Niagara-on-the-Lake in Niagara Region, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)
Niagara District Court House
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Le palais de justice du district de Niagara
cmh2315fl via Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0), July 28, 2017
1. Niagara District Court House / Le palais de justice du district de Niagara Marker
[English] This is the third and only surviving court house erected for the former Niagara District. Constructed between 1846 and 1848, it was designed by the prominent Toronto architect, William Thomas, in the fashionable Neoclassical style favoured for 19th century public buildings. It is an excellent example of a mid-19th century multipurpose civic structure. Though the courts were moved to nearby St. Catharines in 1862, this building has continued to play an important role in the life of this historic community, at one time as the town hall and latterly as the founding home of the Shaw Festival.
[Francais] Cet édifice est le troisième palais de justice de l’ancien district de Niagara et le seul qui existe encore. Il a été construit entre 1846 et 1848 et conçu par le grand architecte torontois William Thomas, dans le style néo-classique de nombreux bâtiments administratifs du XIXe siècle. Il constitue une excellente illustration de la polyvalence des constructions municipales de cette époque. Après le réinstallation des cours de justice à St. Catharines en 1862, le bâtiment continua
this page online
Erected by Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada/Commission des lieux et monuments historiques du Canada.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Law Enforcement. In addition, it is included in the Canada, Historic Sites and Monuments Board series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1846.
Location. 43° 15.301′ N, 79° 4.305′ W. Marker is in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, in Niagara Region. It is on Queen Street 0.1 kilometers east of Regent Street, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 26 Queen St, Niagara-on-the-Lake ON L0S 1J0, Canada. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on Ontario’s Golden Horseshoe and in Niagara Canada. It is also in Central Canada. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony, the Viceroyalty of New France, the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, and Rupert’s Land.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Niagara-on-the-Lake Historical District (here, next to this marker); Niagara Court House (here, next to this marker); In Grateful Memory Of Henry Paffard 1824-1912 (here, next to this marker); Near This Spot Stood The Government House (here, next to this marker); William Kirby (here, next to this marker); Niagara Light Dragoons Memorial (a few steps from this marker);
Photographed by Kevin Westell, June 2, 2025
2. Niagara District Court House / Le palais de justice du district de Niagara - Marker
Also see . . . Niagara District Court House National Historic Site of Canada. Canadian Register of Historic Places entry on the national landmark. (Submitted on April 23, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)
cmh2315fl via Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0), July 28, 2017
3. Niagara District Court House / Le palais de justice du district de Niagara Marker
Featured marker is on the left corner of the building.
Credits. This page was last revised on September 4, 2025. It was originally submitted on April 23, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 227 times since then and 14 times this year. Last updated on August 29, 2025, by Kevin Westell of St. Catharines, Ontario. Photos: 1. submitted on April 23, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 2. submitted on August 29, 2025, by Kevin Westell of St. Catharines, Ontario. 3. submitted on April 23, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
