Visitors to the Old Courthouse in downtown St. Louis today will have a chance to experience the sights and sounds of history with special performances in this historic building decorated with an array of patriotic 19th century displays, including a 33-star 36×20-foot garrison flag suspended from the fifth-level balcony.
Living History volunteers and National Park Service Rangers in historic period clothing will present 1861 Fourth of July celebrations featuring music, tours, speeches and firing demonstrations.
Visitors will also be able to “vote” in an 1861 city election, “pay” their 1861 taxes and become a naturalized citizen. Union soldiers will enlist
new recruits of all ages and train them in Civil War drills, and historic weapons firing demonstrations will be conducted each hour at Luther Ely
Smith Square.
Today’s events:
10 a.m. Old Courthouse Citizenship Tour
11 a.m. Old Courthouse Citizenship Tour
Noon Independent Silver Band Concert
1 p.m. Our Inalienable Rights and Freedoms Play
2 p.m. Independent Silver Band Concert & Reading of the
Declaration of Independence
3 p.m. Our Inalienable Rights and Freedoms Play
All programs are free of and open to the public.
The Old Courthouse, with the Gateway Arch, is part of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. The Gateway Arch will close at 8 p.m. today.