St. Ann's Schoolhouse

On the eastern side of Royal BC Museum is a brick courtyard called Heritage Square. On one side of this square is Helmcken House, the subject of the last two days' posts. On the other side of this square is the above building, St. Ann's Schoolhouse, the oldest building in the province that is still in use. It was built in the 1840s and purchased in 1858 for use as a convent for newly arrived nuns. Later they re-purposed it as a schoolhouse. You can get some idea of its solid construction by looking at the interior log wall pictured below. In the center of that photo is one of the original little desks.