On the recommendation of the Heritage Steering Committee, the Cariboo Regional District (CRD) Board has voted to remove the 150 Mile Courthouse from its heritage site registry, clearing the way for demolition of the deteriorated structure. The building will also be removed from the BC Register of Historic Places.
The decision comes after extensive consideration of the building’s unsalvageable condition. Despite community efforts to preserve the courthouse in the past, no viable path to restoration was available for the building. It also lacks a caretaker, has become a liability, and is on a landlocked parcel with no opportunity for future development.
Originally constructed in the late 19th century, the 150 Mile Courthouse was a symbol of the community’s historic role as a regional administrative and supply center. The structure once served as a courthouse, jail, and residence for the BC Provincial Police constable. Although it ceased operating as a courthouse in 1928, it continued to play a role in community life for decades, including a period of use as a local post office.
In 2011, the courthouse was moved to its current site during highway upgrades, with the hope that it would form part of a larger heritage site alongside the 150 Mile Schoolhouse. That vision, however, has not materialized. As a result, the CRD will now move forward with demolition of the building, and the site will remain vacant for the time being. Future use of the property has not been determined.