Red Deer in Red Deer County, Alberta — Canada’s Prairie Region (North America)

Old Court House

— Red Deer Historical Walking Tour —

cmh2315fl via Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0), May 18, 2015

1. Old Court House Marker

Inscription. The austere brick walls and Tyndall limestone columns of the Old Court House convey a sense of awe. This was intentional, as the building's Classical Revival style was meant to give the impression of power and civilization – attributes designed to garner public respect for the young province of Alberta and its new judicial system.

Completed in 1931, the court house served the central Alberta area for over five decades. Inside the impressive structure, a terrazzo staircase led to the 1,300 square foot courtroom on the second floor. The main floor housed court offices, a law library and judges' chambers. Both the Provincial Court and the Court of Queen's Bench operated out of the building until 1983.

When it was no longer needed for legal purposes, the building was used as a community arts centre for several years; it now houses businesses and professional offices. The Old Court House is designated as a Provincial Historic Resource.

Images: Left: Construction of Court House, 1930 (Red Deer & District Archives: mg-193-1-18-5). Right: Red Deer Court House, 1968 (Provincial Archives of Alberta: A948b).

Erected by City of Red Deer.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Law Enforcement. A significant historical year for this entry is 1931.

Location.

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52° 16.151′ N, 113° 48.668′ W. Marker is in Red Deer, Alberta, in Red Deer County. Marker is at the intersection of 50 Street and Provincial Highway 2A, on the right when traveling west on 50 Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4836 50 St, Red Deer AB T4N T4N, Canada. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Former Post Office/Federal Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Red Deer Cenotaph (within shouting distance of this marker); Farthing Block (about 150 meters away, measured in a direct line); Red Deer Armoury/Fire Hall (about 150 meters away); Home Grill (about 180 meters away); Maurice Shoe Shop (about 180 meters away); Horsley Block (about 180 meters away); Rollis Block (about 180 meters away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Red Deer.

Also see . . .
1. Old Court House. Brief history and archival photos of the courthouse. (City of Red Deer) (Submitted on May 1, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

2. A look at the history of Red Deer’s Old Courthouse. It took some wrangling for Red Deer to get the courthouse built. (Red Deer Express, posted April 26, 2017) (Submitted on May 1, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

3. Old Red Deer Courthouse. Canadian Register of Historic Places listing for the building, which was designated in 1986. (HistoricPlaces.ca) (Submitted on May 1, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

cmh2315fl via Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0), May 18, 2015

2. Old Court House Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on May 1, 2022. It was originally submitted on May 1, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 64 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 1, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.