Antigonish Court House, 172 Main Street, c. 1855

The Antigonish Court House was built and designed in 1855 by Alexander MacDonald, locally known as "Sandy the Carpenter". MacDonald was also responsible for the construction of similar Court Houses in Richmond County and Sherbrooke. The lot of land on which the Court House stands was originally purchased from John Randall for 100 pounds. The County Poor House and a residence belonging to C.B. Whidden originally stood on this site.

The temple-fronted structure can clearly be identified as Greek Revival. The 2 1/2 storey building, with its five-bay symmetrical facade, has a portico with a triangular pediment supported by four ionic columns. It has 6/6 mullioned windows and large double doors with a fanlight. The Court House, which is finished in clapboard siding, has a steeply pitched gable roof with return eaves. In keeping with the tradition of court house construction, this building was built in the classical mode and fashioned from local materials. This structure is particularly imposing in its simplicity.

Crystal McCormick

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