Old Guysborough Court House Museum
| Old Guysborough Court House Museum | |
|---|---|
The Old Court House in the 2010s | |
Interactive map of the Old Guysborough Court House Museum area | |
| General information | |
| Location | 106 Church Street, Guysborough, Nova Scotia, Guysborough, Canada |
| Current tenants | Guysborough Historical Society |
| Year built | 1842–1843 |
| Owner | Municipality of the District of Guysborough |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Elisha Randall |
The Old Guysborough Court House Museum is a Provincial Heritage Property in Guysborough County, Nova Scotia, Canada. It was built in 1843 and served as the county's court house until 1974. The building was turned into a museum in 1974.
Location
The court house is located at the corner of Church Street and Queen Street.[1]
History
The first courthouse in Guysborough was built at a different location in 1785, shortly after loyalist settlers arrived.[2] In 1818, it was decided that a new courthouse should be built, and the new structure was built on the site of the present day building.[3]
Carpenter Elisha Randall from Bayfield, Nova Scotia was given a contract to design and build a new court house in 1842.[3] He added personal touches to the design, such as the gothic revival windows. The building was built with local materials in a simple symmetrical meeting house style.
As the only court house in the county, it became one of the most important buildings. It served not only as a court house, but also as Guysborough's town hall, enlistment office, and a venue for political debates and speeches.[4]
The Court House fell out of use in 1973 when a new municipal building was constructed.[3]
Museum
In 1974, the building was saved from demolition by the newly formed Guysborough Historical Society.[3] Since 1976 it has been open to the public as a local history museum and visitor information centre.[5]
See also
References
Citations
- ^ Dunlop & Scott 2010.
- ^ Cook 2003, p. 120.
- ^ a b c d Cook 2003, p. 121.
- ^ Hart 1975.
- ^ Dunlop & Scott 2010; Samuel & De Visser 1998.
Works cited
- Hart, Harriet Cunningham (1975). History of the County of Guysborough, Nova Scotia. Belleville, ON: Mika Publishing. OCLC 1319332477. Retrieved 20 May 2025 – via the Internet Archive.
- Cook, Christopher A. (2003). Along the Streets of Guysborough. ISBN 0-9687379-1-9.
- Dunlop, Dale; Scott, Alison (2010). Exploring Nova Scotia: A Guide to 400+ Unique Adventures and Activities. Formac Publishing Company. p. 329. ISBN 978-0-8878-0903-3.
- Samuel, Alan; De Visser, John (1998). Treasures of Canada. Toronto, ON: Dundurn Press. p. 65. ISBN 978-0-8886-6642-0.
External links
- Old Guysborough Court House Museum. Canadian Register of Historic Places. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
- Guysborough Historical Society