Touring Kingston, Ontario's City Hall

City Hall construction started

in 1841.  It was planned &

 built to be Canada's first

 Capitol Building.

By the time of its completion in 1844

the capital had moved to Montreal.

We gathered for the 

tour in the 

Sir John A. Macdonald Room.

He was the first Prime Minister

of United Canada.

A troop of actors promoting

Sir John A. Macdonald

gave a performance.

City Hall had extra space after Canada's capital was moved to Montreal.  Tenants included:  The Trade Board, the Post Office, The Customs House, the Bank of British North America, the Mechanics Institute, the Orange Lodge, the Masons, the Merchants Exchange, A&D Shaw Dry Goods, church groups, a saloon and residential tenants.  The Women's Medical College was housed here from 1885 to 1894.

The jail in the basement hosted many a drunken sailor and Kingston residents arrested for various crimes.

Office of the Mayor

The Council Chamber

Stairway to the
clock tower






On to the basement...

Jail Waiting Room

Jail cells held up to
four prisoners.

A building with many uses, City Hall became a National Historic Site in 1961.