LAW AND TYRANNY

A display in the Old Courthouse about the American federal legal system. Obviously, I didn’t need to read the details. However, the inscription is true - but I hope not prophetic.                                                      

THE DARK AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS

Architectural detail inside the Old Courthouse. The stairway is straight and steep up  to a landing, then curls back to reach the next floor. The rail is wood and the cross bars are iron. The rosettes at their center are cast iron, made in sand molds on display in the museum.              

HERE COMES THE JUDGE

The Old Courthouse, of course, has courtrooms. Although I practiced law for 47 years I rarely set foot in one, since my work was in a niche specialty of federal administrative law. This room has a ponderous 19th Century vibe. The circuit court name was also antique. When this building was in full use Missouri was pretty rural outside of St. Louis and judges “rode a circuit,” traveling from one county to another at a regular schedule. The name persists in the in the state’s modern legal structure.                

IF YOU COULD GET CLOSER

I rarely use two pictures in the same post but today’s topic deserves it. Yesterday I complained about the Old Courthouse having no plans to reopen the second and third level circular balconies under the dome. The staff told me it was a safety concern but I suspect it was a matter of budget. These pictures were taken from the first balcony. The next two were open before the recent restoration, making it easy to admire the historical and allegorical paintings.

                  

UNDER THE DOME

The copper clad dome of the Old Courthouse stands out in the exterior views seen the last couple of days. The inside, however, is richly decorated. It’s a shame that you can’t get close enough to see the paintings. There are three levels of circular galleries above the ground floor and, sadly, only the first has been reopened (with a chest-high glass barrier, at that). I asked a staff member if there were plans to reopen the next two. No, safety. It’s absurd.                       

ELEVATION

The Old Courthouse seen yesterday, but this time from above. As pointed out by one of our colleagues, the neoclassical style stands in marked contrast to the grids of the modern buildings behind. That’s the Mississippi in the upper right corner.

We will come back later to the reason for the high rise view.                     

THE OLD COURTHOUSE

The reason for our trip downtown on Wednesday was to check out the just-reopened Old Courthouse, one of our most significant buildings. It was built in stages when St. Louis boomed in the second quarter of the 19th Century and is now part of the national park that includes the Gateway Arch. One of the most significant trials in the country’s history, the Dred Scott case, defining the rights of black people and leading to one of the most appalling decisions in the history of our Supreme Court (well, there are competitors). I won’t write an essay about its history, but, if interested, look at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Courthouse_(St._Louis) .