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CARDSTON COURTHOUSE

89 - 3 Avenue SW, Cardston, Alberta, T0K, Canada

Formally Recognized: 1979/03/01

Cardston Courthouse Provincial Historic Resource (date unknown); Cardston Museum, date unknown
Front elevation
Cardston Courthouse Provincial Historic Resource (April 2004); Alberta Culture and Community Spirit, Historic Resources Management Branch, 2004
Front elevation
No Image

Other Name(s)

CARDSTON COURTHOUSE
Cardston Museum

Links and documents

Construction Date(s)

1907/01/01

Listed on the Canadian Register: 2005/07/08

Statement of Significance

Description of Historic Place

The Cardston Courthouse is a one-storey structure of heavy timber, wood frame, brick/sandstone masonry construction in a Romanesque style, from the pre-World War One period. It is located on a portion of an urban block in downtown Cardston.

Heritage Value

The Cardston Courthouse is significant as the first courthouse erected by the new province of Alberta after its creation in 1905, and for its continuous use as a courthouse between 1907 and 1979. It is a rare example of the Richardsonian Romanesque style of architecture, and the only provincial court building in Alberta built in this style.

Constructed between 1906 and 1909 of locally quarried sandstone and manufactured brick, the Cardston Courthouse was the first courthouse erected by the Provincial Government as part of its Public Works program following the transition from territorial administration. It originally housed a courtroom, judge and lawyers chambers, offices and jury rooms on the main floor, and a North West Mounted Police detachment, with apartment and prisoner cells in the basement. It remained the oldest extant building in Alberta in continuous use as a courthouse until 1979.

Source: Alberta Culture and Community Spirit, Historic Resources Management Branch (File Des. 230)

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the Cardston Courthouse include:

Exterior
- form, scale and massing: the rectangular form with flat roof;
- construction materials of St. Mary's River sandstone and manufactured brick;
- features of the Richardsonian Romanesque style such as: large arched window voussoirs and rusticated stonework, parapet and heavy cornice with dentils, wood windows and doors;
- unobstructed views of the west and south elevations from the lot boundaries.

Interior
Original remaining elements and fittings of the interior including:
- stairwells, original door and windows trim, wall and ceiling plaster finishes and baseboards;
- room layout of courtroom, jail cells and offices;
- vaulted ceiling of courtroom;
- wood wainscoting details.

Recognition

Jurisdiction

Alberta

Recognition Authority

Province of Alberta

Recognition Statute

Historical Resources Act

Recognition Type

Provincial Historic Resource

Recognition Date

1979/03/01

Historical Information

Significant Date(s)

1907/01/01 to 1979/01/01

Theme - Category and Type

Governing Canada
Security and Law

Function - Category and Type

Current

Leisure
Museum

Historic

Government
Courthouse and/or Registry Office

Architect / Designer

Alberta Public Works

Builder

n/a

Additional Information

Location of Supporting Documentation

Alberta Culture and Community Spirit, Historic Resources Management Branch, Old St. Stephen's College, 8820 - 112 Street, Edmonton, AB T6G 2P8 (File: Des. 230)

Cross-Reference to Collection

Fed/Prov/Terr Identifier

4665-0196

Status

Published

Related Places

n/a

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