The Albert County Historical Society is trying to raise $150,000 for essential repairs for the 119-year-old Albert County Court House.
A past president of the society said a recent engineering study paid for by the provincial government’s Heritage and Archaeological Services branch revealed a list of problems that needed to be fixed.
“Just because of the age and rot that happened we had engineers in and they gave us a list of things to do … just to keep the building in the condition that it’s in,” Stuart Liptay said in an interview.
The courthouse serves as the main attraction at the Albert County Museum, which just closed for the season.
They held a fundraiser on Saturday with live music and a silent auction.
“We raised $10,000, which was our goal, so we were very pleased with the turnout and community support,” he said.
He said $10,000 will go toward work on the courthouse’s foundation.
“Because it’s on a stone foundation and everything so we need to make sure that that’s brought up to standards,” he said.
He said there have also been repairs completed on two of the end pillars.
He said they are looking for a partnership with the federal government for help in meeting their ultimate goal of $150,000.
The province will be contributing 50 per cent of the repair costs.
The courthouse was designed by Watson Reid after the original courthouse burned in a fire in 1903.
Reid is one-third of the famous Reid Brothers architects, who gained notoriety in San Francisco at the turn of the century.
Donations can be made by contacting the Albert County Museum.