The Harlan Institute for Constitutional Studies is currently assembling a Coffee Table book for aficionados of the United States Supreme Court, titled Constitutional Places. My co-founder, Yaakov Roth, and I are assembling modern photographs of some of the more famous locations in constitutional law history. All profits will go towards supporting our growing organization.

What became of Lochner’s bakery? What about the school from Brown v. Board? With pictures of each location, we will provide a brief blurb of the history of the case, and perhaps most interestingly, the fallout of the SCOTUS opinion, and what happened after the case. Seeing the places, and the people affected, makes the Constitution come alive.

In keeping with the mission of the Harlan Institute, which seeks to utilize the power of Web 2.0 to make the Constitution more accessible, we are asking (blegging in the cyber lingo) bloggers across the Nation to help us out, and submit photographs. You will be credited in the ultimate production.  If you live in any of these areas, we will find the exact location, and help you track it down. If you are interested in participating in this worthwhile and fun project, please send photographs to [email protected].

Here are some of the places we are considering, but of course, we are open to any other cool places.  There are an infinite number of possibilities and we encourage you to be creative.

1. Lochner v. New York, 198 U.S. 45 (1905): Lochner’s Home Bakery in Utica, NY

2. Erie Railroad v. Tompkins, 304 U.S. 64 (1938): the Erie Railroad near Hughestown, PA

3. Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954): Schoolhouse in Topeka, KS

4. Plessy v. Ferguson, 163 U.S. 537 (1896): old rail car somewhere in LA

5. Kelo v. City of New London, 545 U.S. 469 (2005): the former site of Kelo’s house in New London, CT

6. Griswold v. Connecticut, 381 U.S. 479 (1965): the Planned Parenthood League in New Haven, CT

7. Nebbia v. New York, 291 U.S. 502 (1934): Nebbia’s grocery store in Rochester, NY

8. A.L.A. Schechter Poultry Corp. v. United States, 295 U.S. 495 (1935): chicken slaughterhouse in Brooklyn, NY

9. West Coast Hotel v. Parrish, 300 U.S. 379 (1937): Cascadian Hotel in Wenatchee, WA

10. Bush v. Gore, 531 U.S. 98 (2000): polling place in Broward County, FL

11. Yick-Wo v. Hopkins, 118 U.S. 356 (1886): the laundry shop in San Francisco, CA

12. United States v. Cruickshank, 92 U.S. 542 (1875): site of Colfax Massacre in Colfax, LA

13. Gonzales v. Raich, 545 U.S. 1 (2005): Angel Raich’s marijuana “farm” in Oakland, CA

14. United States v. Lopez, 514 U.S. 549 (1995): Edison High School in San Antonio, TX

15. Printz v. United States, 521 U.S. 898 (1997): sheriff’s office in Ravalli County, MT; or perhaps a gun shop

16. Barnes v. Glen Theatre, Inc., 501 U.S. 560 (1991): (exterior of) Glen Theatre or Kitty Kat Lounge in South Bend, IN

17. Van Orden v. Perry, 545 U.S. 677 (2005): Ten Commandments on Capitol grounds in Austin, TX

18. Pleasant Grove City v. Summum (2009): Pioneer Park in Pleasant Grove, UT

19. Salazar v. Buono (2010): Cross in Mojave National Preserve near San Bernardino, CA

20. United States v. Nixon, 418 U.S. 683 (1974): the Watergate Hotel

21. District of Columbia v. Heller, 554 U.S. _ (2008): Dick Heller’s home in Washington, DC

22. Katz v. United States, 389 U.S. 347 (1967): site of “reasonable expectation of privacy” phone booth in Los Angeles, CA

23. Kyllo v. United States, 533 U.S. 27 (2001): house searched by infrared technology, a triplex on Rhododendron Drive in Florence, OR.

24. Boumediene v. Bush, 553 U.S. __ (2008): Camp X-Ray, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

25. Martin v. Hunter’s Lessee, 14 U.S. 304 (1816): land in Fairfax, VA

26. Berman v. Parker, 348 U.S. 26 (1954): former site of department store in Project Area B in Southwest Washington, DC

27. Williamson v. Lee Optical Co., 348 U.S. 483 (1955): site of optician somewhere in OK

28. Wickard v. Filburn, 317 U.S. 111 (1942): site of Filburn’s farm in Montgomery County, OH

29. Rosenberger v. Univ. of Virginia, 515 U.S. 819 (1995): student activities office (or similar), Charlottesville, VA

30. McCulloch v. Maryland, 17 U.S. 316 (1819): site of Second Bank of the United States in Baltimore, MD

31. Gibbons v. Ogden, 22 U.S. 1 (1824): port in Elizabethtown, NJ or New York City, NY

32. Dartmouth College v. Woodward, 17 U.S. 518 (1817): old building at Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH

33. Board of Education of Kiryas Joel Village v. Grumet, 512 U.S. 687 (1994): Satmar religious school in Kiryas Joel, NY

34. Larkin v. Grendel’s Den, Inc., 459 U.S. 116 (1982): the Grendel’s Den pub in Cambridge, MA

35.     Missouri v. Jenkins, 515 U.S. 70 (1995): the extremely well-funded public schools in the Kansas City, Missouri, School District in Kansas City, MO

36.    Stenberg v. Carhart, 530 U.S. 914 (2000): Carhart’s abortion clinic in Omaha, NE

37.    South Dakota v. Dole, 483 U.S. 203 (1987): any highway in SD

38.    Tinker v. Des Moines Ind. Community School District, 393 U.S. 503 (1969): high school in Des Moines, IA

39.    Grutter v. Bollinger, 539 U.S. 306 (2003) and Gratz v. Bollinger: admissions office of University of Michigan Law School / undergraduate, Ann Arbor, MI

40.    Shelley v. Kraemer, 334 U.S. 1 (1948): house subject to racial covenant, Labadie Ave between Taylor and Cora Aves., in St. Louis, MO

41. Chicago, Burlington & Quincy R.R. v. City of Chicago, 166 U.S. 226 (1897): condemned railroad right of way on Rockwell Street, Chicago, IL

42. Ward v. Rock Against Racism, 491 U.S. 781 (1989): concert area in Central Park, NY

43. United States v. Carolene Prods., Inc., : Litchfield Creamery Co. plant in Litchfield, IL,

44. Burton v. Wilmington Parking Authority, 365 U.S. 715 (1961): parking lot (outside and in, if there is still a coffee shop), at 9th St & Shipley St, Wilmington, DE

45. Corfield v. Coryell, 6 Fed. Cas. 546 (C.C.E.D.Pa. 1823): privileges and immunities clause, raking clams and oysters, Maurice River, Cumberland, County, NJ

Also, if anyone has any experience forming 501(c)(3) organizations, please contact me as well. We are going through the process now, and appreciate any advice.
Update We have posted a few constitutional places to this Google Map.


View Constitutional Places in a larger map