Statue of Dred and Harriet Scott on east side of the Old Courthouse
NPS Photo/Sue Ford
Click on the links below to learn more about people who played important roles in the history of St. Louis and Westward Expansion.
African-American Life in St. Louis, 1804-1865
Learn more about African-American life in St. Louis from 1804-1865. Learn about slave sales, slave life in St. Louis, freedom licenses, freedom suits and emancipations. Learn about Dred Scott, who sued for his freedom from slavery in the Old Courthouse. Explore his life story, the long history of the trials, and the aftermath of the Dred Scott Decision.
Virginia Minor Virginia Minor sued for her right to vote in the Old Courthouse in the early 1870s. Click on her name to learn more about the case.
Thomas Jefferson Biography of the third president of the United States.
The Gateway Arch tram system is a one-of-a-kind invention that incorporates components of Ferris wheels and elevators in its design. There is nothing else quite like it anywhere in the world! It was invented in only two weeks by a fascinating young man named Dick (Richard) Bowser.
A series of seemingly unrelated events all conspired to give Mr. Bowser the experience, skills, and abilities he needed to invent the ingenious tram ride.
Locations:Gateway Arch National Park, Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail, Lewis and Clark National Historical Park
William Clark was an American explorer, soldier, and territorial governor. Along with Meriweather Lewis, Clark led the Corps of Discovery across the Louisiana Purchase and to the Pacific Ocean and back east from 1804 to 1806 during Thomas Jefferson's presidency. He also represented American interests as a Superintendent of Indian Affairs.
On October 15, 1872, as part of a nation-wide plan organized by the National American Woman’s Suffrage Association, Virginia Minor tried to register to vote in the upcoming election. She was refused by St. Louis' sixth district registrar because she was a woman.
