St. Louis Region
The Old Courthouse is where the Dred Scott case began
One of the most consequential cases in U.S. history started in downtown St. Louis, and the building is preserved by the National Park Service as the official source for the story.
The Old Courthouse in downtown St. Louis is now part of Gateway Arch National Park. It is where Dred and Harriet Scott’s freedom suits were first heard in the 1840s, starting a legal fight that ended in the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1857 Dred Scott decision.
The National Park Service interprets the site and is the place to start for the accurate, careful version of the history rather than secondhand retellings. For a visitor or new resident, the building connects a downtown landmark to a national turning point.
Treat the subject with care. It is the history of enslaved people seeking freedom, and the NPS interpretation is the reliable anchor.
Where to see it
- Old Courthouse at Gateway Arch National Park
Use the National Park Service page for careful Dred Scott history and visitor context.
References
More from St. Louis City: browse every local note for the county.
Last checked against the sources above: June 15, 2026.