Old Courthouse

The Old Courthouse is a federal courthouse in downtown St. Louis with a cast iron dome modeled after St. Peter's Basilica. The building sits within Gateway Arch National Park and stands beside the taller arch along the Mississippi River waterfront.

A judge and a merchant donated the land in 1816 and the building rose in Federal style in 1828. The dome came later and the structure became a landmark for legal history along the Mississippi.

The courtroom hosted trials that shaped the lives of ordinary people over more than a century. Today it forms part of a national park and bridges the modern arch with the history of the city.

Access remains unavailable until 2025 due to renovation work that includes a new elevator and modern climate control. When you arrive later, you will find redesigned gallery spaces and a restored dome interior.

A woman named Virginia Minor challenged voting rights for women in this building during the 1870s and laid groundwork for later movements. Her lawsuit reached the Supreme Court even though it was denied at the time.

Location: St. Louis

Inception: 1864

GPS coordinates: 38.62580,-90.18930

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:31