Incredible landmark to be rebranded “Kerrobert Cultural Centre”
BY JOAN JANZEN
joanjanzen@yahoo.com
In recognition of the 100th year of the Kerrobert Courthouse, a Courthouse Centennial Facebook Live Event is being held Saturday, August 29th at 2:00 p.m. Featured will be: a rebranding of the courthouse to the “Kerrobert Cultural Centre”; a ribbon cutting; the sealing of a time capsule, and a presentation by the Mayor, Wayne Mock. The community is proud to showcase this incredible landmark. In previous years, the Kerrobert Museum offered tours of the courthouse during the summer months, to residents and visitors.
The courthouse initially closed in 1996, and was later re-opened by the town. Now it is one of the main attractions in Kerrobert. Over the years it has become the central building in Kerrobert holding the Town of Kerrobert Municipal offices, the Kerrobert and District Museum, various legal professional services, and a local art gallery housed in a former district court room, displaying pieces by Saskatchewan artists. Every Christmas the courthouse is decked out in Christmas decorations, creating a festive display in the town.
Kerrobert became the seat of the Kerrobert Judicial District in 1913, which necessitated the construction of the Courthouse in 1920. It was designed by the provincial architect Maurice W. Sharon and built by Wilson and Wilson of Regina at a cost of $145,750.00.
PHOTOS BY KATE WINQUIST
The Kerrobert Courthouse was built in 1920 and continues to be a focal point in the community today, housing the Town of Kerrobert municipal offices, Kerrobert and District Museum and the Wheatland Regional Library.
Amazing architecture in the main foyer of the Courthouse.
The bedroom in the judge’s chambers is just one of the Kerrobert & District Museum displays in the historic Courthouse.
The Judge’s Bench at the Kerrobert Courthouse.
Located at 433 Manitoba Avenue, this Municipal Heritage Property sits on its original location, and its value lies in its architecture. During that era, large courthouses were built throughout Saskatchewan, sharing a a colonial revival style, incorporating sloped roofs, rain gutters integrated with projecting metal cornices, central cupolas with attic ventilation and brick cladding trimmed with stone.
Kerrobert’s courthouse is the second courthouse built by Maurice W. Sharon. Kerrobert received a building capable of housing multiple courts simultaneously, demonstrating the optimism of the provincial government at the conclusion of the First World War.
Judges even resided in the community back in the day, handling both low profile cases and heavily-covered trials. One case in particular was a murder trial in 1931, which was defended by John G. Diefenbaker, the future prime minister of Canada, from 1957-1963. The basement of the building housed jail cells, and there are rumours that an old skull was locked in the basement evidence room, which led to many more rumours regarding ghosts and whispering voices in empty rooms.
This in turn led to the Courthouse being turned into a haunted house for Halloween festivities to raise money for the Kerrobert Courtroom Restoration Society. This was done in 2019 and other years previous to this. Funds raised from this event and many others went towards repairs to the Courthouse.
Now the community is taking the opportunity to celebrate the 100th birthday of one of their main attractions, the Kerrobert Courthouse.