The Court House

The Court House was constructed in 1842-43. It was the third court house built in Guysborough, the original administrative centre of Sydney County from 1785-1827. Sydney County included present-day Guysborough and Antigonish Counties.

Built in the unusual British building style of architecture, the Court House features gothic style windows and an authentic cedar shake roof. The Court House was used until 1973 when it was replaced by the current court room in the Municipal Building.

During its 130 years as a Court House, the building was used not only for legal matters, but for other public functions such as a polling station, Confederation debates, elections, municipal council meetings, enlistment drives during various wars, agricultural exhibitions and briefly, as a school in 1960.

The Court House Today
The Guysborough Historical Society restored the building as the Old Court House Museum retaining the integrity of its original purpose. Local artifacts, which relate to housekeeping and farming, as well tools and handcrafts collected from the area, are on display. The Museum also features a diorama of the three French forts built on nearby Fort Point between 1634 and 1684.
This community museum offers an extensive collection of early photographs and books from Guysborough County in



the late 19th and early 20th centuries while the archives contain records of interest to genealogists and historians. The building also hosts a Visitor Information Centre and a C@P site.
The Old Court House Museum is open from June to October.
Walk through history
The Guysborough Historic Society Walking Tour explores the architecture and history of buildings in the village. A brochure is available at the Museum. The Shoreline Trail, which begins on Main Street, features interpretative panels on Guysborough shipbuilding history, the Canso Mi'kmaq and the French Period (1634-1764)

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