Downtown in St. Louis, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Sold on the Steps of Justice
Jefferson National Expansion Memorial
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 11, 2017
1. Sold on the Steps of Justice Marker
Auctions were once a common site on the stately steps of the Old Courthouse in front of you. The court organized property sales when people went bankrupt or died without a will. Between 1839 and 1862, the court sold more than 500 enslaved men, women, and children here.
Though the issue of slavery divided people, auctions like these were common at courthouses throughout the state. Missouri outlawed slavery in early 1865, just a few months before the Civil War ended.
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Civil Rights • War, US Civil.
Location. This marker has been replaced by another marker nearby. It was located near 38° 37.518′ N, 90° 11.317′ W. Marker was in St. Louis, Missouri. It was in Downtown. It was on North 4th Street north of Market Street, on the right when traveling north. Marker is located on the sidewalk, directly across 4th Street from the Old Saint Louis County Courthouse. Touch for map. Marker was at or near this postal address: 11 N 4th St, Saint Louis MO 63102, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker was in the American Midwest, in the Lewis & Clark Corridor, in the Corn Belt, and in the Great River Road Region. Globally, it was in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it found itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, the Louisiana Purchase, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location
this page online
Other markers no longer nearby. Joseph Pulitzer (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been confirmed missing); Western Reach of the Revolution (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it).
Also see . . .
1. Slave Sales. National Park Service website entry:
Even the city's "temple of justice," the Old Courthouse, was the scene of slave auctions. The Probate Court was located just inside the east door, and slaves were sold at auction along with other property, if their owners had died without a will or declared bankruptcy. In fact, courthouses across the country, including all the cities in Missouri, would have held similar auctions
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 11, 2017
2. Sold on the Steps of Justice Marker (wide view; Saint Louis County Courthouse in background)
2. The Slave Trade in St. Louis. National Park Service website entry (Submitted on October 10, 2023, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 11, 2017
3. Old Saint Louis County Courthouse Steps (view from near marker at sunset)
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 11, 2017
4. Jefferson National Expansion Memorial Sign (near marker)
The Old Saint Louis County Courthouse and grounds, as well as the Gateway Arch and surrounding grounds, are part of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, and managed by the United States National Park Service.
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 11, 2017
5. Gateway Arch at Sunset (view from near marker)
Credits. This page was last revised on March 15, 2026. It was originally submitted on June 20, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 1,204 times since then and 91 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on June 20, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
