There are four buildings remaining from the old compound, the Stone Barracks (1826), Guard House (1828), Militia Arms Store (1832) and Officers' Quarters (1840 and 1853). the compound housed the British garrison at Fredericton from 1784 until 1869. At one time there were over fifty buildings in the compound, many of which were lost to a fire in 1925. All extant buildings were built after said fire, the earliest being the 1826 Stone Soldiers' Barracks.
In the intervening years the City of Fredericton has grown around the compound, which now finds itself in downtown Fredericton. Today the site contains another 6 buildings historically associated with the three levels of government, civic park space, a statue of Lord Beaverbrook and canons, all surrounded by an iron fence. This building was originally built as a Normal School in 1876. Rebuilt in 1930 following a 1929 fire (which explains the dual dates on the façade), the building remained a Normal School until 1947, at which time it became the Teachers' College. The college closed in the 1960s, after which the building became the Provincial Justice Building, which it remains today.
Opposite Phoenix Square, but now on the eastern side of York Street and facing Queen Street is a large, three storey brick building with old iron fencing. It was originally part of the Military Compound for the British Imperial Regiments stationed there from 1784 until they withdrew in 1869. The land was bought for the construction of the Normal School in 1876. In 1914 an annex was added and it is still standing. But then, in 1929, the main part of the building burned down, leaving just a shell. But the pink granite pillars at the front of the building survived this very dramatic fire. By 1931, a larger and more modern facility was built. It became the Teachers' College in 1947. When the College closed in the late 1960s, it was preserved as a
Provincial Justice Building.
This handsome brick and stone edifice replaced the original 1876 Victorian building built as a Normal School for teacher training which was destroyed by fire in 1929. This explains the two dates of 1876 and 1930 on the frontispiece and the shields with initials PNS (Provincial Normal School). Some older portions survive, including the 1913 rear annex of lighter brick, along with the triple-arched entrance with its pink granite pillars, which were saved from the ruins of the 1876 fire. At present, it is the Justice Building of the Provincial Government with cultural/studio spaces in the rear annex.
From the
Fredericton Heritage Trust