The St. John’s Court House is located on Water Street and Duckworth Street in

St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador St. John's is the capital and largest city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland (island), Newfoundlan ...

. Constructed in 1901–04, the building is a

National Historic Site of Canada National Historic Sites of Canada () are places that have been designated by the federal Minister of the Environment on the advice of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (HSMBC), as being of national historic significance. Parks C ...

. Sources differ with regard to its architect; it was designed either by William Tuff Whiteway or by William H. Greene.

History

The first building on the site opened in September 1730 as a combined courthouse and jail. A larger facility that was constructed in 1831 burned down in the 1840s. A third courthouse was constructed starting in 1847, but it was destroyed by the

Great Fire of 1892 The Great Fire of 8 July 1892 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador is remembered as the worst disaster ever to befall that city. Previous "Great Fires" had occurred in St. John's, during 1819 and 1846. Timeline At approximately 4:45 in th ...

. Temporary courthouses included the

Colonial Building The Colonial Building is a historic government building located in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The building was the home of the colonial and later provincial Newfoundland government and the House of Assembly from January 28, ...

from 1892 to 1894 and a wooden purpose-built courthouse (later the Star of the Sea Hall, which was eventually demolished and replaced by the Star of the Sea apartment building) from 1894 until the current building was ready in 1904. The cornerstone was laid on October 24, 1901 by the Duke of York, who later reigned as

King George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936. George was born during the reign of his pa ...

. Prior to completion of the Confederation Building in 1960, the Courthouse was also occupied by various offices of the provincial government, including the Prime Minister/Premier, the Colonial Secretary, and Cabinet. The Courthouse formerly housed the Registry of Deeds, Companies and Securities, but was also relocated to the Confederation Building in 1960. The Courthouse formerly housed the St. John’s Department of Public Works. The building was designated a National Historic Site on January 15, 1981, and is recognized by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada. The Courthouse has undergone various projects to maintain its historic and architectural significance, including in 1989.

References

{{coord, 47.5646, -52.7072, type:landmark_region:CA, display=title Buildings and structures in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador Historic buildings and structures in Newfoundland and Labrador National Historic Sites in Newfoundland and Labrador

History

See also

References