Missouri became the twenty-fourth state of the United States on Aug. 10, 1821, after a seventeen-month struggle tied to the Missouri Compromise and objections to a clause in its constitution that barred the entrance of free Negroes and mulattos and was found to violate interstate travel clauses in the U.S. constitution. During that ordeal, the legislature met in St. Charles, where Peck Row served as Missouri's temporary capitol from 1821 to 1826 because of free rent, spacious accommodations, nearness to St. Louis, and access to the Missouri River and Boone's Lick Road while Jefferson City was being built as the permanent capital. While in St. Charles, the legislature made corrections to the constitution through the Solemn Public Oath, abolished debtor's prison, created the state seal, and chose Jefferson City as Missouri's permanent capital. The capitol building in St. Charles, owned by Charles Peck, Ruluff Peck and his wife Adeline, and Chauncy Shepherd, housed rented rooms for the legislature, governor's office, and the Peck store and residence; these spaces were later restored to period style. The buildings remained privately owned until Missouri bought them in 1961, and after ten years of restoration they reopened as the First Missouri Capitol State Historic Site.
