Fredericton City Hall

• Location: Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada

• Architect: McKean and Fairweather

• Style: Second Empire

• Completed in: 1876

Fredericton City Hall is located in the heart of downtown Fredericton along the St. John River.

In 1783, after the American Revolutionary War, many Loyalists migrated to the regions at the mouth of the St. John River which was then part of the colony of Nova Scotia. Being dissatisfied with the Nova Scotia government, they created the colony of New Brunswick separated from that of Nova Scotia.

Concurrently, in 1784, Ste. Anne's Point, New Brunswick was chosen the colonial capital over Saint John because of its central inland location which was less vulnerable against the attack from the United States. In 1785, its name was changed to Frederick, after Prince Frederick Augustus, Duke of York.

Fredericton quickly grew, becoming both a provincial capital and a military hub, with many of its original military buildings still preserved. King's College (now the University of New Brunswick) was founded in 1785, solidifying Fredericton’s role as an educational center. The original legislative building burned down in 1880, and the current New Brunswick Legislative Building was completed in 1882.

Fredericton City Hall, one of the oldest city halls still in use in Canada, was constructed in 1876 by Saint John based McKean and Fairweather in the Second Empire style. The Second Empire style was frequently used for grand public buildings during the second half of the 19th century. Another excellent example is the nearby legislative building of New Brunswick.

The red brick Fredericton City Hall showcases its distinctive architectural characteristics of the Second Empire, including central clock tower with cast-iron cresting, moulded ornate cornices (corbel table?) and arched projecting entrance portico.

"Central clock tower with cast-iron cresting"

"Moulded ornate cornices and circular windows"

"Entrance portico"

The fountain In front of the city hall belongs to Phoenix Square, a public square which has been an important part where it serves as a community hub for events and gatherings such as festivals and markets. The existence of the public square reinforces the physical and symbolic presence of the city hall.

Reference:

Fredericton Capital Region. "Fredericton City Hall." See & Do, www.frederictoncapitalregion.ca/see-do/activities/fredericton-city-hall. Accessed 9 Nov. 2024.

Historic Places. "Fredericton City Hall." Canada’s Historic Places, 11 Sept. 2006, www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=12837. Accessed 9 Nov. 2024.

Parks Canada. "Fredericton City Hall National Historic Site of Canada." Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, www.pc.gc.ca/apps/dfhd/page_nhs_eng.aspx?id=169. Accessed 9 Nov. 2024.

Wikipedia. "Fredericton City Hall." Wikipedia, 4 May 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fredericton_City_Hall. Accessed 9 Nov. 2024.