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Cardston Courthouse
Cardston
Other Names:
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Cardston Museum
Courthouse
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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.
Location
| Street Address: |
89 - 3 Avenue SW |
| Community: |
Cardston |
| Boundaries: |
Portion of Lot 2, Block 21, Plan 1793E |
| Contributing Resources: |
Buildings: 1
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ATS Legal Description:
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Mer |
Rge |
Twp |
Sec |
LSD |
4
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25
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3
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9
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15 (ptn.)
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PBL Legal Description (Cadastral Reference):
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Plan |
Block |
Lot |
Parcel |
1793 E
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21
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2
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Latitude/Longitude:
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Latitude |
Longitude |
CDT |
Datum Type |
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49.199167 |
-113.304041 |
Secondary Source |
NAD 83 |
UTM Reference:
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Northing |
Easting |
Zone |
CDT |
Datum Type |
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5452151 |
332156 |
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Digital Maps |
NAD 83 |
Recognition
| Recognition Authority: |
Province of Alberta |
| Designation Status: |
Provincial Historic Resource |
| Date of Designation: |
1979/03/01 |
Historical Information
| Built: |
1905 to 1909 |
| Period of Significance: |
1907 to 1979 |
| Theme(s): |
Governing Canada : Security and Law
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| Historic Function(s): |
Government : Courthouse and/or Registry Office
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| Current Function(s): |
Leisure : Museum
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| Architect: |
Alberta Public Works
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| Builder: |
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| Context: |
HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE
The Cardston Courthouse is of heritage significance to the Province because it is the oldest-standing building in Alberta in continuous use as a courthouse. It is the only courthouse in Alberta and one of a few buildings of any type to be designed in the Richardsonian Romanesque style.
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE
This building is of historical importance to the Province because it was the first courthouse erected by the Provincial Government following the transition from the preceding territorial administration. It was among the first building priorities of the new government.
ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE
This building is of architectural importance to the Province because it is the only extant court house in Alberta designed in the Richardsonian Romanesque style There are few other buildings of this style in Alberta. It is also important because it is erected of local materials - notably sandstone - and because the exterior has retained its original appearance.
(Site Information Summary)
CARDSTON COURTHOUSE
In 1906, the newly constituted Province of Alberta began a monumental Public Works building program by commencing work on the Cardston Courthouse and the Calgary Normal School. The structures were designed to mark both the creation of the Province and the initiation of the broad social and educational programs of the Rutherford Government. Built between 1906 and 1909, the Courthouse is a simple one-storey structure made of finely crafted St. Mary River sandstone. Unique in appearance and layout among Alberta courthouses, it is distinguished by generously proportioned round-arched windows and doorways, a parapet and a heavy cornice. Local stonemason and general contractor, Samuel S. Newton supervised construction of the Courthouse, which served the Cardston community continuously until 1981. As the first in a succession of substantial stone courthouses in Alberta, the Cardston Courthouse was designated a Provincial Historic Resource on March 1, 1979, by the Honorable Horst D. Schmid, Minister Responsible for Culture.
(Erected by the Province of Alberta)
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Additional Information
| Object Number: |
4665-0196 |
| Designation File: |
DES 0230 |
| Related Listing(s): |
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| Heritage Survey File: |
HS 30554
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| Website Link: |
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| Data Source: |
Alberta Culture and Community Spirit, Historic Resources Management Branch, Old St. Stephen's College, 8820 - 112 Street, Edmonton, AB T6G 2P8 (File: Des. 230) |
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