My day as an avocat Ste. Genevieve

An avocat, by the way, is a lawyer. I am sure you know Ste. Genevieve, Missouri is one of the oldest French settlements west of the Mississippi River. I think this is the most mansardy courthouse in Missouri.

A nice mansard, although I am not crazy about the shingling on the taller part of the building. The church spire is part of the Ste. Genevieve Catholic church.

I thought I had been to most courthouses in Missouri. That is, until I scrolled through this list of courthouses and realized that at most I've been to only 30 of the roughly 120 courthouses in our state. I spent way too much time scrolling through the great photographs and histories. Be sure look at the photo of the above mansard with its original cresting and roof.

Depressing Hannibal Mansard

Hey St. Louis- you think you have problems with your old buildings going to hell? Go to Hannibal and prepare to be say "pour quoi." This is Hannibal's former federal building. Lovely cresting, tower and mansard. Built in the 1880's in the 2nd Empire Style and designed by Mifflin Bell. Read its application for National Register of Historic Places here.

This building has been mostly empty since a new federal facility was built. The courtrooms are still intact and evidently you can get a tour if you ask the right people. And, the bottom of the building is what every historic sight should have- a tacky bar. The Down Under Lounge, where according to the cheap signage, you can got to taco OR pasta night and drink some Baccardi rum.

I love Hannibal. It's a nice town with lovely buildings. Someone please help this mansard.

I would like to point out Hannibal's regular courthouse was renovated about 7 years ago and it is drop dead gorgeous. I'm not sure of the exact date of remodeling, but I do remember the dockets were moved to the courthouse in Palmyra where cell phone coverage was so spotty that I had to use the payphone on the corner. I must have looked like Palmyra's only prostitute hanging out on the corner making phone calls.

This is the dome of the Hannibal courthouse. Locals tell me the dome was covered by a drop ceiling and was relatively intact when remodeling started.

Last random thought: the Hannibal courthouse is one of the cleanest in the state. Also, it is one of the few courthouses with a ladies lounge in the bathroom with electrical outlets (in case your carrying a Medela Pump in Style).