it is easily accessible on a visit to the arch or ballpark. Well-maintained building, that is a throwback to architecture long ago. Quite refreshing compared to modern office building-like the courthouses being built in the past 39 years or so
Written June 2, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Irina
United States13,983 contributions
Jan 2022
The Old Courthouse is considered to be one of the oldest historic buildings in downtown St. Louis.
The building of the Old Courthouse had gone through initial design and construction (circa 1816), redesigning and expansion (1839), had a new cast iron dome replacing the cupola (1861-1864), became a part of the Gateway Arch National Park (1940), and had several subsequent repairs and renovations during the following decades.
The historic significance of the Old Courthouse in St. Louis originates from a very memorable historic process: in 1846 an American named Dred Scott, who was born into slavery in Virginia, sued for his freedom, for his rights as a human being, in effect raising the underlying questions of what defines humanity with respect to race, and what constitutes natural American citizenship. The Old Courthouse in St. Louis became the scene of trials, the historic case of Dred Scott reached the Missouri Supreme Court and the US Supreme Court, thus laying the grounds for the future civil rights movement. The American Civil War (1861-1865) eventually ended in the abolition of slavery in 1865.
During the time of our visit the Old Courthouse was closed to public, and from what I read now, it is still -- temporarily -- closed.
The building of the Old Courthouse had gone through initial design and construction (circa 1816), redesigning and expansion (1839), had a new cast iron dome replacing the cupola (1861-1864), became a part of the Gateway Arch National Park (1940), and had several subsequent repairs and renovations during the following decades.
The historic significance of the Old Courthouse in St. Louis originates from a very memorable historic process: in 1846 an American named Dred Scott, who was born into slavery in Virginia, sued for his freedom, for his rights as a human being, in effect raising the underlying questions of what defines humanity with respect to race, and what constitutes natural American citizenship. The Old Courthouse in St. Louis became the scene of trials, the historic case of Dred Scott reached the Missouri Supreme Court and the US Supreme Court, thus laying the grounds for the future civil rights movement. The American Civil War (1861-1865) eventually ended in the abolition of slavery in 1865.
During the time of our visit the Old Courthouse was closed to public, and from what I read now, it is still -- temporarily -- closed.
Written December 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jennifer H
San Diego, CA3,182 contributions
Sept 2019
The Old Courthouse is definitely worth a walk through when visiting the Arch in St. Louis. The building is beautifully maintained and the Park Rangers inside are very helpful providing a great deal of history about the events that happened in this building.
If nothing else, just to stand where the Dred Scott case was heard is something special. The rotunda inside is breathtaking and be sure to see the the Dred Scott statue outside. You won't need a great deal of time to see this - it was a perfect walk through on our way to the arch.
If nothing else, just to stand where the Dred Scott case was heard is something special. The rotunda inside is breathtaking and be sure to see the the Dred Scott statue outside. You won't need a great deal of time to see this - it was a perfect walk through on our way to the arch.
Written November 28, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mcron55
Santa Clarita, CA14 contributions
For history buffs like myself, this was an amazing find. Learning that the famous Dred Scott case was argued here in 1846, I was wowed by the pure significance of this grand building that looks more like a state capitol. Dred Scott being a slave who was suing for his freedom, along with his wife Harriet and their two daughters. They were originally denied. Ironically, other slaves had argued for there freedom in the past and won. The overturning of the original ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1857, was pivotal in the flare-up of the Civil War.
Meaning to take a quick look around inside, I eventually found myself entranced for some two hours. Many don't realize the true place in American history this trial mean't to our nation living up to its heritage of being a country where "all men are created equal," and "with liberty and justice for all."
A true American landmark.
Meaning to take a quick look around inside, I eventually found myself entranced for some two hours. Many don't realize the true place in American history this trial mean't to our nation living up to its heritage of being a country where "all men are created equal," and "with liberty and justice for all."
A true American landmark.
Written October 12, 2008
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Angela B
11 contributions
Oct 2017 • Couples
Visiting the Courthouse and the Dred and Harriet Scott statue was a highlight to my husband and my St. Louis trip. As an African American, immersing myself in the displays and physically being in the Courthouse which held the Dred Scott trial which literally changed the course of history for African slaves in America (as well as all of America) was something that I will always remember. As I stood in the portals of where history was made which so forcefully impacted my people, it was both very emotional and a source of pride for me. A special moment for me was witnessing a young, white father explain to his 4-year old daughter how the atrocities of slavery and "owning people" were bad. He did this in a way that spoke the truth to her in a sensitive way she could understand. I hope that the displays will be upgraded to more fully and adequately address the signifance of this chapter in American history and that the exhibits will be maintained to address the general wear and tear. Also, I would like to see more options in the gift shop available for Dred Scott memorabilia.
Written October 19, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jenni L
Madison, WI68 contributions
Feb 2017 • Friends
We walked through the old courthouse, it has a lot of history in it. You can go into some old courtrooms, and there is some rooms with artifacts in them. It is free to enter and you can get through ity in less than an hour. They also have a gift shop for the Arch in there.
Written February 7, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
From what I've read you have to reserve a time a few days ahead to go up the arch. You have to pick up tickets at the courthouse. Do you walk to the arch from there, because of construction around the arch? Any parking around the arch.?
Written July 11, 2017
If you order the tickets online and download them to your phone you don't have to pick them up at the courthouse, but yes you do have to choose a time when you purchase. There are no close parking lots so give yourself about 20 mins to walk over to the arch from any of the lots. Currently there is only one tram working so the wait is a little longer than usual.
Written July 13, 2017
I want to ask about parking, is there free parking lot there? of need to park in street? is it difficult to find parking space a=if go there on Saturday evening? thanks.
Written March 12, 2017
Parking isn't cheap. I don't know about street parking/meters, but the ramps can be expensive. Weekends may be cheaper (at least they are in Minneapolis), but I don't know about St. Louis. I'm sure there is a web site for the downtown STL ramps. Keep in mind that the Old Courthouse is very close to the new baseball stadium and its attractions, so the parking will be more expensive on game days/nights.
Written March 13, 2017
Do you get the National Parks Passport stamp at the courthouse?
Written September 14, 2016
They had the stamps available at the giftshop.
Written July 13, 2017
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