PROVINCIAL HERITAGE PLACE
The Charlotte County Courthouse was built in 1839-40. Its classical-revival style combines the practicality of a one-story clapboard structure with a remarkable temple facade, complete with a roof pediment supported by Tuscan columns. This is where 19th-century citizens came together for elections, fairs, parades and official visits. It is the oldest courthouse in continuous use in Canada. The county ‘gaol' sits next door in a building dating back to 1832 and still used as a jail up until the late 1970s. The walls are thick, and the cells were uncomfortable with tiny window openings and narrow doorways. Today, the old jail building houses the Charlotte County Archives with a mandate to preserve and provide the area's recorded history. Visitors can take guided tours of the courthouse and the jail, as well as historical walking tours and evening ghost walks.
