This article was originally published in our spring 2024 newsletter, View 630'.

The Old Courthouse holds great historical significance for not only St. Louis, but also for our entire country. Although the building has been closed to the public for renovations, we still wanted to find a way for people to honor and engage with the Old Courthouse’s vast legacy. Thanks to a grant we received from the National Park Foundation’s Strong Parks, Strong Communities program, and a donation matching the grant by Gateway Arch Park Foundation donors, we were able to do just that. Gateway Arch Park Foundation commissioned a series of public art displays outside the Old Courthouse in partnership with the National Park Service and local community organization St. Louis ArtWorks, a nonprofit organization that provides underserved youth with art education, job skill training, and exposure to career opportunities through paid apprenticeships.

The art installation project began in February 2023 when Foundation and National Park Service staff met with a group of student artists, teaching artists, and administrators at St. Louis ArtWorks. Leadership from the Foundation and National Park Service provided an in-depth background on the historical significance of the Old Courthouse and how the ongoing renovations would modify the building’s four museum exhibits. The student artists, all between the ages of 14 and 19, were then tasked with designing four murals to encapsulate the themes of the Old Courthouse, incorporating historical context within a modern framework.