Existing comment:
East Courtroom:
The St. Louis Circuit Court met in this courtroom between 1857 and 1915. It is thought that this courtroom was in use by the time Dred and Harriet Scott were given their freedom by Taylor Blow on May 26, 1857. This important event probably took place in this courtroom. The position of the judge's bench, which probably dates to the 1880s, changed over the years. From 1858 to 1903, the bench was directly opposite the main entrance to the courtroom. It was moved to its present location in 1903.
The small room in the far right corner was a jury room; the small room in the left corner was used for the judge's chambers and later for witnesses. The small, elaborate stand directly in front of you was for the bailiff, an officer who kept order in the courtroom. Circuit Court Division 13 met in the room from 1915 to 1930, when the courts moved out of the Old Courthouse to the St. Louis Civil Court Building at Market and 12th Street. In the 1930s, this room was used as a classroom for the St. Louis Art League. The courtroom was restored by the National Park Service in 1955 to represent its c. 1903 appearance. |