An Overlooked Resource: St. Louis Branch of the Missouri State Archives

Did you know there was a branch of the Missouri State Archives in St. Louis? If you did know about it, do you know where it is located or what projects they are currently working on? We will fill you in on all of that information in this week's blog post.

First, the St. Louis branch of the Missouri State Archives is downtown in the Carnahan Courthouse, just a block east of City Hall, at 1114 Market Street, Room 245. Because this is a working government building, you do have to go through a security check to enter, but once you are in the lobby, visitors are welcome to visit the archives from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. You are encouraged to call ahead, though, to be sure staff is available to assist you. (Their phone number is included here at the end.) Parking is available in several lots nearby and the MetroLink station near the Enterprise Center is an easy walk in good weather.

What will you find at the MSA-St. Louis? Archivist Mike Everman and his capable staff are working diligently on St. Louis City Circuit Court records. The case files include all kinds of early court cases: petitions/complaints, summons, depositions, subpoenas, judgments, maps, and drawings. Record books have a daily accounting of actions that occurred for each case. There are indexes for plaintiff versus defendant and an inverted index of defendants against plaintiffs.

The job of the MSA-St. Louis staff is to conserve every record, to open, straighten, clean, and digitize more than four million pages of original documents! Work began in 1999 and the St. Louis Circuit Court Historical Records Project was designated an official project of the Save America's Treasures initiative a year later. Along with the state archives, the staff is also partnering with several universities in St. Louis and the National Park Service.
 
Archivists and interns have already processed and indexed Circuit Court records from 1804 through 1835 and from 1861 through 1868. They are currently indexing 1835 through 1840. Their goal is to "preserve and make available case files, indexes, and record books of the St. Louis Circuit Court, 1804–1875." Later records for the city are in the Civil Courts Building. (Remember that in 1876, St. Louis City and County split, so some later records will be in the county.)

Mike and his co-workers at the MSA-St. Louis are happy to help you locate individuals in the indexes and then look at the actual court cases. He says that "processed and unprocessed case files and record books" are available in the archives office. Although some of the records are currently online, much is not there yet. You can contact the MSA-St. Louis staff, if you have a particular request, and they will be happy to work with you to find what you need. They request that you be specific when you email. Include names and dates, the nature of the case you are pursuing, and, if possible, the location in the city where your people were living.

The Missouri State Archives has much more information on their website that can help you.

1. Missouri State Archives-St. Louis
2. St. Louis Circuit Court Project
3. Civil War Records from the St. Louis Circuit Court

If you had Civil War ancestors in St. Louis, you might also want to check out the St. Louis Freedom Suits project, a joint effort between Washington University Libraries and the Missouri History Museum based on work done by the Missouri State Archives. You can read more here.

St. Louis Circuit Court Records, Prior to 1875
Address above
Phone: 314-588-17476
Email: archrefstl@sos.mo.gov

(To the right is the MSA-St. Louis office and Mike Everman, the archivist. It's a small office, but, as you can see, filled with treasures!
Photos by Ilene Murray)


St. Louis Circuit Court Records, Post 1875
St. Louis City Circuit Court
10 North Tucker Street (63101)
Phone: 314-641-8309
Email Kathy Grillo, Records Manager: kathy.grillo@courts.mo.gov