St. Louis Region
Historic St. Charles was Missouri's first state capital
St. Charles was the seat of Missouri's first state government from 1821 to 1826, and the restored First Missouri State Capitol is now a state historic site run by Missouri State Parks.
Before Jefferson City, St. Charles was the home of Missouri’s state government. The state’s first lawmakers met here starting June 4, 1821. They worked out of rooms above a local store. St. Charles stayed the capital until the new building in Jefferson City was ready in 1826.
You can still visit that early statehouse today. It is now the First Missouri State Capitol State Historic Site, run by Missouri State Parks. Several rooms have been restored to look as they did in the 1820s.
The town has another claim to early history too. Lewis and Clark stopped in St. Charles and set off up the Missouri River from here on May 21, 1804. For a visitor or a new resident, historic St. Charles is a simple window into Missouri’s founding years.
Where to see it
- First Missouri State Capitol State Historic Site
Missouri State Parks posts current tour and site details.
References
More from St. Charles County: browse every local note for the county.
Last checked against the sources above: June 20, 2026.