Foundations of Justice: Alberta's Historic Courthouses

Michael Payne is the City of Edmonton archivist and the co-author of A
Narrative History of Fort Dunvegan.

David Mittelstadt has done an excellent job in this book of framing the
discussion of architectural detail and influences within a solid context
of social, legal, and political history. He is obviously comfortable
discussing architects and their styles, but he never loses sight of the
key point that courthouses are intimately connected to the history of
their communities. In particular, Mittelstadt shows how courthouses
reflected the political and economic aspirations of local elites and
changing cultural perceptions of the law and its place in society.

Foundations of Justice is divided into three sections describing the
courthouses built in what would become Alberta in the period up to 1905,
the early provincial courthouses of the Liberal regime in Alberta, and
the courthouses built by the United Farmers of Alberta government.
During each of these periods, general trends in courthouse design
emerged not only reflecting the political and economic tenor of the
times, but also the influence of key architects and the changing needs
of judicial and government administration. Outside of Edmonton and
Calgary, courthouses were usually the largest public building in town
and obvious symbols of local pride; at the same time, they served as
embodiments of government power and influence. Few Alberta courthouses
served judicial functions exclusively. Instead they took on a variety of
government and community roles, and several were scarcely used as courts
at all despite their original purpose.

The book is well designed and includes a fine collection of archival
photographs and architectural plans illustrating this handsome
collection of buildings. Mittelstadt usually offers a short summary of
the later history of each building. Although many buildings have been
demolished, a surprising number have been given some measure of heritage
protection by federal, provincial, and municipal governments, often
following local campaigns to save them.