Cahokia Court House - Cahokia, Illinois

Originally constructed as a dwelling, the Cahokia Courthouse served as the center of political activity in the Old Northwest Territory. The courthouse also served as a U.S. territorial courthouse and the county seat for several years. Additional information about the courthouse can be found on the History page.

Cahokia officially became a part of the United States on July 5, 1778. 30 mounted Virginia Rangers and a like number of French militiamen under Captain Joseph Bowman took Cahokia without resistance. Soon after, the 105 Cahokia "heads of household" swore allegiance to the Continental Congress of the United States.

Cahokia was later named the county seat of St. Clair County following the passage of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. For the next 24 years, the Cahokia Courthouse served as a United States territorial courthouse and an important center of political activity in the region.

When St. Clair County was enlarged in 1801, William Henry Harrison named the Cahokia Courthouse the judicial and administrative center of a vast area extending to the Canadian border. By 1814, however, St. Clair County had decreased to its present size and the county seat was moved to the city.

Written by Travel Writer · Filed Under Southwest