New Brunswick Legislative Building (Province House)

• Location: Fredericton, NB, Canada

• Architect: J.C. Dumaresq

• Style: Second Empire

• Completed in: 1882

The New Brunswick Legislative Building is the Province House for New Brunswick, located in downtown Fredericton, New Brunswick, facing the St. John River. It houses the unicameral assembly, the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick, which was originally bicameral, with an upper house called the Legislative Council of New Brunswick., however the upper house was abolished in 1892.

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. In 1785 an election tool place and in 1786, the first legislature of New Brunswick met in the Mallard House, Saint John (the oldest incorporated city in Canada).

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. Being designated as the British colonial capital, the need of the construction of new legislative assembly building became acute in order to "protect and assert sovereignty over the region".

The first legislative assembly building "Province Hall" was constructed in 1803 on the same site as the current building. However, it was burned down by a suspicious fire in 1880 and the current legislative building was constructed in 1882, designed Saint John architect J.C. Dumaresq in the Second Empire architectural style, which was popular for the governmental building at that time.

The New Brunswick Legislative Building showcases the second empire architectural characteristics such as cast-iron cresting, mansard roof and dormer windows.

"Cast-iron cresting, mansard roof and dormer windows"

The cupola stands at the centre reaching a height of 44 m. Below the cupola, the statue of Britannia stands on the top of the pediment, symbolizing the Britain power over the seas at the time of the construction.

"Statue of Britannia on the top of pediment"

The façade is cladded with the Dorchester sandstone. The portico entrance is accented with cast-iron cresting and supported by the fluted sandstone Corinthian columns.

"Façade cladded with Dorchester sandstone"

"Ground Floor Layout" (taken from the brochure "Welcome to the LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF NEW BRUNSWICK")

The foyer just inside of the main entrance is located right under the cupola. The opposite side of the main entrance is a hallway leading towards the bottom of the renowned spiral staircase.

From L to R: Foyer" "Inside the Cupola" "Hallway" "Spiral Staircase"

The New Brunswick "unicameral" legislative assembly chamber is located in the north-west side of the building. The interior of the chamber went under a few major renovations since its completion in 1882. The chamber is 13 meters high, spanning the two main floors of the building, and showcases the style of late Victorian design.

"Legislative Assembly Chamber"

"Corinthian columns in the gallery"

With the Speaker's chair in the north-west side of the chamber, the government members sit on the left hand side and the opposition on the right hand side.

"The Speaker's Chair"

In 1937, the then-Lieutenant Governor, the Hon. Murray MacLaren presented the Mace, "the Speaker's Authority" to the Legislative Assembly. During the session of the Legislative Assembly, the Mace is placed on the table in front of the Speaker's Chair. It is about 1.3 m long and 4 kg in weight.

"The Mace, the Speaker's Authority"

"Second Floor Layout" (taken from the brochure "Welcome to the LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF NEW BRUNSWICK")

The Council Chamber on the second floor is a committee meeting room converted from the then-Senate Chamber, which was the Upper House abolished in 1892.

"Council Chamber"

The thrones used to be enshrined at the centre on the raised platform but now they are pushed aside due to the installation of two large TV screens on the wall....

"Thrones"

In the corner of the corner, there exists the "Drum Table", a round table with twelve drawers. It is believed that the very first Council took place in 1784 around this table by Colonel Thomas Carleton, the first Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick .

"Drum Table"

The "Legislative Library of New Brunswick" has opened in 1841 and offered information, and research services to support the members of the legislature and government employees as well as the general public. The Library retains all the legislative documents dating back to 1786.

"Legislative Library of New Brunswick"

"Reading space in the library"

References:

"Fredericton’s Built Heritage." Heritage Fredericton, https://www.heritagefredericton.org/frederictons-built-heritage. Accessed 17 Oct. 2024.

"History of Fredericton." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Fredericton. Accessed 17 Oct. 2024.

McMillan, Ian. "Architectural Conservation in Canada." Canadian Parliamentary Review, vol. 21, no. 2, 1998, http://www.revparl.ca/english/issue.asp?param=102&art=496. Accessed 17 Oct. 2024.

"New Brunswick Legislative Assembly." PLC Fire Safety Solutions, https://plcfire.com/new-brunswick-legislative-assembly/. Accessed 17 Oct. 2024.

"New Brunswick Legislative Building." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Brunswick_Legislative_Building. Accessed 17 Oct. 2024.

"New Brunswick Legislative Building." Historic Plaster Conservation Services, https://www.historicplaster.com/new-brunswick-legislative-building/. Accessed 17 Oct. 2024.

"New Brunswick Legislative Building." Register of Historic Places, Government of New Brunswick, https://www.rhp-rlp.gnb.ca/Page_Com-Ful.aspx?blnLanguageEnglish=True&RID=103&VER=2. Accessed 17 Oct. 2024.

Parkhill, R. Douglas. "Preserving Historic Government Buildings." Canadian Parliamentary Review, vol. 35, no. 1, 2012, http://revparl.ca/english/issue.asp?param=133&art=853. Accessed 17 Oct. 2024.

Peck, Ian, et al. "The Restoration of the New Brunswick Legislative Building." Canadian Parliamentary Review, vol. 5, no. 3, 1982, http://www.revparl.ca/5/3/05n3_82e_peck.pdf. Accessed 17 Oct. 2024.

Welcome to the LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF NEW BRUNSWICK, Brochure, Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick