(Go to downtown walk tour)
STANLEY PARK (established 1894)
This neighbourhood green space, originally known at West End Park, was renamed
Stanley Park in 1907 in honour of Stanley Mclnnis, a local dentist and legislator.
Brandon's city fathers acquired this block of land from the Canadian Pacific
Railway Company in 1894 at the cost of one dollar, on the condition that
it be set aside for public use. At that time this was on the edge of the
city's built-up area. During the Winnipeg General Strike of 1919 this was
the site of several large labour rallies. The park's appearance has changed
much over the years largely as a result of tree planting and the construction
of various recreational facilities. Many of the larger trees were planted
In 1907 on the basis of a plan laid out by city engineer W. H. Shillinglaw.
The large flower bed along the Princess Avenue side of the park is one of
the finer examples of the long standing tradition of flower gardening within
the city. Lawn bowling has also been associated with the park since the early
part of the century.
Sidebar
Walk north along 15th Street and after crossing Princess Avenue turn to your
right. The large red brick building one block away, on the southeast comer
of Princess Avenue and 14th Street, is the largest of several multiple family
dwellings bordering on Stanley Park. The appropriately named Park View Apartments
cost Thomas Sinclair, a prominent Brandon architect, $22,000 to build in
1912. In its original design the structure contained 26 apartments along
with multi-story, south and west facing verandahs, and a large skylight over
the central interior corridor.
The rusticated cut stone foundation is of Tyndall stone, a distinctive type
of limestone that is quarried near the town with the same name in eastern
Manitoba. The building's straight and relatively simple lines, the symmetrical
arrangement of features, the stone curved arch pediment over the main entryway,
and the Tuscan columns supporting the west facing verandah identify the style
as Classical Revival, popular in Manitoba between 1900 and 1930.
The much more recently built Winnipeg House, located directly across the street from
Where you are presently standing, offers a dramatic contrast in styles. This
modem, flat roofed, senior citizen's residence, with smooth, unornamented
walls and
Severe horizontal and vertical lines is a good example of the International style.
1512 LORNE AVENUE built 1906
The eight-sided turret is a distinct feature of this large two-story home.
Like many others in the neighbourhood, it has undergone a number of cosmetic
and structural changes over the years. When first built the house was sheathed
in brick veneer and had a one-story verandah along the front and east sides.
Since that time the porch has been removed, and the brick covered with stucco.
The wrought iron fence that runs along the front and east sides marks the
size of the original building lot. It was subdivided in the late 1940s. Similar
evidence of later subdivision of residential lots can be found throughout
The walking tour area.
228 15th STREET built 1894
The distinctive brick gothic cottage, facing Stanley Park from the west,
was built the same year the park was established. The large, steeply pitched
gable is the building's dominant and most distinguishing feature.
Walking along the 100 block of 15th Street you enter a streetscape of narrower
house lots. From the time the CPR ordered the original subdivision this was
intended
To be an area of modest working-class homes.
120,122,124,126 15™ STREET built 1883
These four small brick, hipped-roofed cottages were built in the same year.
Each has the same basic design and floor plan; and in the year 1909, each
was occupied by a CPR employee - three conductors and a brakeman. Most of
the houses on this block of 15th Street were built before the turn of the
century.
129 15TH STREET built 1894
The involved brickwork of this Italianate style house makes it stand out
from the other homes on this side of the street. Notice, for example, the
large keystoned arch over the front window and the building’s rounded corners.
The wood detailing is also worthy of note, especially the front roof brackets
and the intricate bargeboards on the gable.
The house was built by A.J. Sheather, who was also the first owner and occupant.
Early property descriptions indicate that he kept a cow in a stable located
on the northeast corner of the lot. By 1909, J.L Weir, manager of the Brandon
Steam Laundry had
Purchased the house and was living there.
Sidebar:
Aesculus glabra
OHIO BUCKEYE
The third tree north of Princess on the west side of 16th Street is an Ohio
Buckeye or horse chestnut, a species not normally found in the region. Its
size suggests that it was probably planted in the 1930s. The fact that it
has survived this long outside its natural range can be explained by the
moderating effect an urban area can have on the local climate.
143 l6th STREET built 1912
This cottage, like the ones on either side and across the street, closely
resembles scores of homes constructed throughout the City of Brandon during
the early part of the twentieth
Century. One-and-a-half or two stories high, these modest, rectangular shaped,
wood-framed houses were often placed on 35 toot or in some cases 25 foot
lots. Most were originally sheathed in narrow clapboard or tongue and groove
siding. The front of the house usually sported an open porch across the full
front and fishscale siding above the eaves line. The original owners and
residents of many of these homes were working class people. For example,
among the early residents of this cluster of homes were a store manager,
a CPR baggage man, an ice cream maker, a sheriff, a farmer, and a liveryman.
Sidebar:
THE 17TH STREET ANOMALY
Over the years many people have wondered why there are houses on only the
east side of 17th Street. The most direct explanation is that the block west
of 17th Street is Narrower than the others and there is simply not enough
room for two back-to-hack full size building lots. The reason why this block
is narrower than those immediately to the east is not entirely clear, although
property subdivision was not usually left to happenstance.
In any case, the surveyors who subdivided Section 14 of Township 10, Range
19 into blocks and property lots seem to have started from First Street.
Standard lots measured 25 or, in some cases, 50 feet wide by 120 feet deep
while back lanes in most cases were made 16 feet wide and streets 66 feet
wide. The odd width of the 1700 block ended up being just what was left.
SMART/WHTTEHEAD PROPERTY
After crossing the street, look west along Princess Avenue and notice the
stone wall that runs the full length of the 1700 block. This wall and the
one along 17th Street are the only visible clue that this block's history
is different. The block was originally subdivided into twenty equal-size
lots and made available for sale in 1882. Ten years later, in 1892 James
A. Smart, a local merchant and political figure, purchased the four lots
at the north end of the block and proceeded to have a large house built on
the property. Smart arrived in Brandon in 1881 and established a hardware
business. The following year he was elected to serve as alderman on the city's
first council. Later, he served two non-sequential terms as mayor. Smart's
political ambitions went beyond the local community. He served several terms
in the provincial legislature and when Brandon lawyer Clifford Sifton was
elected to Parliament in 1896, Smart moved to Ottawa to serve as Sifton's
advisor. Smart's residence was appropriate for a man of his political stature.
Besides a large three story brick house the property contained a separate
servants' house, a stable, and a wading pool for his children.
Smart sold his property in 1899 for $4,200 to another prominent local businessman,
Charles Whitehead, the man who was responsible, among other things, for having
the first consignment of lumber shipped by river steamer to the new community
of Brandon in May of 1881. IN 1900 Whitehead purchased the remaining sixteen
lots from the various owners. Shortly thereafter Whitehead hired a Scottish
stone mason to construct a stone wall around the entire block. The task took
four years to complete. Whitehead later passed the property on to his daughter
Margaret who in turn passed it on to her son John C.P. Mitchell. In 1939
the lots south of the residence were sold; and the following year three single-family
homes were built. In the late 1940s the second and third stories of the Smart-Whitehead
home were removed in an effort to give the structure a more modern appearance.
In 1977 the original house was sold; more recently, it was moved to the corner
of Kirkcaldy Avenue and Patterson Crescent.
231 16TH STREET built 1908
As you walk south of Princess Avenue, notice that the house lots and the
houses are larger. This house at 231 is similar in form and layout to the
houses north of Princess Avenue. What sets this one apart from the previous
group is the brick veneer, the mock Tudor detailing on the front gable, and
the leaded windows. The larger lot size makes the house appear smaller than
it is. All of these features suggest that the original owner was more prosperous,
from an economic standpoint, than were his neighbors just one block to the
north.
247/251 16TH STREET built 1906
This is one of four large duplexes built on adjoining lots facing 15th and
l6th streets in the years between 1906 and 1910 by S. Mcclement at a cost
of approximately $3,000 each. These yellow brick structures are all very
similar in layout and design. Their roof lines are similar to those of Clark
Hall at Brandon University and the now demolished Park School evidence that
suggests that W.A. Elliott may have had a hand in their design. In more recent
years these two-family structures have been further split into six or more
apartments each.
1608 LORNE AVENUE built 1908
This large well-maintained Queen Anne home was built for Harold Kelly, a
local hardware merchant. The house exhibits a number of the architectural
elements that distinguish the Queen Anne style. These include the finial
at the very top of the hipped roof and the elliptical window. During the
early years a one-and-a-half story carriage house stood to the west of the
house and an auto shed to the south. In 1911, Alexander Ferguson, president
Brandon Brewing Company Ltd., purchased the property; and in 1919, he sold
it to Dr. S.J.S. Pierce, a physician associated with the Bigelow Clinic.
Pierce lived here until 1950. The yard contains many tree plantings; included
among them is a Patmore Cedar, named for and developed by the well-known
local nurseryman.
431 l6th STREET built 1914
Prominent local contractor Frank C. Lissaman designed and built this large
one-and-a-hall story Bungalow style home for businessman James Yates. Although
larger than most bungalows, the style elements are clearly evident. These
include a low-pitched roof, triangular brackets under the broad roof overhang,
stout, tapered columns supporting the porch and second story, a canopy over
the window, and a vestibule. The Bungalow style is unusual in that it did
not originate in the east and spread westward like most other architectural
styles. Rather, it first developed in Southern California. From there its
popularity diffused up the west coast to Vancouver and then east across Canada.
1509 Victoria Avenue
W.A Elliott was commissioned by the Victoria Methodist congregation to design
the church that stands on the corner of Victoria Avenue and 15th Street.
Prior to that in 1896, Knox Presbyterian Church was built on the southeast
corner of the same intersection. When the United Church was organized during
the 1920s, the two congregations joined to worship in Victoria Methodist
which took the name, Knox
United. In 1950, a new Knox United Church was built on the corner of Victoria
Avenue and 18th Street and the present property sold to the Christian Reform
Church whose congregation is made up largely of people of Dutch extraction.
443 16TH STREET built 1912
The gently sloping hipped roof and very wide eaves of this unpretentious
wood framed home are suggestive of Prairie style architecture originally
developed by the famous Chicago architect Frank Lloyd Wright (1869 19S9:).
Wright felt that the emphasis on horizontal lines and low proportions was
appropriate for the open flat landscape of the North American grasslands.
Wright often incorporated design elements associated with the Craftsman Movement
into his architecture. The brackets at the top of the porch columns and the
style of the front door are two such elements.
1605 VICTORIA AVENUE built 1912
This large Tudor style home is the first of several on this tour designed
by Brandon architect and city engineer, W.H Shillinglaw. It was designed
for Henry Fitzgibbon Maley, president of Brandon Brewing and Bottling Company
ant cost $12,500. Maley lost the house four years after it was built when
prohibition spelled the end of the brewing business. Dr. Henry mcdiarmid
purchased the properly at that time and it remained in the mcdiarmid family
for two generations. The four-car garage is a recent addition but one that
blends in well with the original style of the home. The house currently serves
as a bed and breakfast establishment, Casa Malev named for the home's original
owner
300 BLOCK ON 15TH STREET circa 1906
The row of seven large two-story wood frame homes toward the south end of
the 300 block of 15th Street were built by the Gillespie Lumber Company on
speculation between 1904 and 1908. The much more recently built exterior
stairways attached to the front of these buildings suggest that they were
originally designed as single-family homes. The large apartment block across
the street is Hobbs Manor, a retirement home, named after former Anglican
Dean, R.H. (Harry) Hobbs, who died in 1979. For most of the twentieth century,
this was the site of Park School, named for its proximity to Stanley Park.
The school was erected in 1904 and demolished in 1979. The playground behind
Hobbs Manor was part of the schoolyard. There is no longer a school in this
neighbourhood.
The next stop on the tour is the first of many homes in this neighbourhood built by
The Bell Brothers, by far the most prominent building contractors in early
Brandon William Bell, the principle partner in the business, moved to Brandon
in 1882 . His work spanned four decades. The Bell Brothers were noted for
their use of high quality materials and fine workmanship. They constructed
both public and private buildings and at one time employed over forty workers.
322 14th STREET built 1889
This house, built by E.R. Smiley for $2,000, is one of the few examples of
Second Empire style architecture to be found in Brandon. The style is most
commonly associated with a mansard roof; but the style has other distinguishing
features as well. Some of the more notable of these are pronounced decorative
relief in the form of quoins and dormer windows with moulded surrounds.
1340 LOUISE AVENUE built 1914
This large home, known as Moreland Manor, is one of the finest examples of
Shingle style architecture in Manitoba. The home was built by the Bell Brothers
for George A. Patterson, the plant manager for Brandon Electric Light Company
who in 1925 became the head of Canada Gas and Electric Company. Patterson's
previous residence was several blocks away at 1039 Louise Avenue. The cedar
shakes were intended to weather naturally. The dormers offer complex shapes
and arrangements. The free-standing garage is said to have had a turntable.
On the north side of the house, two Eastern White cedars are thriving outside
their natural range.
Sidebar:
City of Trees
Before reaching the comer of l4th and Victoria, turn around and look back down
The street. The sweeping branches of the elm trees that form a complete canopy
Overhead for almost the entire block, provide tangible evidence of the foresight
of Henry Patmore and his tree planting efforts at the turn of the century.
In years past, this type of tree canopy was typical of many of the streets
in the older neighbourhoods of the city. Small wonder that Brandon was known
as the "City of Trees".
440 l4th STREET built 1908
The unusual roof line and second story balcony stand out on this well kept,
red brick home. The roof sweeps down to surround the second floor balcony
while covering the open first floor verandah. The treatment has the affect
of making the house look larger than it actually is. This home was originally
built for A.E. Carmichael at a cost of $3,000. Later it became the home of
Dr. Eldon T. Carrothers, a local dentist. It has remained in the Carrothers
family for three generations.
1335 VICTORIA AVENUE built 1907
This imposing home stands in semi-seclusion behind a tall lilac hedge. It
was constructed for the Bank of Montreal as the residence of the local bank
manager and was used for that purpose until the 1960s. The size of the structure
reflects more than just the monetary wherewithal of the original owner. It
also testifies to the faith that that financial institution had in Brandon's
economic future. Today the exterior of the house remains essentially the
same as when it was built.
Sidebar:
A NEIGHBOURHOOD OF CONSIDERABLE VARIETY
The residential neighbourhood described in this booklet contains some of the oldest
Surviving buildings in Brandon. It is also a neighborhood of considerable variety.
In terms of architecture, most of the styles that became popular in Canada between 1880
And 1930 are represented here, in some cases, in magnificent fashion. The wood, brick,
And stone building materials utilized achieve many different effects and impressions.
The intent of the builders varied as well. Some homes were built with a specific
resident in mind; others were built on speculation; others still, as rental
properties. While most
Of the structures were originally intended as single-family houses, several
generations and styles of multiple-family dwellings are present as well.
A striking contrast can also be seen in the size of some of the single family
homes in the area, most notably between homes that are situated next door
or across the street from one another. In some cases
The smaller home was built at about the same time as the larger one; in other
instances the smaller house appeared many years later on a lot that had been
subdivided. In more recent years, many of the larger single-family homes
have been converted into multiple-family income properties. More than anything
else, this variety is a reflection of the people who have lived in the neighbourhood
in the present as well as the past.
463 13th STREET built 1923
A Jewish synagogue was erected at this address in 1906. Francis Massen, owner
of Massen Hide and Fur Company, acquired the property in 1923 and built the
large brick bungalow that presently stands on the site. The blue spruce trees
were planted shortly thereafter. In the 1960s, the property was purchased
from the Massens by what was then Brandon College (University) to serve as
the residence of that institution's president. This attractive house continues
to serve as the residence of that institution's president.
404 13th STREET built 1905
This late Queen Anne style home is another of W.A. Elliott's designs. The
house was built for the Christie family. Ernest Christie was a stationer
and founder of a school supply company that continues to bear his name. It
has been said that before 1920 virtually every school textbook in western
Canada passed through Christie's shop, a statement which says as much for
the prominence of Brandon as it does for Christie. The distinctive rose coloured
brick was manufactured in Hartney by the Manitoba Brick Company.
Photo – St Matthew’s Cathedral
The consecration of the cornerstone of St. Matthew’s Cathedral by Most Reverend
Samuel Pritchard Matheson, Archbishop of Rupertsland, October 2, 1912.
403 13TH STREET built 1912
St. Matthew's Pro-Cathedral was designed by W.A. Elliott after the congregation
outgrew the original St. Matthew's Anglican church located on the 200 block
of 11th street at the present site of St. Hedwig's Roman Catholic Church.
Arranged in a traditional cruciform plan, the long nave arm of the structure
holds the congregation beneath a striking open-timbered oak ceiling. The
east arm contains the altar and choir. The shorter transept arms add symmetry
and spare. The central bell tower is located at the crossing.
342 13th STREET built 1896
With its distinct stepped-gable that rises to a pinnacle, this is one of
the most uniquely styled homes in the city. The starkness of the front is
relieved somewhat by the brick banding. A bay window and brick detailing
provide similar relief on the south wall. The house was owned originally
by Brandon's first City Solicitor and Registrar of the Land Titles Office,
F.G.A. Henderson. The different colour and texture of the brick attest to
the fact that the battlement-studded portico was a later addition.
The west side of the 300 block of 13th Street serves as a good illustration
of how a keen-eyed landscape observer can use architectural styles and additional
landscape clues to reconstruct the approximate sequence of growth of a city
block. A quick survey of the eight houses on tills block leads one to conclude
that the previously mentioned McGregor and Henderson houses, along with the
stucco-covered brick house on the north comer, and the large wood frame house
toward the south end at 356 are almost certainly the oldest buildings on
the block. The central location of the McGregor house, along with the expanse
of its original lawn, as indicated by the wrought iron fence, are strong
clues that this is the first house built on the block. The Victorian style
of the other two early brick homes suggest that they date from the same period
and were the next to be built. The large two- storey wood frame home is somewhat
newer- In comparison, the styles of the remaining four houses that face Thirteenth
Street are much more modern. Of these, the one-storey clapboard homes on
either side of the McGregor house are the oldest, followed by the multiple
family home next to the Henderson house. The remaining two residences are
very recent additions. Step back for a moment and in your mind's eye try
to imagine what this block would have looked like not all that many years
ago, before the five most recent houses were built. The process of lot subdivision
and later construction is often referred to as in-filling.
324 13TH STREET built 1890 (Also called The White House)
This large brick home was built for the honourable J.D McGregor, an internationally
known cattle breeder who later served as Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba
from 1929 to 1935. The multiple gables and chimneys, the broken roof line
and projecting windows, the various window shapes and raised brick arches
and banding are all indicative of the Queen Anne style of architecture popular
during the latter part of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The
enclosed front portico replaced an open verandah that originally ran along
the front of the building.
Sidebar
Brandon has been the home of a number of prominent architects, several of
whom are mentioned in this booklet. One of the moist noteworthy was W. Ellitott
(1866-1957). Born in Wingham Ontario and trained in Chicago and New York
City, Elliott moved to Brandon in 1899. Here he produced designs for dozens
of schools, churches, municipal, commercial and residential structures throughout
western Manitoba and Saskatchewan. His success was such that he opened a
branch office in Moose Jaw. Besides the half dozen or so structures included
in this walking tour, Elliott designed an impressive number of prominent
buildings within the city, most notably the Central Fire Hall, Brandon University's
dark Hall, the Brandon Collegiate Institute, the Bank of Montreal, the Cecil
Hotel (destroyed by fire) the Empire Brewing Company Bottling House and Warehouse,
and many of the buildings for the Summer and Winter fairs. His work can be
seen elsewhere in southwest Manitoba at Carberry, Virden, Newdale, Reston,
Baldur, Brookdale, Souris, Rivers, Elkhom, Rapid City, Melita, and Oak River.
In 1913 W.A. Elliott was appointed Chief Inspector for the construction of
the Manitoba Legislative Building.
Photo: W.A. Elliott (photo credit Brandon Sun)
Missing House Numbers?
These two nearly identical homes are further examples of the eclectic nature
of the Queen Anne style. Erected by the Bell Brothers, the houses display
a number of eye-catching features. The distinctive towers with their bull's-eye
and diamond-shaped motifs and mansard-like roofs stand out the most perhaps.
The metal cresting on the one tower adds further appeal. The over-hanging
front gables supported by knee braces are noteworthy as well. The gables
themselves are covered in pressed metal, designed to look like wood shingles.
1234 LORNE AVENUE built 1920
This lot was originally part of the Bishop's Lodge property next door. Dentist
Billie Saunders and his family lived here for many years. The house is actually
one-and-a-half stories; but this fact is hidden by the broad and gentle pitch
of the roof. The fieldstone pillars that grace the porch create a distinctive
element to this Bungalow style home whose horizontal and shallow lines are
further enhanced by the height and size of the adjacent structures.
258 12th Street built 1901
Sheer size helps make this brick house stand out. Originally owned by Robert
Kerr, a local piano maker, the property was later sold by his son to the
Anglican Diocese as a residence for Bishop Thomas. Only when the Diocese
in turn sold the property was the building subdivided into apartments. The
irregular plan and asymmetrical arrangement and diverse shape of the dormers
identify the style as Queen Anne. The lack of elaborate brick detailing suggests
it was built towards the end of that style period. Unfortunately, the house's
overall appearance was adversely affected when the large verandah on the
east and south sides of the building was removed.
1133 - 37 LORNE AVENUE built 1892
This imposing multiple-family dwelling built by the Bell Brothers is the
largest and one of the oldest four-unit terraces in the neighbourhood. One
needs to look up to the gables and roofline to get a real sense of the architectural
quality and the craftsmanship that went into its construction. The elaborately
patterned brick-work and the blind arch in eachgable are most noteworthy.
The building has gone througha series of owners over the years, the present
one is clearly making efforts to upgrade the building while maintaining its
original character.
339 12TH STREET built 1927
The First Presbyterian Church was designed by a church member, W.H.Shillinglaw.
The original plan called for a central front entrance. Subsequently, this
aspect of the plan was changed. Built in the Late Gothic Revival style, it
was commissioned by people who chose not to take part in the unification
of the Methodist, Congregational, and Presbyterian churches across Canada
during the early 1920s. The size of the church suggests that there was a
substantial number of local citizens who were uncomfortable with the consolidation.
The use of red brick gives this church a more modern appearance than does
the yellow brick used for two of the earlier churches in the neighborhood.
The stained glass window has a prairie motif.
351-357 12™ STREET & 1137 LOUISE AVENUE built 1893
The large yellow brick terrace occupying the northeast corner offers some
of the most interesting architectural detailing of any building in the neighbourhood.
It was built and perhaps designed by the Bell Brothers. The 12th Street facade
is nearly symmetrical and centers around a mansard- roofed central pavilion
whose face is neatly decorated by
Three interlaced arches of raised and dogtooth brickwork.
The gable ends on either side are equally attractive with decoratively turned
horizontal and vertical spindles. The scroll-sawed bargeboards, with motifs
of swooping swallows
And wheat sheaves, contribute additional visual appeal. The asymmetric Louise
Avenue front is successfully tied together with a gracefully sweeping verandah.
354 & 362 12TH STREET built 1894
The residents of these two brick houses no doubt watched the scaffolding
go up for the First Presbyterian Church. The original owner of 35413th Street
was D.A. Hopper, a banker. In 1905 this house became the home of Rev. A.U.
Depencier, rector of St. Matthew's; in 1909, before the days of his clinic
at 1039 Louise Avenue, Dr. Bigelow, M.D. lived here. Although the buildings
are now showing their age, the window arrangements, the brick detailing,
and the detailed bargeboards are evidence that aesthetic concerns and quality
were not restricted to the larger homes in the area at that time.
422 12th STREET built 1907
Alexander C. Fraser, proprietor of the A.C. Fraser Department Store, and
his family were the first residents of this Italianate style home. Built
on one and a half lots, the structure has a low-pitched hip roof and roof
brackets - two features often associated with the Italianate style. The original
verandah that once stretched across the front of the house was removed a
number of years ago and the front entry that was erected in its place is
out of character with the rest of the building.
458 12TH STREET built 1902
Partially hidden behind trees and shrubs, this distinctive Georgian Revival
style home was designed by W.H. Shillinglaw for Peter Payne, president of
the Empire Brewing Company. The gambrel roof and the detailing along the
eaves are perhaps its most distinguishing architectural features. The house
remained in the Payne family until 1953 when it was converted into four apartments.
422 11 TH STREET built l898
Not all single-family homes in the neighborhood were owner-occupied following
their construction. This well maintained brick cottage is a case in point.
The original owner was C.E. Davidson, a teacher; but he never lived here.
Indeed, a survey of the names and dates of the occupants of this house reveals
the dynamic, often restless, nature of a sizeable segment of most urban populations.
During the period from 1909 to 1941 no tenant lived in the house for more
than two years.
4l6 11TH STREET built 1898
Although very similar in size, appearance, and age, this house stands in
contrast to the house next door in that it was owner occupied for many years.
Only much later did it become a rental property.
From an architectural standpoint, the intersection of Louise and 11th Street
is one of the most interesting in the city. The size and styles of these
homes are clear evidence of the economic boom that Brandon was experiencing
around the turn of the century.
404 11TH STREET built 1905
This was originally the home of William Burchill, co-owner of the Burchill
and Howey Meat Market located in the Burchill Block at 910 Rosser Avenue.
The distinctive cottage-like form of this Queen Anne house is created by
a steeply pitched hip roof that flows down to cover an oval porch. Neatly
cut into this sweep is a small balcony. A wooden version of this house is
located half a block north at 322 11th Street.
1036 LOUISE AVENUE Built 1906
The house on the southeast corner of 11th Street and Louise Avenue was built
as the residence of John E. Smith, a well-known local horse breeder. Around
the rum of the century horse breeding was a major enterprise in the Brandon
area, and, if this house is any indication, a lucrative one as well. Family
tradition holds that the house was a copy of a relative's home in Brussels,
Ontario. The building's prominent tower and overall large size cause the
structure to stand out, but it is the overhanging gables supported by knee
braces and the large verandah with its bulbous Tuscan columns that are architecturally
noteworthy. From the 1950s until 1984 the building housed the Brandon Allied
Art Centre. Since then it has served as a community group home, the Welcome
Inn.
With small houses and narrow lots on the east side and substantially larger
houses on the west, the 300 block of 11th Street offers a study in contrasts.
In recent years the contrast has become one of physical upkeep as well. The
large front window on the otherwise small brick cottage at 337 11th Street
sets it apart from all the others on that side of the street. Perhaps it
was originally designed to be a commercial establishment such as a dressmaker
or tailor shop.
1039 LOUISE AVENUE built 1895
For the first decade of its existence, the distinctive Patterson House stood
alone on this corner. It is arguably the finest example of Eastlake style
architecture in Manitoba. Eastlake is distinguished by an abundance of ornamentation
produced by chisel, gouge, and lathe. Elaborately turned posts, curved brackets
and spindle work are found in abundance in the two-story porch of this house.
The peak of each gable is treated in an energetic manner with a bargeboard
playfully decorated by both a semicircle of knobs and designs cut into the
wood with a fret saw. The 11th Street side of the house contains one of the
finest stained glass windows to be found anywhere in Brandon. For many years
it served as the clinic and home of W.A. Bigelow, M.D. The house has been
designated a provincial heritage site by the Manitoba government.
318 11TH STREET built 1906
This Queen Anne style house was designed by Thomas Sullivan and built by
A.S. MKkenzie at a cost of $6,000 for John A. McDonald, one of Brandon's
early pioneers. McDonald came to Brandon in 1882, and worked for several
people in town before entering into partnership with Frank Calvert in the
men's furnishings business. In 1911 he took over full ownership of the business.
The house passed into the hands of the Harry Cater family in the early 1940s.
Harry Cater owned Brandon Pump and Windmill Company and served three terms
as Mayor of Brandon between 1921 and 1947. In
1950 I Harry's daughter, Ruth Tester and her husband Albert, took ownership
and divided the home into two apartments. The front and side verandahs are
part of the original house design.
1038, 1034, 1030 LORNE AVENUE built 1893
These three houses were built on speculation by the Bell Brothers. Their
similarity and proximity to one another lent some economy to their investment
venture; but the architectural detailing suggests the builders did not scrimp
on quality. Notice for example, the roof brackets, the bull's-eye window,
the raised bands of brick that encircle each building, and the arches above
the semi-circular windows. All of these features enhance the buildings' overall
appearances.
… Continue along Louise Avenue as far as the back lane.
Look to the right, southward up the back lane. And observe the large grey
wooden structure about halfway up the block. It has served a number of function
over the
Years, first as a freight shed for the Canadian Northern Railway, later as
the Salvation Army Church. It was moved to its present location in 1909 where
it served as a dance hall until the 1950s. Since that time it has housed
several different commercial establishments, most recently a fabric store.
Now look to the left across the street. The building on the comer of Louise
Avenue and 10th Street that currently contains the offices of an electrical
contractor is a good example of conversion. Behind the modem brick and store
windowed front is an old brick house. Clearly, 10th Street was not always
the commercial street that it is today.
Return to 11th Street
1037 LORNE AVENUE built 1904
The First Baptist Church on the corner was designed by parishioner W.A.Elliott
in the late Gothic Revival style. The present structure replaced a wood frame
church built in 1885 on the southwest corner of 10th Street and Princess
Avenue. The monumental interior space of the present structure contains gracefully
curved rows of pews facing the pulpit, behind which sits a massive grouping
of organ pipes.
Sidebar:
As you round the comer and walk past the courthouse, you glimpse the western
edge of Brandon’s old commercial district. A survey of the dates of some
of the structures in view from 11th Street and Princess Avenue offers a clue
to the level of economic activity during Brandon's boom years. Besides the
Court House, built 1908, you can see the Federal Building (1931), the Brandon
House (1904), the YWCA (1917), the Merchant's Bank (1907), and the Crest
Block (1890).
Walking west along Princess Avenue notice the larger commercial buildings
on the north side of the street. They represent three distinct building eras.
Gillis and Warren Ltd. (1913) at 1133 Princess reflects the commercial style
common in the years immediately proceeding the First World War. The Art Moderne
design of the structure on the
Northeast comer of 13th Street and Princess Avenue is typical of the 1930s,
when there was a conscious effort to keep building costs to a minimum. The
Orange Block at 1201 Princess, and the building at 1309 Princess are examples
of commercial building design during the more prosperous 1950s.
217 11 TH STREET built 1882
In 1882 members of the Anglican congregation had the first St. Matthew's
Church built on this site. Several years later the wood frame structure received
a brick veneer. In 1912, the congregation moved to its present location on
13th Street. The old church building was later sold to Brandon's Polish Roman
Catholic congregation. They renovated it to meet their needs, and on August
1, 1920 it was consecrated St. Hedwig's Roman Catholic Church. In 1956, the
city's building inspector discovered that the exterior walls were leaning
outward and declared the building unsafe. It was demolished and a new church
erected on the site.
210 13TH STREET built 1928
This cottage was designed by architect William A. Elliott as his home and
office. The simple yet pleasing exterior hides a decorative interior that
includes an open beamed living room ceiling, each beam having a distinct
design. William Elliott died in 1947 at the age of 81.
211 13TH STREET built 1914
For over forty years, this was the home of John Mutter, a partner in Mutter
Brother's Grocery at 928 Rosser Avenue. The home remains in the Mutter family.
It is the last of four wood frame cottages built by Giddings and Wyman on
adjoining lots, beginning in 1908 at a cost of $1,800 each. These modest
story and three-quarter structures have medium pitched gable roofs and pedimented
entrances. The touches of stained glass and window detail add to the character
and visual appeal.
262 13TH STREET built 1882
This is the oldest building on the walking tour and one of the oldest houses
remaining in Brandon. It was built the year the city was incorporated. The
round-roofed dormers, with ears at the top and base of the window surrounds,
are indicative of the time and lend an air of distinction to this wood frame
structure that was built as a revenue house. The first tenant was Mr. Thomas
Wastie, a government employee and militia man who fought against Louis Riel
in the 1885 Rebellion. The first owner was an absentee landlord, John McBurnie,
a gentleman lace merchant living in Montreal. Later, this became the home
of Dr. Edmondson.
1335 Lorne Avenue Built 1910
This large yellow brick house exhibits the symmetry often associated with
Georgian Revival architecture. The brick quoins, the semi-circular window
arches, and the modillions supporting the soffit provide visual interest.
The house was built for W.D Clement, the son of Brandon's first sheriff and
a local pharmacist. In 1919 it served as Clark Hall Annex for Brandon College
(University) students. It was subdivided during the 1930s.
Note To Readers
We, the members of the Brandon Heritage Advisory Committee wish to thank
Assiniboine Historical Society for the creation of the “Brandon, A Residential
Walking Tour” the booklet, now out of print, that forms the basis of this
tour, We hope that you found this neighbourhood walking tour to be both enjoyable
and informative. If you are aware of any errors or important omissions or
if you would be interested in working on the development of other walking
tours of Brandon or the surrounding area, please contact the Brandon Municipal
Heritage Advisory Committee.