Kamloops Old Courthouse

The Kamloops Old Courthouse is a prominent heritage landmark at 7 Seymour Street West in downtown Kamloops. Completed in 1909, the three-storey building was constructed as the city’s third courthouse as Kamloops expanded into an important regional centre. It was designed by architects J.J. Honeyman and G.D. Curtis and reflects an Edwardian Baroque interpretation of medieval and Renaissance forms, with a distinctive brick-and-stone exterior, slate roof, copper detailing, parapeted gables, a turret and cupola.

The building’s heritage character continues inside. Notable features include the original courtroom, with its judge’s dais, prisoners’ dock, ornate woodwork and ceiling details, as well as mosaic tilework, oak entry doors, leaded glass, historic room layouts and an intact basement jail. The courthouse was built as part of a larger civic complex that also included a Land Registry building and a terraced site. It served the local justice system for much of the twentieth century, with court use eventually ending after a new courthouse was built on Columbia Street.

Owned and maintained by the City of Kamloops, the Old Courthouse now functions as a cultural and community venue. Its spaces are used for exhibitions, meetings, workshops, performances, ceremonies and other small events, while the preserved courtroom and architectural details provide a tangible connection to Kamloops’ early civic history. The building is included on the City of Kamloops Heritage Register and forms part of the city’s downtown heritage walking tour.