Rainy River District, which is named for the Rainy River which flows along the southern boundary.
Created: 1885
District Seat:
Fort Francis 1885 – present
Courthouse – Fort Frances
Location: 333 Church Street / Portage Avenue
Built: 1913 – 1914
Style: Edwardian
Architect: Frank Riley Heakes of Toronto
Contractor: Allan G Seaman and E G Penniman of Fort William ( Thunder Bay )
Description: The building faces north and is a two story red coloured brick, stone and concrete Edwardian style structure. The building is a “T” shape resting on a plinth of stone and foundation of cement. The north front has a small stone portico at the central entrance. The roof has two attic dormers on each side of the building and a central white coloured cupola which lit the court room below. There is a stone belt between the first and second stories and stone is used in the sill and heads of the windows and doors. The court room is located on the first story of the south wing. The plaster coat of arms was executed by William J Hynes of Toronto. The superintendent during construction was A F Scott of Fort Frances. The building was altered in 1929 and remodeled in 1952. The building houses the Superior Court of Justice and the Ontario Court of Justice.
See: The architect, Frank Riley Heakes of Toronto, was chief architect for the Ontario Department of Public Works and he designed courthouses in Algoma District, Cochrane District, Kenora District, Muskoka District Municipality, Sudbury District, Thunder Bay District and Timiskaming District.
Note: The first courthouse was built as a gaol in 1907 and the court met in the town hall. The cost of construction of the present courthouse was $54,719. William J Hynes of Toronto did the plaster work, Berlin Interiors Hardware Company supplied the furnishings, and Ontario Art Brass Company of Toronto supplied the electrical fixtures.
Other Branch Courthouses
Atikokan / Rainy River
Courthouses:
N – Kenora District
S – Minnesota
W – Minnesota and Kenora District
Photos taken 2011