Day 2: The Arch & The Old Courthouse

For Day 2 we went to the Arch. Alexandra had no idea it would be so big, so she was really excited. I went when I was a young teenager, but I barely remembered it.

The Arch

The view from the top - including the stadium - the ride wasn't too bad even

though I sometimes get a little claustrophobic

One of the legs looking STRAIGHT down... 630 feet

Alexandra at the VERY top - 630 feet up

While at the arch, we also watched a National Geographic movie about Lewis & Clark called Great Journey West. It was incredible and we all learned so much and have so much respect for what all the men went through - AND Sacagewa and her baby! (This photo shows the court house in front of the arch)

After lunch, we walked around a bit. I was getting tired, but Alexandra had so much energy. She was running all over the place, up and down the stairs, etc.


Next, we went to The Old Courthouse. This is the courthouse where the famous Dred Scott Decision was made. This sign say: "On April 6, 1846, a slave named Dred Scott and his wife Harriet sued for their freedom in this courthouse. The Scotts had been taken by their owner to free jurisdictions and then returned to Missouri, a slave state. In 1857, Chief Justice Roger B. Taney of the U.S. Supreme Court announced the decision in the case Dred Scott v. Sanford. He stated that Americans of African ancestry were not eligible to be citizens, based on the historical claim that they 'had no rights which the white man was bound to respect.' Taney's opinion also declared that Congress could not prevent the spread of slavery into the Western territories. This decision fueled sectional conflict which led to the Civil War."

This old court house had some beautiful architecture and artwork. There was also a video about the Dred Scott decision, but I thought it was getting to heavy for Alexandra, so we didn't finish it.


The courthouse is also part of a national park (so is the arch) and Alexandra earned her second Junior Ranger badge - for the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. Most of the questions dealt with the Greek architecture of the building and the layout of a courtroom. Alexandra's aunt is a judge (among other things) so it was neat to learn about the court room. This court room was above the one where the Dred Scott case was heard - that court room doesn't exist as it did for that case, but this one would have been pretty much the same as far as layout, size, etc.

Photo taken on court house steps - across from the arch

photo from base of arch

another from the base looking straight up - I like how the arch seems to twist in this photo

We went out to eat at a restaurant in Union Station. Afterwards, we were walking around and came across The Fudgery. This lady made fudge and her and 2 other workers (guys) made jokes and sang songs. They were great! Then, we got a free sample... and had to buy some for the hotel. Yum!!!