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Old Guysborough Court House Museum

283 Church Street, Guysborough, Nova Scotia, B0H, Canada

Formally Recognized: 1989/03/02

Front elevation of the Old Guysborough Court House Museum, Guysborough.; Heritage Division, NS Dept. of Tourism, Culture and Heritage, 1989.
Front Elevation
Side elevation, Old Guysborough Court House Museum showing porch and rear addition, Guysborough, 1989.; Heritage Division, NS Dept. Tourism, Culture and Heritage, 1989
Side Elevation
Rear elevation, Old Guysborough Court House Museum, Guysborough, 1989.; Heritage Division, NS Dept. of Tourism, Culture and Heritage, 1989
Rear Elevation

Other Name(s)

Old Guysborough Court House Museum
Old Guysborough Court House

Links and documents

Construction Date(s)

1842/01/01 to 1843/12/31

Listed on the Canadian Register: 2005/06/07

Statement of Significance

Description of Historic Place

The Old Guysborough Court House Museum is located in the heart of the rural community of Guysborough, NS. Built in a simple meeting house style in 1842-1843, the historic place is distinguished by its Gothic arched windows. The designation includes both the building and the property.

Heritage Value

The Old Guysborough Court House Museum is valued for its over one-hundred and thirty year role as the principal public building in Guysborough County, and for its Gothic arched windows.

The Guysborough Court House was built in 1842-1843 and immediately became the most important building in Guysborough County, which is located over two hundred and fifty miles from the provincial capital of Halifax. As the only Court House in the County, it served as the location of the Court of General Sessions, and later as the meeting place of the municipal council. The building and the surrounding grounds served multiple purposes for the people of Guysborough County. They were used for agricultural exhibitions, as a polling station, a recruiting station during both world wars, and for legal trials. On September 18, 1867, Guysborough residents voiced their opinion on Confederation by voting, at the Court House, for two anti-Confederation province assembly representatives. In 1973 it ceased to function as a court house when a modern building was constructed. Today it is operated open to the public as a museum, operated by the Guysborough Historical Society, interpreting the history of the building and the county.

The Old Guysborough Court House is an important building in Nova Scotia and is unique among historic court houses in Nova Scotia. It was designed by carpenter Elisha Randall, who also was the builder, and he added what are considered his own personal touches to the design, including the buildings’ distinct Gothic arched windows. Using local materials, Randall built the Court House in a plain symmetrical meeting house form, with the exception of the windows.

Source: Notice of Recommendation of Registration, Provincial Heritage Property File no. 94

Character-Defining Elements

Exterior Character-Defining Elements of the Old Guysborough Court House Museum
related to its simple symmetrical meeting house style and location within the community include:

- wood shingle cladding
- windows with true Gothic Revival point arch with a simple tracery pattern;
- projected, enclosed porch on the street side with gable roof;
- south side wing;
- wood shingle roof;
- sandstone foundation;
- location on a main road, in the centre of the community.

Interior Character-Defining Elements of the Old Guysborough Court House Museum include:

- all historical and original elements related to the function of the building as a court house, including: Petit Jury room, judge’s bench, gallery, barrister’s room, main court room including benches for spectators, and Grand Jury room.

Recognition

Jurisdiction

Nova Scotia

Recognition Authority

Province of Nova Scotia

Recognition Statute

Heritage Property Act

Recognition Type

Provincially Registered Property

Recognition Date

1989/03/02

Historical Information

Significant Date(s)

n/a

Theme - Category and Type

Governing Canada
Security and Law
Building Social and Community Life
Education and Social Well-Being

Function - Category and Type

Current

Leisure
Museum

Historic

Government
Courthouse and/or Registry Office

Architect / Designer

n/a

Builder

Elisha Randall

Additional Information

Location of Supporting Documentation

Provincial Heritage Property Files, 1747 Summer Street, Halifax, NS, B3H 3A6

Cross-Reference to Collection

Fed/Prov/Terr Identifier

00PNS0094

Status

Published

Related Places

n/a

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