The Old Courthouse

In 1846, Dred Scott and his wife Harriet, both enslaved, filed suit for their freedom in the St. Louis courthouse, arguing that time spent living in free territories entitled them to liberty. Their case was tried in this building and wound through the courts for years, eventually reaching the U.S. Supreme Court.

In 1857, the Supreme Court's Dred Scott decision denied their freedom and ruled that Black people could not be citizens, an infamous ruling that inflamed tensions over slavery and is widely seen as a step toward the Civil War. The Old Courthouse, where the case began, stands as a solemn reminder of this history and of the people who fought for their freedom here.

Today the Old Courthouse is part of Gateway Arch National Park, with restored courtrooms and exhibits that interpret the Dred Scott case, the building's history, and the broader story of law and civil rights. Its grand dome, one of the older cast-iron domes in the country, and its classical architecture make it a landmark in its own right.

The courthouse sits just a few blocks west of the arch, an easy walk across the park's grounds, so it pairs naturally with a visit to the arch and its museum. Because the building has undergone restoration work and hours can change, it is worth checking current access and hours before visiting. Admission is generally free.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

The Old Courthouse is a historic domed courthouse in downtown St. Louis, Missouri, a few blocks west of the Gateway Arch and part of Gateway Arch National Park. It is best known as the place where the Dred Scott case, a pivotal legal battle over slavery and freedom, was first tried in the 1840s and 1850s. An enslaved man, Dred Scott, and his wife Harriet sued for their freedom in this building, beginning a case that eventually reached the U.S. Supreme Court and helped push the nation toward the Civil War. Today the Old Courthouse preserves this history through restored courtrooms and exhibits, and its striking dome and classical architecture make it a landmark in its own right, honoring the long struggle for justice and equality in America.

The Old Courthouse is historically important primarily because it is where the Dred Scott case began. In 1846, Dred Scott and his wife Harriet, both enslaved, filed suit for their freedom here, arguing that time spent in free territories entitled them to liberty. The case was tried in this courthouse and eventually reached the U.S. Supreme Court, which in 1857 issued the infamous Dred Scott decision denying their freedom and ruling that Black people could not be U.S. citizens. That ruling deepened the national crisis over slavery and is widely regarded as a step toward the Civil War. Beyond this, the courthouse hosted other significant cases and events. As a place where ordinary people fought for their freedom and where a landmark decision unfolded, the Old Courthouse is a powerful site in the history of American law and civil rights.

Yes, the Old Courthouse is part of Gateway Arch National Park. Although it stands a few blocks west of the arch itself, in downtown St. Louis, it is administered by the National Park Service as a component of the park, connected to the arch grounds by the park's landscaped mall. This makes it easy to combine a visit to the Old Courthouse with time at the arch, its museum, and the grounds, all within a short walk. The courthouse contributes an important historical dimension to the park, complementing the westward-expansion story of the arch with the story of the Dred Scott case and the fight for freedom and justice. Because the building has undergone restoration and its hours and access can change, it is wise to check current information before planning your visit.

Dred and Harriet Scott were an enslaved married couple in the mid-1800s whose fight for freedom became a landmark legal case in American history. Dred Scott had been taken by his enslaver to live in free territories, and he and Harriet argued that this residence in free lands should have made them free. In 1846, they filed suit for their freedom at the St. Louis courthouse, now the Old Courthouse. Their case was tried and appealed over many years and ultimately reached the U.S. Supreme Court, which in 1857 ruled against them in the notorious Dred Scott decision. Though the Scotts did not win their freedom through the courts, and the ruling helped propel the country toward civil war, their courageous struggle is remembered and honored today, and the Old Courthouse tells their story to visitors.