Key Number:	HS 34623
Site Name:	Fort Saskatchewan Court House
Other Names:
Site Type:	1304 - Governmental: Court House

Location

ATS Legal Description:

			Twp	Rge	Mer
			54	22	4

Address:	10104 - 101 Street
Number:	4
Street:	101
Avenue:	101
Other:
Town:	Fort Saskatchewan
Near Town:

Media

Type	Number	Date	View	Source

Architectural

Style:
Plan Shape:	Rectangular
Storeys:	Storeys: 2
Foundation:	Basement/Foundation Wall Material: Stone
Superstructure:	Brick
Superstructure Cover:
Roof Structure:	High Hip
Roof Cover:
Exterior Codes:	Chimney Stack Material: Brick
Exterior:	Arches over 1st floor stone keystone windows and entrance, second floor windows with continuous stone sill and lintel, wood braces support overhang, sandstone string course, round arched windows with keystones, corbelled brick chimney.
Interior:	N/A
Environment:	RNWMP Reserve Fort Saskatchewan Set in a historical park setting overlooking the North Saskatchewan River. The Fort Saskatchewan Court House is located to the north west of the Fort Saskatchewan Correctional Centre and south of the central business district of the City of Fort Saskatchewan. The landscaping, which is of recent vintage, consists of a lawn and various trees and shrubs. The Fort Saskatchewan Court House is located on the northern edge of an area of institutional land use with the Fort Saskatchewan Correctional Centre to the south and residential and commercial buildings to the north.
Condition:	Good. 23 AUG 1972.
Alterations:	1961, 1971-75.

Historical

Construction:	Construction Date:
Constructed	1909/01/01
Usage:	Usage Date:
Museum Court House	1909/01/01
Owner:	Owner Date:
City of Fort Saskatchewan

Architect:	Allan M. Jeffers
Builder:	N/A
Craftsman:	N/A
History:	1909 - July plans drawn. 1909 - September 23 plaster work started. 1961 - September used solely as residence for Bursar at Gaol. 1971 - January used for Historical purposes and transferred to town. Design unique in context of Alberta court house. Administrator: R.P. McKenzie, manager: E.B. Fleming, the brick was manufactured in the town. Total cost. $9, 384.81. * * * Building Description: The Fort Saskatchewan Court House is a 1909 two storey brick building. From 1909 to 1971 it was used both as a court house and as a residence. Since 1971 it has been used to house a museum. No other historical buildings occupy the site. The overall integrity of the site is very high since its conversion to a museum has resulted in only minor changes to the interior consisting of the installation of display cases, lighting and carpeting on the first floor and the modernization of the kitchen. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The City of Fort Saskatchewan began with the establishment of Royal North West Mounted Police Post at this location in 1875. With the settlement of the area to the east of the Fort during the 1880s and 1890s, Fort Saskatchewan added an agricultural service function to its original role as an administrative centre. It grew into a community of 306 people in 1901 and 993 by 1916. Incorporation as a town, and the creation of a Board of Trade in 1904, followed by the arrival of the Canadian Northern Railway in 1905, all reflected the population increase. Like the majority of Alberta's urban communities, Fort Saskatchewan stabilized during the inter-war years only to resume its upward growth in 1950s with the construction of petro chemical industries. The Fort Saskatchewan Court House was part of the community's traditional administrative role established by the RCMP and in the construction of the Fort Saskatchewan Correctional Centre. The Court House was constructed in 1909. Initially it was used for cases involving prisoners at the Fort Saskatchewan Correctional Institute as well as town court cases. In later years, however, town court cases were moved to the Town Hall and the Fire Hall. The infrequent use of the building as a court house permitted its later use as a residence for a member of the Alberta Provincial Police and for the Bursar of the Fort Saskatchewan Correctional Institute. Part of the ambitious public works program carried out by the Province of Alberta prior to World War One, the Court House added to Fort Saskatchewan's early role in the justice system of northern Alberta. ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE The Fort Saskatchewan Court House was designed by Provincial Architect A.M. Jeffers. The majority of institutional designs producer under Jeffers' supervision were characterized by the use of classical detailing in external ornamentation. On court houses this consisted primarily of the inclusion of one or more projecting portico entrances supported by Ionic columns. Jeffers was responsible for the design of the Legislative Assembly Building as well as three other court houses erected at Wetaskiwin, Lethbridge and Edmonton. All exhibit Jeffers' extensive use of classical detailing for external ornamentation, but the Fort Saskatchewan Court House exhibits more subdued classical inspiration with a symmetrical facade and round windows. Associated with a significant architect in the Province of Alberta, the Court House also reflects trends in institutional architecture in Alberta prior to World War One. * * * DRAFT PRESS RELEASE Edmonton, Alberta The Honorable Doug Main, Minister of Culture and Multiculturalism, announced today that the Fort Saskatchewan Museum (formerly Court House) has been designated a Provincial Historic Resource. The Fort Saskatchewan Museum is one of a number of building identifying in this city's long association with the administration of justice in Alberta. It began in 1875 when the North West Mounted Police established one of their first posts at Fort Saskatchewan. The settlement of the area to the east during the 1880s and 1890s and the construction of the Canadian Northern Railway through the town in 1905 led to enough community growth to warrant construction of the Canadian Northern Railway through the town in 1905 led to enough community growth to warrant construction of a Court House. The Court House was constructed in 1909 to accommodate town court and, after 1914, cases involving prisoners at the new Fort Saskatchewan Correctional Institute. In later years, it was used as a residence for a member of the Alberta Provincial Police and for the Bursar of the Fort Saskatchewan Correctional Institute. The Fort Saskatchewan Court House was designed by Provincial Architect A.M. Jeffers. The majority of the structures designed under Jeffers' supervision were characterized by the extensive use of classical detailing such as projecting portico entrances supported by Ionic columns. Fort Saskatchewan by contrast exhibits a more subdued classical inspiration with a symmetrical facade and round windows. Associated with a significant architect in the Province of Alberta, the Court House also reflects trends in institutional architecture in Alberta prior to World War One.

Internal

Designation Status:	Designation Date:
Provincial Historic Resource	1990/01/16

Register:

Links

Internet:
Alberta Register of Historic Places:	4665-0523