I've been rather quiet of late. I'm teaching property and T&E this semester and that's been keeping me busy. Especially T&E, where I've been trying out some new material — want to talk about that down the road. But right now I thought that I'd try to put up a modest post. I'm out of building trivia questions for the time being and there are no prospects of trips on the horizon, so I'm going to branch out here a little. I've blogged some on places that are important in our constitutional heritage — less because they're the site of famous cases than because they're important to our constitutional thought. There's the Brandywine Sycamore tree and Cemetery Ridge at Gettysburg, for instance. (There's so much to say about Gettysburg as a place where the Constitution was put into action — and reformed.) Here's a picture of a place where a "great" (as important, not great as in "awesome decision!") constitutional law case began. Where is this and what's the case?
Update: Now that Carlton Larson and Owen have identified this — as the site where Plessy v. Ferguson began — I thought I'd post a picture of the historic marker at the site. It's right about where I was standing when I took this picture. And a special thanks to my friend Adam Feibelman, who took me here.
This is where Homer Plessy was removed from the train in New Orleans, leading to Plessy v. Ferguson.
A nice "Big Easy" one: New Orleans & Plessy v. Ferguson.
Nice work Carlton and Owen. Doesn't take you gentlemen long. You're right. I don't know how you do this.
How did you guys figure that out? Would you mind explaining? Is there a historical marker? Another location of great importance that is very very mundane and given short shrift in relation to its constitutional significance is the actual cabin at Ft. Snelling near Minneapolis/St. Paul where Dred Scott resided. It wasn't much— but tremendously significant.
I have no idea how they figured this out. A lot of the pictures I only know because I was there taking them! These are really tough. (Maybe the street signs on the telephone poll was of some help, not sure. I can't make them out, but perhaps if I had a better monitor….) Or perhaps they've visited this site?
I didn't know about the Dred Scott house at Fort Snelling. That's a great one. One of these days I should post something about Dred Scott and Southampton County. I've wondered for a long time whether Dred Scott knew Nat Turner (they're both from Southampton County, Virginia). And I've wondered whether the Dred who was one of Turner's rebels was related to Dred Scott.
He was "taken" against his will to Ft. Snelling by the Base Army doctor…When I visited a couple of years ago, I was shocked that I literally stumbled upon this history. It was a blistering hot day and I was "reluctant" to see an old Army installation and needed something to "kill time" until dinner. It was like a "find." Both of these sites should be commemorated like Sumner Elementary School in Topeka.
I believe you have the makings of a terrific historical guide/travel book. Other ideas: The jewelry store in Cleveland where Terry was stopped and frisked at by Officer McFadden. The pool hall where Gideon was arrested. The carnival or circus area that "Roe" worked at when and where she became pregnant. The location where the fellow burned the flag in Texas v. Johnson. Where Juan Carbelles was detained on I-80 in Illinois. The court house where Mr. Cohen wore his shirt.
Captain,
Those are all excellent ideas and the whole project sounds terrific. The Harlan Institute is working on something like this already: http://harlaninstitute.org/lesson-plans/constitutional-places-constitutional-faces/
If you google "corner of royal and press" – the 2 street names visible on the telephone pole – the 4th result is this article: http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2009/02/plessy_vs_ferguson_photo.html
So a neat bit of closure and reconciliation between the families involved.