Cahokia Courthouse State Historic Site

Quick Facts

Location:

Cahokia, Illinois

Significance:

Winter headquarters of Lewis and Clark Expedition 1803-1804

MANAGED BY:

State of Illinois

Amenities

7 listed

Benches/Seating, Cellular Signal, Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Information, Information - Ranger/Staff Member Present, Information Kiosk/Bulletin Board, Parking - Auto

Lewis and Clark NHT Visitor Centers and Museums

Visitor Centers (shown in orange), High Potential Historic Sites (shown in black), and Pivotal Places (shown in green) along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail

The Cahokia Courthouse State Historic Site is located in Cahokia, Illinois. First constructed in the 1740s as a dwelling when the territory was under French control, it was converted to a courthouse in 1793 and is the oldest courthouse in Illinois. The building is an example of the French Colonial vertical log poteaux-sur-solle (“post-on-sill”) construction technique where upright hewn logs are seated on a horizontal log sill. Spaces between logs are filled with stone and mortar chinking. 

In 1901 the courthouse was dismantled and re-erected in St. Louis for the 1904 World’s Fair. It was moved once again in 1906 to Chicago’s Jackson Park. In 1939 it was reconstructed on the original site in Cahokia where it currently sits on its original stone foundation. 

This site is historically significant for serving as the headquarters of Lewis and Clark from winter of 1803 to the spring of 1804. They used the courthouse to make arrangements for their long voyage which included: gathering supplies, meeting with territorial leaders, collecting general information, and corresponding with President Jefferson. 

The courthouse now serves as a museum and historic site. Three exhibit rooms depict cases the court handled around 1800 and the French-roots of the structure. A fourth room is refurbished to represent the courtroom of 1790. Two massive limestone fireplaces, shuttered casement windows, and French-style doors allow visitors to step back in time to Illinois’s territorial infancy. Courthouse staff and volunteers offer guided tours, or visitors may walk through at their leisure. 

Managed by the State of Illinois, several special events are held at the site each year. Visit their website at https://www2.illinois.gov/dnrhistoric/Experience/Sites/Southwest/Pages/Cahokia-Courthouse.aspx for more information