Description of Historic Place

The Old Northumberland County Courthouse (1829-1914) is a stately two-storey Georgian building that was moved and re-situated at 285 Campbell Street in Miramichi.

Heritage Value

The building is a significant example of local master builder William Murray's style and has played an important role in local social and political history. The building was erected in 1829 by Master builder William Murray, a Scottish emigrant whom had no formal training. The building was built to replace the courthouse burnt in the Miramichi Fire of 1825. In typical Murray form, it is a modest and functional building carefully detailed in his trademark style. This trademark style is apparent in several other buildings of his hand in the area.

The heritage value of this building also lies in its architectural style and for its role in local social and political history. It is the earliest wooden courthouse in New Brunswick still in existence. This building housed the open poll elections of early days including the infamous Fighting Elections of 1843 where one voter was killed during a riot. Fathers of Confederation Hon. Peter Mitchell and Hon. John M. Johnson held their pre-Confederation debates here. Newcastle Town Council met here for 60 years and it also served the community for church services, social gatherings, concerts, balls and temperance gatherings.

Source: City of Miramichi, Heritage Office Site File# 04-01.

Character-Defining Elements

Character-defining elements of The Old Northumberland County Courthouse include:

- modest, two-storey clapboard Georgian style of white pine construction;
- front of structure with five 6/6 double hung windows on the second storey and four 9/6 on the first floor which are surrounded with simple moulding and centered by an elegant doorway and framed with box panels and original corner boards;
- the continuous eave under the low pitched hip roof, detailed with dentils;
- an elegant doorway pediment on two Doric tapered 3/4 columns and a paneled circular embrasure fitted with a transom light.