Cranbrook - American Courthouses

Cranbrook is named after the home of Colonel James Baker in Cranbrook, Kent in England.

Surrounding Courthouses:

N – Golden and Invermere

E – Sparwood and Fernie

S – Washington State

W – Creston

Location: Cranbrook is located in the southeastern part of the Province.

Judicial District: Kootenay Judicial District

Judicial Centre: Cranbrook

Law Courts – Cranbrook

Location: 102 11th Avenue South / Louis Street

Built: 1955 – 1956

Style: Modern

Architect: James Dennison of the British Columbia Department of Public Works

Contractor: C J Oliver Construction Company Ltd. of Cranbrook

Description: The building faces west and is is a two story concrete and glass structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the centre of Cranbrook and is “H” shaped with the north wing extending west. The centre wing is along the east side with the recessed entrance at the north end. The south wing is one story and extends east and west. The windows are horizontal and the roof line is flat. In the interior, the hallway runs north-south. The Provincial Court courtroom is located on the south side of the first story and another Provincial Court courtroom is located on the northeast side of the first story. The large Supreme Court courtroom with its red coloured décor is located along the north side of the second story. The building is named as the Cranbrook Law Courts and houses the Supreme Court and the Provincial Court.

History: The first courthouse was located in Fort Steele and the previous courthouse located at Baker Street and 13th Avenue South was designed by J J Honeyman and D Curtis in 1908. The building was demolished in 1956. The cost of construction of the present courthouse was $237,873. The subtrades were Cooper & Oibbard of Penticton – electrical, Layfield of Vancouver – flooring, John Lawson of Penticton – plumbing and heating, Pioneer Sash & Door of Vernon – millwork, Rossland Paint Shop of Rossland – painting, Armour Plastering Company of Lethbridge, Alberta – plastering, Chariton & Hill of Lethbridge, Alberta – roofing and sheet metal and Gordon & Belyei Ltd. of Vancouver – hardware.

Kootenay Judicial District Courthouses:

Castlegar, Creston, Fernie, Golden, Greenwood, Grand Forks, Kaslso, Nakusp, Nelson and Rossland