Jan 26, 2019 — GREENWOOD, BC (BG)

A photographic tour of Greenwood's historic City Hall and Courthouse, chambers and jail cells. This building is one of the city's most beautiful structures, with a long and fascinating history.

A few notes from the self-guided walking tour book:

Court House:

Construction began in October 1902 and was completed in September 1903. It served as the Supreme Court of Yale from 1902 to 1953, when the building was sold to the City of Greenwood for use as its City Hall.

The Architect was George D. Curtis of Moville, Ireland. He studied Architecture in Norfolk, England for 8 years. The Contractors were the Smith Brothers of Grand Forks, B.C.

Provincial Courtroom

The room under the public gallery (gable) was the provincial court (for smaller claims). The provincial court ran from the 1950s to the 1960s. In 1966 the courthouse was refurbished inside and out, and this room was used as a magistrate's court until around 1979.

Staircase

The staircase and most of the court house is made from clear grained coast cedar, and finished in its natural colour.

Basement Jail

The first cell is solitary confinement. There was little light (lighting was put in after). This cell is the home of our resident ghost, "Charlie" who, on July 6, 1915, hanged himself in it.

The door by the cells was used to bring prisoners directly into the jail cells (there's a walkway outside).

The metal cages aren't original. There were mining prisoners who smuggled in some tools and made their way out through the wall, which is granite masonry. The original door of this cell was on the same side as solitary confinement, and the wall where the doors are now used to be a solid wall. There's one washroom.

In later years, a civilian was seated in a chair in the corner by the outside door with an empty rifle to watch the prisoner's overnight

Across from the cells is the steam room and a Guard room. The Guard room is about 1-1/2 times as high as solitary confinement, with blackened walls from the coal furnace and a small window. There is a door, which the guard could use to leave the basement.

The hole outside the door is the remnants of a coal bin. This is the fabled entrance way of "Charlie".