Historic Sites of Manitoba: Winnipeg Court House (494 Main Street, Winnipeg)

A plaque at this site on the west side of Main Street in Winnipeg was erected to commemorate the Court House that once stood near here from 1873 to 1884.

In 1869, Alexander MacBeth Sutherland erected a log store at this site and, the following year, it was converted to a jail. In 1873, the building was replaced by a court house which served as the Manitoba Legislature until a new structure was built near present-day Government House. On 26 August 1874, Joseph Michaud, a volunteer soldier, was the first man hanged in the court’s jail.

Purchased by John Rickard Clements in 1881, the structure became a saloon, brothel, and variety theatre before its demolition in 1884 to make way for the West Clement Block.

Winnipeg Court House (circa 1881)
Source: Archives of Manitoba, Winnipeg - Buildings - Provincial Law Courts 1, No. 4

Winnipeg Court House commemorative plaque (April 2022)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.89863, W97.13954
denoted by symbol on the map above

Sources:

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 23 April 2022

Historic Sites of Manitoba

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