Palais de justice et prison / Court House and Jail

The court house and jail made L'Orignal an important centre in Ontario. Built in the neo-classical loyalist style, the court house is the oldest existing court house in Ontario, and its adjacent jail was in use until 1998. After the creation of the Ottawa District in 1816, quarterly court hearings were held in Longueuil Township. In 1824, Jacob Marston donated land for the use of the court. The central section of the court house was built by contractors McDonald and Beckworth in 1825, and the building was enlarged several times, particularly in 1861 and 1862. Five prisoners were hanged at the jail, the last two in 1933, and three prisoners escaped to enjoy a temporary freedom. Today, the old jail has become an interpretive center open to visitors, while the court house still holds trials with or without a jury.

Ontario · Canada