A glimpse into Halifax’s history

The courthouse on Spring Garden Road may have more modernized facilities and equipment these days, but it still retains a strong connection to its past.

In the 1850s, the county of Halifax decided to build their own courthouse, which was completed in 1862. The building was used continually until the 1970s when it was turned into the provincial library. In the 1980s, it became a courthouse once again. It now houses provincial court for Nova Scotia and is owned and maintained by Department of Transportation and Infrastructure.

According to Court Administrator Tanya Pellow, when refurbishing parts of the building, like the attic, workers have found items in the walls dating back to the 1800s. One set of items she highlights are books covered in coal dust, as the courthouse was once heated by fireplaces.

“When they renovated they dug out a lot of stuff that was inside the walls,” says Pellow. “Every time they do something to this building, they always find something new.”

Other found items include old newspapers, documents and even a quill pen. There are also rumors that pieces of wood from the gallows, which were behind the courthouse in what is now the parking lot, are stored in the attic as well. Pellow wasn’t sure where they could be.

Subsequently in the last 150 years, the courthouse has seen a few structural changes including three different sections added to the building in 1882, 1908 and 1930.

“The building has changed a lot in the sense that a lot of things have been covered up or removed,” says Pellow, adding that despite these modifications it has kept its historical character.

The attic section, which dates back to the 1800s, is one area that has mostly remained unchanged. It still has large ceiling beams, wooden floors, brick and stone walls and chimneys that were once connected to the fireplaces.

“For me, personally, the third floor attic area kind of takes you back in time,” she says. “Look at the beams in this building, you just don’t see stuff like anymore.”

Along with being an architectural representation of history, Pellow says the attic also serves as a reminder of how the building was more than just a place to hold court. Until the 1960s, the courthouse had a live-in caretaker whose rooms were in the attic. Pellow says that if someone was to look closely they would be able to see how some sections of the space were once part of an apartment.

“You can still see remnants of the wallpaper in the old rooms that were used by the caretaker who lived in the attic,” she says. “[So] you know people lived and worked up there and used the building.”

Even though the public doesn’t often have access to the attic as it’s mostly used for storage, Pellow notes that the building’s lower levels also serve as a good example of how old the building is.

“For the public, I think they know when they enter this building it is a courthouse,” she says. “But, they also know it’s historic … [those] who have come in have always been impressed by the staircase and by the shear grandeur of the building.”