the exchange district national historic site of …

THE EXCHANGE DISTRICT NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE OF CANADA

COMMEMORATIVE INTEGRITY STATEMENT

It is not the individual buildings themselves. . . but the historicalprocess of bringing together large numbers of heritage structuresillustrating important themes within a tightly defined area which

makes the Exchange District a distinctive place. Block after block ofbrick warehouses, rows of financial structures, key groupings of

skyscrapers - in total, these built resources evoke a sense of thetype of place which Winnipeg was during its most formative years, late

in the 19th and early in the 20th centuries, when Winnipeg rose tometropolitan status (Dana Johnson 1996 Historic Sites and Monuments

Board Agenda paper).

January 10, 2001

Page i

Page ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

APPROVAL PAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iTABLE OF CONTENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ii

1 INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.1 National Historic Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21.2 Historic Districts as National Historic Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21.3 Commemorative Integrity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31.4 Purpose of the Commemorative Integrity Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

2 THE EXCHANGE DISTRICT NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52.1 National Historic Designation of the Exchange District . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52.2 The Exchange District: Historical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

3 STATEMENT OF COMMEMORATIVE INTENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

4 DESIGNATED PLACE AND THECULTURAL RESOURCES OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

4.1 Designated Place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94.1.1 Objectives for the Designated Place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124.2 Buildings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134.2.1 Warehouses and Wholesale Trades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134.2.2 Financial Institutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144.2.3 Grain Exchange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164.2.4 Manufacturing Trade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164.2.5 Architecturally Significant Buildings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174.2.6 Buildings Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174.3 Streetscapes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184.3.1 Streetscape Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194.4 Street Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194.4.1 Street Element Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194.5 Archaeological Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204.5.1 Archaeological Resource Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204.6 Historic Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204.6.1 Historic Objects Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

5 MESSAGES OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215.1 Economic Gateway and Commercial Centre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215.2 Architectural Significance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245.3 Messaging Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

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6 OTHER HERITAGE VALUES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256.1 Level 2 Built Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256.1.1 Level 2 Built Resources Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266.2 Level 2 Archaeological Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266.2.1 Level 2 Archaeological Resources Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266.3 Level 2 Historic Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266.3.1 Level 2 Historic Objects Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276.4 Messages of Other Historic Values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276.4.1 Messages Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

7 ASSOCIATION WITH OTHER HERITAGE PLACES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

8 GLOSSARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Table 1. List of Buildings in The Exchange District . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34Table 2. Identification and Description of Streetscapes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Appendix A. Inventory of Streetscapes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

THE EXCHANGE DISTRICT NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE OF CANADA

COMMEMORATIVE INTEGRITY STATEMENT

1 INTRODUCTION

The Exchange District National Historic Siteof Canada is a unique, tangible legacy ofWinnipeg’s, Manitoba’s, and Canada’scultural heritage from the turn of the 20th

century. The City of Winnipeg, the Provinceof Manitoba, and the Government of Canadahave therefore agreed that the ExchangeDistrict is a nationally significant place to beprotected and presented for the understanding,appreciation and enjoyment of this and futuregenerations of Canadians. The City, theProvince and the Government of Canada havejointly prepared this CommemorativeIntegrity Statement to recognize the historicand architectural values which embody andconvey the national significance of this place,a historic district of some 20 city blocks andmore than 100 buildings having historic value(as of 2000). Respecting these values isintegral to ensuring the wholeness and senseof time and place, that is, the commemorativeintegrity of the Exchange District.

This Commemorative Integrity Statementcontains liberal amounts of information anddirect quotes from two sources: the 1996Historic Sites and Monuments Board ofCanada (HSMBC) Agenda Paper on theExchange District, researched and written byDana Johnson; and, The 1999 ExchangeDistrict National Historic Site HeritageInterpretive Plan, undertaken by theExchange District Heritage Partnership, andprincipally authored by Shelley Bruce.

The exercise to define the historic values,cultural resources, and commemorativeintegrity objectives for the Exchange District,was held from June 9th to 11th, 1999, in the

Confederation Building, a National HistoricSite in the Exchange District. Participants inthe exercise were:

Wayne CopetExecutive Director, Exchange District,Business Improvement Zone

Giles BugailiskisSenior Planner (Heritage), Property andDevelopment Services Department, City ofWinnipeg

Jerry ComeauManager of Civic Accommodations, Propertyand Development Services Department, Cityof Winnipeg

Neil EinarsonManager of Heritage Buildings, HistoricResources Branch, Manitoba Culture,Heritage and Citizenship

David FirmanArchitect, Heritage Buildings, HistoricResources Branch, Manitoba Culture,Heritage and Citizenship

Bruce DonaldsonCo-Manager of Provincial Heritage Registry,Historic Resources Branch, Manitoba Culture,Heritage and Citizenship

Susan AlgieCost-Share Planner, Western Canada ServiceCentre, Parks Canada

Bob CouttsHistorian, Western Canada Service Centre,Parks Canada

Bruce Hoskins Research Assistant, Parks Canada

Kevin Lunn (writer)Management Planner, Western CanadaService Centre, Parks Canada

Linda Seyers (chair)Cultural Resource Management Coordinator,Manitoba Field Unit, Parks Canada

1.1 National Historic Sites

There are more than 850 places across thecountry which form Canada’s family ofnational historic sites. These places symbolizesignificant elements of our national story - ourcharacter, identity and experience. TheGovernment of Canada’s objectives fornational historic sites are to:

C foster knowledge and appreciation ofCanada’s past through a nationalprogram of historical commemoration;

C ensure the commemorative integrity ofnational historic sites administered byParks Canada by protecting andpresenting them for the benefit,education and enjoyment of this andfuture generations, in a manner thatrespects the significant andirreplaceable legacy represented bythese places and their associatedresources; and

C encourage and support the protectionand presentation by others of places ofnational historic significance that arenot administered by Parks Canada.

Properties within the district are mostlyprivately owned or owned by one of the threelevels of government. Administration of thezoned district rests with the City of Winnipeg.

1.2 Historic Districts as NationalHistoric Sites

According to the guidelines of the HistoricSites and Monuments Board of Canada,historic districts are geographically definedareas which create a special sense of time andplace through buildings, structures, and openspaces modified by human use and which areunited by past events and use and/oraesthetically, by architecture and plan.

The following criteria are used by the Boardin their consideration of whether torecommend a district as having nationalsignificance:

(1) Historic districts constitutea p p r o p r i a t e s u b j e c t s f o rcommemoration, and those of nationalsignificance will include one or moreof the following:(a) a group of buildings,

structures and open spaces,none of which singly need beof national architecturalsignificance, but which, whentaken together, comprise aharmonious representation ofone or more styles orconstructions, building types,or periods;

(b) a group of buildings,structures and open spaces,none of which may be ofi n d i v i d u a l h i s t o r i c a lsignificance, but whichtoge ther compr ise anoutstanding example ofstructures of technological orsocial significance;

(b) a group of buildings,structures and open spaceswhich share uncommonlystrong associations with

individuals, events or themesof national significance.

(2) Above all, an historic district ofnational significance must have a“sense of history”: intrusive elementsmust be minimal, and the district’shistoric characteristics mustpredominate and set it apart from thearea that immediately surrounds it.

(3) A commemorated historic district willbe subject to periodic review in orderto ensure that those elements whichdefine its integrity and nationalsignificance are being reasonablymaintained.

Over 120 historic districts have beendesignated across Canada using provincialand municipal designations. Of these, 16 inaddition to the Exchange District have beendesignated national historic sites, including:

• Battle Harbour Historic District,Newfoundland

• Rennie’s Mill Road Historic District,St. John’s, Newfoundland

• Water Street Historic District, St.John’s, Newfoundland

• Port Union Historic District,Newfoundland

• Annapolis Royal Historic District,Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia

• Old Town Lunenburg HistoricDistrict, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia

• The Hydrostone District, Halifax,Nova Scotia

• Great George Street Historic District,Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island

• Marysville Historic District,Marysville, New Brunswick

• Prince William Streetscape, St. John,New Brunswick

• St. Andrews Historic District, St.

Andrews, New Brunswick• The Main/Saint-Laurent Boulevard

Historic District, Montreal Quebec• Trois-Rivieres Historical Complex,

Trois Rivieres, Quebec• Powell River Townsite Historic

District, Powell River, BritishColumbia

• Chinatown, Victoria, BritishColumbia

• Four Naval Stations, Esquimalt,British Columbia

The Exchange District is the only designatedhistoric district in Manitoba, by way of a Cityof Winnipeg zoning by-law, and it has beendesignated nationally significant by theMinister of Canadian Heritage, following therecommendation of the HSMBC.

1.3 Commemorative Integrity

Commemorative integrity is a conceptualframework for managing and reporting onnational historic sites. It was initiallydeveloped by Parks Canada to evaluate andreport on its national historic sites for the1990 State of the Parks Report. Since then,commemorative integrity has beenincorporated into Parks Canada legislation asthe primary goal in the management ofnational historic sites administered by ParksCanada.

The concept of commemorative integrity isnow being applied with success to a numberof national historic sites owned by others tohelp focus site planning and decision-making.National historic sites being considered forParks Canada cost-sharing programs musthave Commemorative Integrity Statementsand proposals which are aligned withcommemorative integrity objectives.

The concept of commemorative integrity is

used to describe the wholeness of a nationalhistoric site. A national historic site possessescommemorative integrity when:

C the resources that symbolize orrepresent its importance are notunimpaired or under threat;

C the reasons for the site’s nationalhistoric significance are effectivelycommunicated to the public; and

C the site’s heritage values are respectedby all whose decisions or actionsaffect the site.

1.4 Purpose of the CommemorativeIntegrity Statement

The Commemorative Integrity Statement doesnot prescribe what can or cannot be done, norhow things should be done in the protection,presentation, or management of the ExchangeDistrict. Instead, the CommemorativeIntegrity Statement serves as a baselinereference of accepted values to be consideredand accounted for in the decisions and actionsby any one person or organization that mayaffect the integrity of the Exchange District, inwhole or in part. The CommemorativeIntegrity Statement also recognizes theimportance of communicating the legacy ofthe Exchange District:

Protection and presentation are fundamentalto commemoration since without protectionthere can be no historic site to be enjoyed, andwithout presentation there can be nounderstanding of why the site is important toour history and, hence, to all Canadians(National Historic Sites Policy, 1994).

Thus, this document identifies the messageswhich relate to the national significance of theExchange District and which should be

communicated to Canadians.

The Commemorative Integrity Statementcontains a listing of cultural resources whichhave been identified as being either Level 1 orLevel 2 (Table 1, page 33) and should betreated in accordance with accepted culturalresource management principles and practice.A cultural resource is a human work or placewhich gives evidence of human activity or hasspiritual or cultural meaning, and which hasbeen determined to have historic valueaccording to municipal, provincial, or federaldesignation, or by community standards ofwhat has cultural or spiritual meaning. Level1 cultural resources are those resources whichdirectly relate to national significance. Level2 cultural resources are all remaining culturalresources. It is these cultural resources andtheir historic values which should be managedto ensure commemorative integrity. Buildingsidentified as “other” are deemed not to havehistoric value and do not need to be managedas cultural resources.

How can the Commemorative IntegrityStatement be used for the Exchange District?The following list is by no means exhaustive,but provides some ideas of how it may beused by the three levels of government and byindividual property owners:

• to provide direction to municipaldesign guidelines for new andrehabi l i t a ted bui ld ings andstreetscapes;

• to provide direction for thedevelopment and review of policiesand procedures for heritage buildingsand district conservation;

• to provide consistent heritage criteria

NHSSystem Plan Agenda Papers

Recommendationto Minister

Designation/commemoration

Proposals

Place-acquisition land base-cost-share land base

- plaque

Event-plaque

-monument

HSMBC-advisory board

Person-plaque-monument

Figure 1. Site Selection, Designation Process and Forms of Commemoration.

and guidelines for evaluating grantand contribution requests for heritageand contemporary properties in theExchange District;

• to evaluate requests to various fundingprograms;

• to provide direction concerningheritage messages for marketing plansand programs;

• to profile an agreed upon set ofheritage values and objectives inrelation to economic, social, andenvironmental objectives whenanalyzing and evaluating public andprivate ventures in the ExchangeDistrict; and

• to encourage coordination of allstakeholders in the heritageconservation of the district through acommon understanding of objectives.

The Exchange District is a living, evolvingcommunity of businesses, offices, andresidences. Its survival rests with continuedoccupation and use. The CommemorativeIntegrity Statement is not a prescription for amuseum of fossilized buildings or for freezingthe district in a particular time period. Its roleis to identify the heritage values andcharacteristics which give the district a senseof time and place, which set it apart fromother parts of Winnipeg, and which make it aplace of national significance. If these valuesand characteristics are respected, theExchange District can evolve withoutimpairing or threatening commemorativeintegrity.

2 THE EXCHANGE DISTRICTNATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

2.1 National Historic Designation of

the Exchange District

The Historic Sites and Monuments Board ofCanada is an advisory body to the Minister ofCanadian Heritage. It recommends to theMinister places, persons and events ofnational historic significance. Nationalsignificance is conferred when the Ministerapproves the Board’s recommendation (Figure1). The Board receives more than 200 requestseach year, of which 50 to 70 will generateagenda papers to assist the Board in itsdeliberations. The Board also uses theNational Historic Sites Systems Plan, athematic framework of Canada’s history, toidentify gaps in and opportunities to balancehistorical commemorations.

The proposal to consider the ExchangeDistrict was brought to the HSMBC by theCity of Winnipeg. With reference to theagenda paper prepared on the ExchangeDistrict, the Board recommended that:

Winnipeg’s Exchange District be designateda historic district of national significancebecause it illustrates the city’s key role as acentre of grain and wholesale trade, financeand manufacturing in two historicallyimportant periods in western development -

between 1880 and 1900 when Winnipegbecame the gateway to Canada’s West, andbetween 1900 and 1913, when the city’sgrowth made it the region’s metropolis.Further the district, which has clearboundaries and largely excludes post-1913structures, contains a range of architecturallysignificant built resources which speak to thecity’s key economic role in the West and thecollective character of these built resources isdistinctive and relatively intact.

The Exchange District was designated aNational Historic Site on September 22, 1997,by the Minister of Canadian Heritage. Thedesignation is recognized by a historic districtplaque with the following inscription:

This remarkable grouping of commercialbuildings vividly illustrates Winnipeg’stransformation between 1878 and 1913 froma modest pioneer settlement to westernCanada’s largest metropolitan centre. Thedistrict’s banks, warehouses, and earlyskyscrapers recall the city’s dominance in thefields of finance, manufacturing, wholesaledistribution and the international grain trade.Designed by a number of well knownarchitects, these buildings reflect an approachto architecture that was innovative, stylishand functional. The First World War and theGreat Depression contributed to the end ofWinnipeg’s spectacular boom era. Throughthe efforts of dedicated citizens since the1970s, the Exchange District has beenpreserved as a distinctive legacy of aformative period in Canada’s economicdevelopment.

Within the boundaries of the historic district,the Confederation Building, the Union TrustBuilding, the Royal Bank Tower and Annex,the Bank of Hamilton Building, and PantagesPlayhouse Theatre have received separatedesignations of national significance throughearlier Board recommendations. Similarly, the

1919 Winnipeg General Strike is recognizedas a nationally significant event and isplaqued in the Exchange District.

2.2 The Exchange District: HistoricalOverview

The Red River Colony that had developedaround the junction of the Red andAssiniboine rivers in the early 19th centurywas dispersed over a wide region thatbordered the two rivers. The decline of thetrade monopoly of the Hudson’s Baycompany in the 1850s, along with newtransportation links to the American frontier,sparked the creation of new and independentcommercial concerns within the settlement.Upper Fort Garry at the Forks had long beenthe commercial centre of the colony, but bythe 1860s independent entrepreneurs werelocating their new businesses away from thefort and the HBC’s 500 acre land reserve. In1862, Henry McKenny built a store where theAssiniboine trail to Fort Garry met the RedRiver trail, now the famous corner of Portageand Main. Other merchandisers andwholesalers soon followed McKenny’s lead,forming the new village of Winnipeg. By theend of 1873, there were well over 900structures in the area including what is nowreferred to as the Exchange District.Winnipeg’s growth was directly tied to thecity’s role in supplying the merchandise,lumber, agricultural implements and financingrequired as a result of the great influx ofsettlers to the prairies after 1870.

Winnipeg's rise to the status of regionalmetropolis was tied to the opening of theCanadian West. The period between 1900 and1913 was key in Canada's development. It wasa remarkable expansionist era characterizedby rapid increases in population throughimmigration, by the settlement of a vastwestern territory, and by the transformation ofa regional economy from furs and modest

subsistence farming to commercial agriculturefounded on the export of wheat.

The Exchange District was the “downtown”of Winnipeg before construction of the T.Eaton store on Portage Avenue directedcommercial activities westward and awayfrom the Exchange District.

Winnipeg's dominance, so quickly establishedand so steadily maintained, disappearedwithin a few years of the close of the FirstWorld War. A sharp drop in wheat pricescoupled with the maintenance of farm costs,and the virtual cessation of immigration toCanada and of new western settlement,resulted in a significant slowdown in retail(and, by extension, wholesale) activity in1920. Other factors were long-term in theirimpact. The establishment of cheap andefficient postal services and the maturing ofretailing in central Canada led to the rise ofmarketing of products through the use of mailorder catalogues. Firms, notably RobertSimpson and the T. Eaton companies,established huge warehouses in Toronto todistribute goods - including such bulky itemsas prefabricated houses - throughout the west.

Perhaps more influentially, changes in freightrates after 1920 destroyed Winnipeg'sprevious transportation cost advantages,making it cheaper to send manufactured goodsdirectly to a destination, rather than toWinnipeg for storage and transshipment. Theopening of the Panama Canal allowedVancouver to serve as a gateway city to thefar west, for it was less costly to ship goodsfrom either Europe or eastern North Americato Vancouver by water and then by railthroughout British Columbia, Alberta, andSaskatchewan than by rail through Montréal,Toronto, and Winnipeg. As a result, otherurban centres came to challenge Winnipeg in

the wholesale trade. By the mid-1920s, amajor portion of Winnipeg's huge wholesalingdistrict was tenantless as firm after firm wasforced out of business.

Most of the historic buildings in the ExchangeDistrict date to after 1900. Earlier buildings,constructed in the appearance and setting of aboomtown Winnipeg, were replaced bybuildings exhibiting permanence, wealth, anda sense of a new metropolis. Many notableNorth American architects of the time haveexamples of their work in the ExchangeDistrict. The architectural history of theExchange District, as depicted by the stylesand architects, includes:

Style Associated Architects

Italianate Charles and Earle Barber

RomansesqueRevival

Charles H. Wheeler,James Cadham, GeorgeBrowne, Frank Peters, J.H. G. Russell

Neo-Classical and

McKim, Mead & White,Darling & Pearson

ChicagoSchool

John D. Atchison

3 STATEMENT OFCOMMEMORATIVE INTENT

The statement of commemorative intentdescribes the reasons for a site’s nationalsignificance, i.e., the reasons for itsdesignation as a national historic site. Sincethe HSMBC is the authority which advises theMinister responsible for Parks Canada of thenational significance of historic places,commemorative intent is based on rigorousadherence to the Ministerially approvedMinutes of the HSMBC (see section 2.1).

Winnipeg’s Exchange District wasdesignated a national historic site in 1997because:

• it illustrates the city’s key role as acentre of the grain and wholesaletrade, finance and manufacturing inthe historically important period inwestern development - between1880 and 1913, the period duringwhich Winnipeg grew to become thegateway to Canada’s West and theregion’s metropolis.

• the district, which has clearboundaries and largely excludespost-1913 structures, contains arange of architecturally significantbuilt resources which speak to thecity’s key economic role in the Westand the collective character of thesebuilt resources is distinct andrelatively intact.

The statement of commemorative intentduplicates the HSMBC’s recommendation ofJune 1996, with one exception. The Boardrecommendation identifies two periods in theExchange District’s history, 1880 to 1900 and1900 to 1913. The year 1900, however, isarbitrary, serving to distinguish Winnipeg -Gateway to the West, from Winnipeg - theMetropolis. The temporal distinction is notapparent in any particular event which tookplace in or about 1900. Winnipeg, and theExchange District, evolved quickly andwithout immediate shifts in the economy fromthe end of the 19th to the beginning of the 20th

century. The statement of commemorativeintent recognizes that the period of nationalsignificance remains the same overall as theBoard recommendation, 1880 to 1913.

4 DESIGNATED PLACE AND THECULTURAL RESOURCES OF

NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE

The first element of commemorative integrityconcerns the identification of the culturalresources and their historic values which areintegral to the designation of the historicdistrict as being nationally significant. Suchresources are defined as “Level 1”.Essentially, the key to identifying Level 1cultural resources is to ask the questions“what makes this place a national historicsite?” and “where does historic value lie?”Historic value can rest in the physicalattributes of the cultural resources and overallplace as well as in associative values, such asconnections with an individual, people,events, or activities, which have anassociation with the commemorative intent.

Commemorative integrity considers thehistoric place (also referred to as thedesignated place) as a whole, such that placeis more than the sum of its individual culturalresources. Historic values can reside in thecollective whole. This section therefore beginswith a definition of what constitutes thedesignated place of national significance andthe characteristics and values which conveyits unique sense of time and place. Culturalresources are then described under thefollowing categories:

• Buildings • ArchaeologicalResources

• StreetElements

• Streetscapes

• Historic Objects

In the course of defining the historic values ofthe designated place and individual buildings,it was recognized that streetscapes(alignments of buildings along certain streetsand blocks illustrating layering, scale and the

organic growth of the district) is an importantmeans of organizing and conveyingcharacteristics which give the districtintegrity. In essence, a streetscape is an area“snapshot” of all the factors which make thedesignated place significant.

4.1 Designated Place

Designated place is that place recommendedby the HSMBC as being of nationalsignificance. The Exchange Districtboundaries are set by municipal by-law(Downtown Zoning By-law 4800-88), asfollows 1(Figure 2):

East Side- the west shore of the Red River from

James Ave. to Lombard Ave.

South Side- north side of Lombard Ave.

from the Red River to MainSt. and, from there, crossing tothe lane east of Albert St.;

- southward along the lane toNotre Dame to include theElectric Railway Chambersbuilding; and

- north side of Notre Dame Ave.from the east side of theElectric Railway Chambers to

Princess St.

West Side- the lane west of Princess St.

from Notre Dame Ave.(excluding the Towne Cinemabuilding) to Ross Ave.

North Side- Ross Ave. from the Princess

St. lane to Princess St.;- Princess St. from Ross Ave. to

William Ave.;- William Ave. from Princess St. to

Main St.;- Main St. from William Ave. to Market

Ave.; - Market Ave. from Main St. to Lily St.;

and - south side of James Ave. from Lily St.

to the Red River.

In March 1988, the Downtown WinnipegZoning By-law 4800 came into effect. As aresult of the new By-law, all developments inThe Exchange District are subject to designreview under the provisions of the ‘HistoricWinnipeg’ design designation. Thisdesignation provides protection to the area byrequiring design review for all proposedchanges including alterations to listed andnon-listed buildings, streetscapes, and newconstruction. This procedure is intended toensure that the overall character of theprecinct is respected.

The boundaries to the Exchange District arevisibly well defined from the surrounding cityscape by factors of early settlement andmodern urban renewal.

Notre Dame Avenue was once the dividingline between a land-use tenure to the northbased on river lots of the Red River

1The HSMBC has stated that “... theExchange District may be redefined through anamendment to the existing municipal by-law andit asked that it be provided with any researchpaper that might be prepared to support aredefinition of its boundaries” (HSMBC June1996 minutes). Any proposed changes to thedesignated place will have to be submitted tothe Board for its reconsideration. There aresome key historic buildings outside theExchange District, such as the James AvenuePumping Station, which could be considered forinclusion in the historic district.

Figure 2. The Exchange District National Historic Site of Canada. The designated place is demarcatedby the heavy dotted line which is the city by-law's district boundaries. The “EBDA boundary”represents the Exchange District Business Area.

Settlement (with property lines orientedperpendicular to the river), and the large tractof Hudson’s Bay Company reserve land,

surveyed on a north-south grid, to the southside. Consequently, the orientation of streetschanges at Notre Dame Avenue. Main Street,which bisects the Exchange District was, by1874, the most important street in the cityconnecting Upper Fort Garry with the SelkirkSettlement downstream on the Red River.Since Portage Avenue and Main Streetfollowed an irregular route based on existingcart trails, there were often conflicts with thesurveyed roads which intersected. WinnipegCity Council helped to ease this problem byadopting a 132-foot right-of-way for both

Main and Portage. However, the orientation ofthese main roads in relation to the river lot-based surveyed streets has created interesting

jogs and angles in the streetscapes of theExchange District.

The Civic Centre and Centennial Centre,constructed on the north side of the ExchangeDistrict in the 1960s, and the modern banktowers at the corner of Portage and Main,have created mega-street blocks, which arequite distinctive from the small city blocksthroughout the Exchange District.

The heart of the Exchange District is MainStreet, where a series of financial institutions

Figure 3. West side of King Street from Williamto Bannatyne Avenues (Parks Canada, July1999).

and high-rise buildings define the streetscape.The other thoroughfares in the area aredominated, in numbers, scale, and visualprominence, by a series of huge brickwarehouses. Collectively, these builtresources reflect a specific time and historicalevent, turn-of-the-century Winnipeg's rise tometropolitan status as the economic heart ofwestern Canada. The result is a distinctivecommercial core which illustrates a uniquecombination of time and place with builtresources which have remained relativelyuntouched (Figure 3).

The characteristics and common values whichdefine the Exchange District as a specificdesignated place are:

• its boundaries identified in DowntownZoning By-law 4800-88;

• its distinctiveness from the megablocks and modern architecturaldevelopments north of William andMarket Avenues and south ofLombard and Notre Dame Avenues;

• the density and intactness of buildingsdating from 1880 to 1913 whichrepresent the warehousing, financing,grain trade, and manufacturing roleswhich Winnipeg served for the West;

• the density and intactness of buildingsdating from 1880 to 1913 bearingarchitectural styles reflecting theprosperity of Winnipeg as ametropolis (most of the historicbuildings date to after 1900, replacingearlier buildings on the propertywhich had been built quickly andwith less attention to detail and style,to meet the demands of the boominggateway city);

• the similarities in scale of buildings,i.e., the complete use of building lotsand, with the exception of theskyscrapers, between three and sevenstoreys in height;

• the ‘diversity within parameters’ ofcertain architectural styles, such asRomanesque Revival and ChicagoSchool, which were popular in othermajor cities at the time;

• the similarities in advancedconstruction methods of the time (forexample, steel frame) and the use oflocal materials (buff brick, andTyndall stone);

• the density and intactness of thedistrict as a whole. There are morestreets than not within the bounds ofthe district, which convey the sense oftime and place. With the exception of

the few open spaces at Market Square,portions of Main Street and parkingareas near the Red River (which werehistorically side yards for rail cars),the Exchange District contains nearentire blocks of historic buildingsconstructed side by side and up to thesidewalk; and

• the narrow streets and lanes aligned onwhat was a residential street planadapted to an earlier river lot system.

4.1.1 Objectives for the Designated Place

The designated place will be unimpaired andnot under threat when:

• the municipally designated boundary,and the purpose of recognizing thisarea as a national historic site, arecommunicated to and understood bythose whose decisions and actionsmay affect the historic values of thedistrict;

• the district’s historic and architecturalvalues of the designated place, whichset it apart from the area thatimmediately surrounds it, areunderstood by the public;

• By-law 4800-88 is used in managingthe district;

• the City’s design guidelines for theExchange District reflect the historicand architectural values of nationalsignificance;

• the policies, regulations, andincentives of the City, Province andGovernment of Canada concerning thehistoric preservation of the ExchangeDistrict complement one another and

serve to achieve the objectives ofcommemorative integrity;

• property owners, tenants and visitingpublic recognize the economic, social,aesthetic and historic values ofprotecting and presenting theExchange District for present andfuture generations;

• buildings representing the warehouseand wholesale trades, financialinstitutions, the grain trade andmanufacturing from the 1880 to 1913period, are protected for theirarchitectural values;

• decisions and actions concerning anindividual building not only respect itsparticular historic and architecturalvalues, but its contribution to thestreetscape (where applicable) and thehistoric district as a whole;

• Level 1 buildings are re-used, notreplaced, and vacant lots are used in amanner that respects continuous edge,scale, and density which form thecollective character of the ExchangeDistrict;

• new developments and activities in theExchange District respect its historicand architectural values;

• the design, setting, scale, massing,height, materials, and workmanship ofnew developments respect and aresensitive to the cultural resources andhistoric values of the ExchangeDistrict;

• an inventory identifying anddescribing the values and condition ofhistoric buildings and other culturalresources is developed, maintained,

Figure 4. The Whitla and Gault warehouses on the west side of Arthur Street, looking south from Bannatyne Avenue (Dana Johnson, December 1995).

shared and used in decision-makingand ongoing management of thehistoric district;

• the historic district is subject toperiodic review in order to ensure thatthose elements which define itsintegrity and national significance arebeing reasonably maintained;

• placement and design of operationalfacilities, roadways, parking lots,lighting, and street furnishings respectthe historic and architectural values ofthe district;

• open spaces are minimized andcontinuous edge is the norm for theblocks in the district;

• the distinctive layout of streets andlanes, including the jogs and bends,are maintained; and

• the block sizes and street layouts aremaintained.

4.2 Buildings

Table 1 lists all buildings located in theExchange District as of September 2000. Ofthe 120 buildings listed, 92 are categorizedLevel 1, that is, having a direct associationwith the district’s commemorative intent.Three criteria were used to identify Level 1buildings:

• the building must have been awarehouse, a financial institution,used in manufacturing, wholesaling orthe grain trade, or

C the building must be recognized asarchitecturally significant; and

C the building must date to the periodfrom1880 to 1913.

4.2.1 Warehouses and Wholesale Trades

Many of the warehouse businesses in theExchange District were involved in thewholesale trade, and the similarity in thebusinesses resulted in similar buildings interms of construction and architecture.Warehouses are the most prominent buildingtype within the Exchange District (Figure 4).

The warehouse is a distinctive building type.Functionally, it demanded clear, open spacesfor the easy movement and storage ofmaterials, ready access to transportation forloading and unloading, meaningful protection

against fire, and good interior lighting. InWinnipeg, these needs were translated into

buildings with solid brick exteriors (oftenraised on stone foundations), marked byregularly spaced openings and by a notablemeasure of ground level decorative detailing.Early warehouses from the 1880s tend to bemodestly scaled (one or two lots wide andthree storeys in height). Later warehouses,from the mid 1890s to 1913, are much largerand more ornate to portray the wealth andsuccess of the business.

Generally, the features common to thecollection of warehouse and wholesalebuildings are characteristic of a RomanesqueRevival style. Most distinguishable is the useof arches over doors and windows. Thephysical features which convey the historicvalue of warehouses in the Exchange Districtinclude:

C solid in appearance, functional butwith added elements to convey wealth,business identity;

C the use of solid brick, buff and red-coloured, Tyndall stone base (use oflocal materials);

C many large windows for light and forshow windows at street level;

C decorative cornices, fence signage onroofs, advertising on walls;

C plain functional interiors with largeopen area exhibiting heavy wood postand beam construction;

C arched dray ways (e.g., 181Bannatyne) and rear loading platformsto spur lines of the Canadian Pacificand Canadian Northern railways;

C use of the entire lot (creating thecontinuous edge seen on streets); and

C evidence of floor additions oradditions to the side of originalbuildings.

4.2.2 Financial Institutions

The financial centre of Winnipeg at the turn ofthe century was located on either side of MainStreet between City Hall and the intersectionof Portage Avenue. When the Grain Exchangemoved to its Lombard location, banks, stockbrokers and grain merchants followed. Herestood the West's most important banks,insurance companies, and other institutions,housed in nearly continuous rows ofclassically inspired structures whose opulencecompeted for the attention and the business ofentrepreneurs. In this four block-longstreetscape could be found 18 major bankbuildings and the headquarters of theConfederation Life Assurance Company.Nearby, on Lombard Avenue just off of MainStreet, stood the skyscraper offices of theGreat-West Life Assurance Company.

Here the sumptuous quality of thearchitectural expression - rows of richclassically decorated temple facades of bankbranches were overshadowed physically bythe skyscrapers modeled on classical columns(Figure 5a and b). Though the city's financialdistrict has suffered some important structurallosses as a result of a shift in the location ofmost financial institutions southward, arepresentative remnant of this section of thecity has been retained. All four of the keyMain Street skyscrapers - the Union Bank, theBank of Hamilton, the Union Trust, and theConfederation Life buildings - survive, all butthe Union Bank handsomely restored. Fiveimportant branch banks, all by notablearchitectural firms brought to Winnipeg to add

Figure 5a. Union Bank building on Main Streetby City Hall (City of Winnipeg, 1999).

Figure 5 b. Former temple-like Bank ofCommerce building set between two earlyskyscrapers on Main Street (Parks Canada, July1999).

a cosmopolitan quality to the city'sarchitecture, have survived demolition.

The physical and associative features commonto the collection of financial institutions whichconvey their historic value include:

• classic styles of architecture in boththe temple-style banks (Beaux-Arts),and the combined bank and officesskyscrapers (Chicago School),evidenced by < the use of imported materials, and

imported architecture andarchitects,

< the use of columns, capitals andpediments,

< use of lintels over door andwindow openings,

< simple and symmetrical formswith monumental proportions and

smooth surfaces, and < monumental and ornate interiors;

• the location on Main Street illustratingthe institutions’ prominence inWinnipeg;

• the imposing street front with grandstyle and large facades to strike acorporate identity, sense of strength,permanence and wealth;

• skyscrapers, with banks on lowerlevels and offices above, built usinginnovative steel frame construction,and signifying the price andavailability of land in the district; and

• the continuous edge feature created bybuilding on the entire lot.

Figure 6. Former Grain Exchange on PrincessStreet (City of Winnipeg, 1999).

4.2.3 Grain Exchange

The grain trade has always beenheadquartered in the Exchange District.Indeed, the area received its title from theGrain Exchange, which constitutes the historicheart - both literally and figuratively - of thecity's commercial activities. The WinnipegGrain and Produce Exchange as an institutiondates to 1883; its first meetings were held inCity Hall. This organization, which broughttogether buyers and sellers and attempted toregulate an often volatile trade, wasincorporated in 1891 and, a year later, movedinto permanent quarters designed by the localarchitect Charles Barber and located behindCity Hall at 164-166 Princess Street (Figure6). Reflecting the remarkable growth in thetrade, another building to accommodate anexpanded exchange was erected at 160Princess(built 1892), adjacent to the first anddesigned by the local architect, SamuelHooper. Four years later Hooper wascommissioned to add a further storey to theoriginal exchange building.

The original 1892 building, with its variousadditions, did not satisfy the burgeoning needsof the trade for very long. Shortly after itsPrincess Street buildings underwent their finalexpansion, the Winnipeg Grain and ProduceExchange commissioned the country's leading

architectural firm, Darling and Pearson ofToronto, to erect a magnificent businesspremises. This modern building, opened in1907, was large enough to accommodate theoffices of federal grading inspectors and thehost of companies involved in the commercein all types of grain, a public trading floor,and quarters for associated activities such asthe futures market, banks, and the WinnipegStock Exchange. Located on LombardAvenue, east of Main Street, it was originallyseven storeys in height and featured anelaborate architectural treatment including amonumental two-storey round-arched mainentryway surmounted by a stone balcony. Inits scale and ostentatious decoration, thecompleted building trumpeted the central roleof wheat as a commodity to the Canadianeconomy, and of Winnipeg as a centre for itstrade. The Winnipeg Grain Exchange'sheadquarters was expanded in 1913, 1916,1922, 1926 and 1928, the result of which wasa ten-storey structure covering the better partof the city block.

The physical and associative values of thesetwo buildings are much the same as thefinancial institutions, intended to showstrength and permanence and also the centralrole of grain in Winnipeg’s and Canada’seconomy.

4.2.4 Manufacturing Trade

There are several buildings representative ofthe rise of manufacturing in the early years ofthe 20th century. A prominent example is theGreat West Saddlery's complex of buildings,consisting of a four-storey brick structure at112-114 Market Avenue, built in 1898, for themaking and storing of saddles and of otherleather goods and an additional warehouse,across the street at 113 Market Avenue. TheA. Schmidt Foundry Building at 90 AlbertStreet represents the type of modestly scaled

and decorated premises erected for smallmanufacturing operations designed to serve aregional market using imported materials.Reportedly the only brass works serving thebroad area from Minneapolis to the Rockies inthe 1880s, A. Schmidt and Companyproduced ornamental and architectural workas well as industrial castings. The SchmidtFoundry Building of 1901 is typical ofquarters erected by industrialists seeking aplace of business and an investment in thecity's burgeoning real estate market. It is athree-storey buff-brick structure, modestlyclassical in its exterior decor, which combinedbasement industrial and ground-floor officespaces for its sponsor and rentalaccommodations on the upper levels forrevenue purposes. The nearby DingwallBuilding at 62 Albert Street illustrates severalaspects of Winnipeg's complex economicroles during this period. It was constructedfor the firm of Dingwall Limited which usedthe upper storeys to manufacture watches andmen's and women’s jewelry; the third floorhoused the firm's mail order and wholesaledepartments, while the lower two floors wererented out for revenue.

Generally, the manufacturing trade buildingsare similar in appearance and construction tothe warehouse buildings of the same periodand share similar physical and associativevalues which give them importance.

4.2.5 Architecturally SignificantBuildings

Buildings can be identified as Level 1 culturalresources not only for their direct functionalassociation with the role of the ExchangeDistrict during Winnipeg’s period as thegateway to the West and as a burgeoningmetropolis, but also for their architecturalsignificance and what the architectureconveys of Winnipeg’s key economic role in

the West. In most cases recognizing nationalsignificance in the form and the function of abuilding goes hand in hand, such as with thebank buildings. Thus some of the buildingswhich are recognized as architecturallysignificant are also recognized in one of theabove functional categories, but for historicrather than architectural values. There arebuildings, however, such as hotels, which areLevel 1 solely because of their architectureand what its conveys of Winnipeg’s statureand economy as a metropolis. Two criteriawere used primarily to identify thesebuildings:

• their construction must relate to theperiod from l880 to 1913; and

• they must have or potentially have amunicipal, provincial or federalheritage designation in recognition oftheir architecture.

As of 2000, nearly half of the buildings in theExchange District are municipally designated,one is provincially designated and five arefederally designated.

4.2.6 Buildings Objectives

Heritage buildings will not be impaired orunder threat when:

• property owners and businessesunderstand and support the protectionof individual buildings and theirvalues;

• their historic values are understood bythe public;

• existing municipal by-laws, andprovincial and federal legislation andpolicies are applied in guiding theappropriate treatment of buildings;

Figure 7. West side of Princess Street lookingfrom Ross Avenue (Wm. A. Martel and Sons n.d.).

Figure 8. The two Grain Exchange buildings(also seen in middle of Figure 6) constitute animportant late-Victorian streetscape behind theCivic Centre (Dana Johnson, December 1995).

• municipal design guidelines andreview processes, which incorporatethe consideration of historic andarchitectural values, are in place andused;

• ongoing occupation and maintenanceof Level 1 buildings occurs withminimal interventions to their historicvalues, and is encouraged throughsupportive governmental policies,regulations, and incentives;

• owners of historic buildings are awareof and support aforesaid policies,regulations, and incentives;

• an inventory identifying anddescribing the historic values andcondition of the interior and exteriorof buildings is developed, maintained,shared and used in decision-makingconcerning buildings;

• decisions and actions concerning thesebuildings respect their historic andarchitectural values; and

• the buildings are monitored andevaluated for natural and human-induced threats.

4.3 Streetscapes

The extant built resources currently within theExchange District are organized along 17streets, avenues and lanes, in rows whosegeneral cohesion of design, scale, materialsand function give these streetscapes adistinctive and readily identifiable character(Table 2, page 42 and Appendix A). Thecollection of buildings in view and the streetor lane alignment capture the intactness, scale,

massing, continuous edge, and the similaritiesand variations in architecture, which embodythe collective character of the district as awhole, but which can only be seen by thepublic in pieces and sections as they walk ordrive through the Exchange District (Figures7 and 8).

Of the 23 streets and lanes cross-cutting theExchange District, over two-thirds of them arestreetscapes which evoke the sense of timeand place of the historic district. In somecases, the streetscape may be best viewed onlyfrom a particular direction or include only asection of the street. In other cases, a location,

Figure 9. Utility poles and remains of spur linein lane between James and Market Avenues(Parks Canada, July 1999).

such as the intersection of Albert Street andMcDermot Avenue, provides a panoramicview of the historic place. One of the keycriteria for identifying a streetscape is thecontinuous edge of buildings with few or novacant lots.

4.3.1 Streetscape Objectives

The objectives for ensuring that streetscapesare not impaired or under threat are basicallythe same as for individual buildings and thedistrict as a whole. Three of particular noteare:

• the continuous edge, density, scale,and particular fabric of the streetscapebe maintained and protected;

• an inventory of wall advertising, flagpoles, lighting and other fixtures onbuildings in the streetscape, identifythe relevance and contribution of thesefeatures to the streetscape; and

• new developments are created in asympathetic manner that is compatiblewith the historic styles, sizes, forms,materials, and placement of thebuildings that give the streetscapestheir sense of time and place.

4.4 Street Elements

Today’s Exchange District has a softenedappearance through tree-lined streets, parkbenches, sidewalk restaurants, and posterkiosks. Historically, the appearance of thesestreets would have been much different withoverhead utility lines, rail lines, and treeslocated in only certain areas. Evidence ofspur lines and utilities can still be found,especially in the lane behind Princess Streetand the lane between James and Marketavenues (Figure 9). Trees were planted in

some areas, as evidenced from archivalphotographs of the Ashdown’s Warehouse,but were not a common feature of theExchange District.

4.4.1 Street Element Objectives

The street elements will not be impaired orunder threat when:

• street elements are inventoried,assessed, and protected for theirhistoric value; and

• their importance to understanding thesense of place and time are understoodby the public and by those whosedecisions or actions may affect thesecultural resources.

4.5 Archaeological Resources

There are no below ground, archaeologicalresources known to be associated with thenational significance of the Exchange District.The district area witnessed intensive use in theearly part of the century; in some cases lotshave had three generations of buildingsconstructed on them before 1913. Before itwas a commercial district, this area had beensurveyed for residential use and many homeshad been built here. There may be remnants ofearlier history and some spaces have seenminimal intrusions, such as the spur lines areaeast of the Customs Examining Warehouse. Itshould therefore not be presumed that Level 1archaeological resources do not exist.

Any archaeological remains within thehistoric district which have a directassociation with the commemorative intent ofthe Exchange District will be consideredLevel 1 cultural resources.

4.5.1 Archaeological Resource Objectives

Archaeological resources of nationalsignificance will not be impaired or underthreat when:

• their historic values are understood bythe public and by those whosedecisions or actions may affect thesecultural resources;

• heritage resource impact assessmentof sites, as per the provincial HeritageResources Act is conducted;

• physical intervention of vacant landsis preceded by archaeologicalconsultation in accordance withrecognized professional standards; and

• intervention of built-on properties ator below ground include themonitoring for archaeologicalresources and measures to provide fortheir identification and protection.

4.6 Historic Objects

Historic objects are movable culturalresources. They may or may not be locatedwithin the historic district. The informationand knowledge which they can convey makethem an integral part of providing for thesense of time and place of the ExchangeDistrict. Their historic value may rest in theinformation they hold that supports researchand interpretation, or their association with aperson, place or event. There is no inventoryof historic objects associated with theExchange District. Only those which aredirectly associated with the commemorativeintent of the Exchange District are Level 1cultural resources. The following listidentifies the potential type and holdings ofhistoric objects:

Archival material (documents, permits, ledgers,architectural drawings, maps and original photographs)- Western Canada Pictorial Index - City of Winnipeg Archives- Provincial Archives of Manitoba- Provincial and Legislative libraries- various city departments - architectural firms- business archives - federal archives (e.g., Customs)- personal holdings

Furnishings and Objects- Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce

wall tapestries- Manitoba Museum of Man and Nature

artifacts- Canadian Museum of Civilization

artifacts - in-situ items

4.6.1 Historic Objects Objectives

Historic objects are not impaired or underthreat when:

• those managed by public institutionsare inventoried and maintainedaccording to recognized culturalresource management principles;

• private owners consider the historicvalues of historic objects whenmaking decisions concerning themand obtain knowledgeable adviceconcerning their proper managementand availability for research;

• their historic values are understood bythe public; and

• historic objects are accessible to thepublic for appropriate research andpresentation purposes.

5 MESSAGES OF NATIONALSIGNIFICANCE

This element of commemorative integrityfocuses on communicating nationalsignificance, derived from the statement ofcommemorative intent. If the ExchangeDistrict is to have commemorative integrity,anyone who comes in contact with theExchange District should at least be aware of,and at best understand, its reasons for nationalsignificance.

The two messages concerning the ExchangeDistrict’s national significance are:

• its key role as a centre of the grain andwholesale trade, finance andmanufacturing in the historicallyimportant period in westerndevelopment - between 1880 and

1913, the period during whichWinnipeg grew to become thegateway to Canada’s West and theregion’s metropolis; and

• the distinct and relatively intact

collection of a range of architecturallysignificant built resources which speakto the city’s key economic role in theWest.

5.1 Economic Gateway andCommercial Centre

For the key message concerning the ExchangeDistrict as economic gateway and commercialcentre of Winnipeg - the metropolis, thecontext messages are:

• Beginnings: The Red River Colonythat had developed around thejunction of the Red and Assiniboinerivers in the early 19th century wasdispersed over a wide region thatbordered the two rivers. The declineof the trade monopoly of the Hudson’sBay Company in the 1850s, alongwith new transportation links to theAmerican frontier, sparked thecreation of new and independentcommercial concerns within thesettlement. Upper Fort Garry at theForks had long been the commercialcentre of the colony, but by the 1860sindependent entrepreneurs werelocating their new businesses awayfrom the fort and the HBC’s 500 acreland reserve. In 1862, HenryMcKenny built a store where theAssiniboine trail to Fort Garry met theRed River trail, now the famouscorner of Portage and Main. Othermerchandisers and wholesalers soonfollowed McKenny’s lead, formingthe new village of Winnipeg. By the

end of 1873, there were well over 900structures in the area including whatwe now refer to as the ExchangeDistrict. Winnipeg’s growth wasdirectly tied to the city’s role insupplying the merchandise, lumber,agricultural implements, and financingrequired as a result of the great influxof settlers to the prairies after 1870;

• Gateway: Winnipeg was the onlyaccess point to and from the westernprairies. All European and easternCanadian trade goods had to be routedthrough Winnipeg by nature oftransportation routes. By 1900, therewere 28 branch, spur, and throughrailway lines located in Winnipeg, inaddition to the main line of theCanadian Pacific Railway;

• Metropolis: Winnipeg's extraordinaryrise to metropolitan dominance inwestern Canada during the periodbetween 1900 and 1913 is awell-documented phenomenon. Thestatistics, often cited in thepromotional literature of the time,attested to the unprecedented rapidityof Winnipeg's expansion: in thedecade between the 1901 and 1911censuses, its population tripled (from42,340 to 136,035), making Winnipegthe third-largest city in Canada; thenumber of employed persons, theamount of salaries paid, and the valueof products manufactured all nearlyquadrupled; the value of assessableproperty increased more than fivetimes; and the value of buildingpermits went up an incredible 2700per cent. The dynamism of theexpanding west was compared withthe slower pace of development ineastern metropolises: between 1900

and 1905, the amount of capitalinvested in Winnipeg enterprises roseby 330 per cent, while the comparablerate in Montréal was 65 per cent andin Toronto only 28 per cent.Manufacturing output in the sameperiod rose 120 per cent in Winnipeg,47 per cent in Toronto, and 40 percent in Montréal;

• The Grain Trade: The federal GrainAct of 1899 required that prairiewheat had to be inspected inWinnipeg, and by 1902, the city hadbecome a more important handler ofgrain than Chicago. As a result of thistrade Winnipeg’s influence extendedworld-wide;

• Before the establishment of thewestern Canadian Wheat Board,Winnipeg dominated the prairieeconomy. The Winnipeg GrainExchange was the centre of theCanadian grain trade and a primarygenerator of private fortunes. As well,many grain handling companies stillare headquartered or have officeswithin the Exchange District, as doesthe Canadian Wheat Board. The graintrade is intrinsically tied to thedevelopment of Winnipeg’s banks andtrust companies and the vast array ofrailway lines through the city;

• Finances: Winnipeg’s banks financedthe growth of the prairie west byborrowing capital from British, and toa lesser extent, Canadian moneymarkets, and used it to finance thegrain trade, the erection ofwarehouses, and the distribution ofgoods to the prairies. Winnipeg alsowas the prairie banking centre, withregional offices of the major eastern

Canadian banks, and trust andinsurance companies, being located inthe Exchange District. The segmentof Main Street leading up to PortageAvenue was known as Bankers Row,due to the number of bank buildings;

• The west’s four major regional banks -the Union Bank of Canada, theNorthern Crown Bank, the NorthernBank, and the Commercial Bank ofManitoba - were all headquartered inWinnipeg, and 14 eastern banks hadtheir western regional offices inWinnipeg;

• the West’s only significant insurancecompany, Great West Life, had itsheadquarters in the Exchange District.Confederation Life moved itsheadquarters from Toronto toWinnipeg in 1912;

• Warehousing and Wholesale: Thecity would simply have been a pointof through shipment, except forregulations which encouraged theestablishment of Winnipeg as a pointof transhipment. As a result of freightrate reductions, ranging between 15and 30 per cent and negotiatedbetween 1897 and 1901, it wascheaper to ship goods to Winnipeg,store them, and ship them onwards toretail outlets than to ship them directlyto western retailers. Winnipeg'swholesalers thus possessed asubstantial sales advantage overmerchants in other prairie cities and inthe eastern centres of Montréal andToronto. They were able to order largeshipments of goods from easternmanufacturers for delivery toWinnipeg in the late summer and fall,when traffic westward was light but

shipments of grain eastward wereextensive. These huge quantities ofgoods would then be stored inWinnipeg's warehouses for late winterand spring distribution for sale duringthe spring and summer retail seasons.This freight rate concessionconstituted a substantial advantageover Toronto suppliers, who had toqueue their goods in the spring forwestward shipments; and

• Manufacturing: By the turn of thecentury, Winnipeg had become thecentre for manufacturing in westernCanada. This was influenced by twofactors, the limited availability of rawmaterials around the city and therelative costs of transporting finishedand unfinished goods to Winnipegfrom elsewhere. Freight ratesstipulated that some processing ofnatural products, such as grain andmeat, should be carried out beforebeing shipped. Clothing and hardwarebecame profitable businesses as rawmaterials were warehoused in the city.Great West Saddlery on MarketAvenue was a prominent example ofearly twentieth century manufacturing.Their 1898 building was used formaking and storing saddles and otherleather goods. Located at 90 AlbertStreet, the Schmidt Foundry is thoughtto be the only brass works serving theCanadian prairies. The DingwallBuilding at 62 Albert housedDingwall Limited which manufacturedwatches and jewelry.

5.2 Architectural Significance

Architectural significance of the ExchangeDistrict is found not only in individualbuildings, but in the collective character of theheritage buildings which make up the district.

The context messages concerning the historicdistrict are :

• historic districts are geographicallydefined areas which create a specialsense of time and place throughbuildings, structures, and open spacesmodified by human use and which areunited by past events and use, and/oraesthetically, by architecture and plan;

• the Exchange District is one of only16 designated historic districts acrossCanada considered to be nationallysignificant and 1 of only 4 nationalhistoric districts west of Ontario;

• its uniqueness is a combination of thelayout of blocks and streets, therepresentation of the grain trade,wholesale trade, warehousing,f i n a nc i a l i n s t i t u t i o n s , a n dmanufacturing within a 20 block area,and the survival of over one hundredbuildings pre-dating 1913 inconstruction, many of which are alsoarchitecturally significant;

• the survival of this district was due toa combination of factors: a downturnin the economy in Winnipeg, theavailability of cheap land, and themovement of the business area toPortage Avenue, all of whicheliminated demands of growth andrejuvenation in the Exchange; the re-use of and minimal interventions tothe buildings by the garment industry,

specialty retailers and wholesalers;and protection by strong municipalguidelines on building rehabilitationand by a 25 year public-sectorprogram of investment in adaptivereuse, conservation, and restorationtotalling over $30 million.

The context messages concerning thearchitecture of the buildings themselves are:

C the transformation from a “frontier” to“urbane” architecture, reflectingWinnipeg’s shift from a boom town toa western Canadian metropolis;

C the influence of British and NorthAmerican architects of the time, andthe participation of notable architectsin the design of Exchange Districtbuildings;

C the identification of architecturalstyles, Romanesque Revival,Italianate, Chicago School, etc.,reflective of other metropolises of thetime and how they are represented inthe buildings;

C the use of local materials such as buff-coloured brick and Tyndall stone;

C the use of exotic materials such asterra cotta, granite, marble, andmahogany; and

C the use of heavy post and beamconstruction in warehouses and theeffect of steel frame construction onadding height to buildings, includingthe early skyscrapers.

5.3 Messaging Objectives

Planning and design of heritage presentationprograms2 will be effective when:

C the diversity of audiences and marketsis considered and accounted for;

C presentation information is based onsound research;

C quality presentation practices and keymessages are incorporated intoprograms; and

C monitoring of program content,quality, and delivery occurs.

Delivery of heritage presentation programswill be effective when:

• as many Canadians and visitors aspossible understand the reasons whythe Exchange District is of nationalsignificance;

C a heritage communication strategy,including the above, is developed andimplemented;

C owners and tenants in the district areaware of, and are encouraged tosupport the delivery of nationallysignificant messages;

C the residents of Winnipeg recognize

the national significance of theExchange District and convey this tovisiting friends and family;

C marketing the historic district respectsand conveys the national significanceof the place;

C investing in heritage presentationcreates economic opportunities; and

C members of the heritage communityand the three levels of governmenttake part in the heritage presentationof the district.

6 OTHER HERITAGE VALUES

While resources directly associated with thecommemorative intent of the designation ofthe Exchange District as a national historicsite are considered to have the highest level ascultural resources, there are other resourcesand messages that also have value andcontribute to the heritage character of thedistrict. Cultural resources which are notdirectly related to national significance arecategorized as “ Level 2” cultural resources.

6.1 Level 2 Built Resources

Level 2 buildings in the district are identifiedin Table 1. Level 2 built resources include:

C hotels and fraternal order facilitiesbuilt in the period 1880 - 1913 andwhich are not Level 1 because ofarchitectural values. Hotels wereneeded to house businessmen on theirperiodic trips to Winnipeg. Amongmany such buildings located withinthe Exchange District, one examplehas particularly strong associationswith this aspect of the wholesale trade.

2 Heritage presentation entailsinterpretive and educational programs designedto build public understanding, appreciation andenjoyment of a national historic site. It includesprograms and information which are offered onsite and outreach initiatives provided outside ofthe site (for example, web sites, publishedarticles).

The Travellers' Building at 283-285Bannatyne Avenue at King Street is asix-storey structure erected for the NorthwestCommercial Travellers' Association. Thisfraternal organization, founded in Winnipeg in1882, offered a broad range of services -including temporary office space, recreationrooms, a dining room, inexpensive insurance,and discount hotel and transportation rates - toits 2,000 members who were travelingsalesmen; and

C infrastructure and other civicdevelopments which attracted andsupported the businesses in theExchange District including HydroSub-Station No. 1, which served theCity Light and Power Company, thefirst public utility in Western Canada;the High Pressure Pumping Stationwhich served the area as one of themost sophisticated of its kind in theworld (immediately outside theboundaries of the Exchange District);the Arthur Street electricity sub-station; and the Amy Street SteamHeating Plant. The WinnipegAquaduct runs under the ExchangeDistrict and the provincial plaquecommemorating this engineeringachievement is located at StephenJuba Park.

6.1.1 Level 2 Built Resources Objectives

Level 2 built resources will be unimpaired andnot under threat when:

C an inventory of the values andconditions of the interior and exteriorof Level 2 buildings is developed,maintained, shared, and used indecision-making and the ongoingmanagement of the historic district.

6.2 Level 2 Archaeological Resources

There are no known archaeological resourcesin the Exchange District. Any archaeologicalremains found in the district, which are notdirectly associated with the commemorativeintent, will be evaluated as Level 2 culturalresources.

6.2.1 Level 2 Archaeological ResourcesObjectives

Potential Level 2 archaeological resourceswill not be impaired or under threat when:

• heritage resource impact assessmentof sites, as per the provincial HeritageResources Act, is conducted;

• physical intervention of vacant landsis preceded by archaeologicalconsultation in accordance withrecognized professional standards; and

• intervention of built-on properties ator below ground include themonitoring for archaeologicalresources and measures to provide fortheir identification and protection.

6.3 Level 2 Historic Objects

The existence of Level 2 historic objects on-and off-site is largely unknown. Any suchobjects would include any objects, collectionsof objects or archival material related to thehotels, fraternal orders, and civicdevelopment/infrastructure in the district.

6.3.1 Level 2 Historic Objects Objectives

Potential Level 2 historic objects will beunimpaired and not under threat when:

C an inventory and assessment of suchobjects or collections has beenundertaken; and

C the use and/or disposition of suchobjects respects their historicimportance.

6.4 Messages of Other Historic Values

Messages about the Exchange District whichare not directly linked to its commemorativeintent, but which have significanceprovincially, regionally, or locally, andcontribute to an understanding of the site,include:

C Civic Development: For more than acentury the Exchange District hasbeen the site of Winnipeg’s city hallsand other municipal facilities andutilities.

The first city hall, a handsome yellowbrick building, was formally opened inMarch, 1876. Despite financial andconstruction difficulties, Winnipeg’ssecond city hall was completed in1886. The “Gingerbread house” cityhall was a substantial and solidstructure, a Victorian fantasy thatcaptured in its details, the exuberanceand optimism of the period.Immediately west of the city hall wasthe market building, which, along withadjacent hotels, stores, agriculturalbusinesses, and livery stables, becamethe centre of trade and commerce inthe Market Square. The second cityhall and adjacent market building

were demolished in 1962 to make wayfor the present Civic Centre. TheExchange District also was thelocation of: Hydro Sub-Station No. 1,which served the City Light andPower Company, the first publicutility in Western Canada; the HighPressure Pumping Station whichserved the area as one of the mostsophisticated of its kind in the world;the Arthur Street electricity sub-station; the Amy Street Steam HeatingPlant; and the central fire hall. Thesebuildings provided the necessaryinfrastructure to support the ExchangeDistrict urban cluster that formed theheart of the city. In addition, theExchange District was the site ofseveral federal buildings. Manynames of Winnipeg’s prominentbusinessmen and civic leaders of theturn of the 20th century are associatedwith the Exchange District, forexample, Bannatyne, McDermot, andAshdown). Several streets bear theirnames.

C Arts and Entertainment: The districthas been and continues to be animportant venue for cultural andentertainment events in Winnipeg.

The Exchange District contains a highconcentration and a wide variety of artgalleries, artist studios, and thePantages Theatre. In spite of losingsome theatres in Winnipeg’sdowntown, the Walker Theatre (anational historic site), is located nearto the Exchange District. TheCentennial Concert Hall, ManitobaTheatre Centre, and WarehouseTheatre, maintain the tradition ofhaving entertainment venuesdowntown.

Figure 8. Newspaper Row on McDermotAvenue (Wm. A. Martel and Sons n.d.).

C Publishing: Winnipeg’s newspaperindustry was centred in the ExchangeDistrict, close to commercialinstitutions.

Prior to the Winnipeg Free Press’move to Carlton Street and theTribune’s to Smith Street and GrahamAvenue, Winnipeg’s newspaperindustry was centered on McDermotAvenue and was known as NewspaperRow (Figure 8). The local newspaperindustry consisted of news agencies,printing companies, and foundries,which were involved with thepublication of the daily papers as wellas journals such as the Grain TradeNews.

• Labour: A number of trade unionsand fraternal organizations had officelocated in the Exchange District andsome of the dramatic events of the1919 Winnipeg General Strike tookplace here.

Partly a result of campaigns by civicand commercial leaders to attractimmigrants for agriculture andindustry, Winnipeg’s population grewdramatically from 26,000 to 179,000

between 1891 and 1921. As prairiecommunities swelled with newcomersduring this time, a variety of servicessprang up to meet their needs; liverystables, restaurants, laundries, clothings t o r e s , s t a t i o n a r y o u t l e t s ,confectioneries, offices and hotels.Thus, it is possible to present a storyof a wide variety of work and workerswithin the Exchange District.Thousands were workers who settledwith their families in theneighbourhoods west of the ExchangeDistrict and in the North End. Theworking and living conditions theyexperienced once in the city, underlaythis urban working class’ extensiveparticipation in the city’s labour andsocialist movements. This activityculminated in the 1919 General Strike,most of the events of which took placein the Exchange District. TheWinnipeg Labour Temple wasconstructed on James Avenue, behindwhat is now the Manitoba Museum,by the affiliated unions of theWinnipeg Trades and Labour Council.The Temple was the centre for thelabour movement’s involvement insocial activities, political campaigns,strikes, and the organization ofworkers. A provincial plaquecommemorating the Winnipeg LabourTemple is located on the lowerconcourse of the Centennial ConcertHall. Other union offices werelocated in office buildings throughoutthe Exchange District, and fraternalorganizations had halls in or near it.

C Women’s Suffrage: Events associatedwith winning the vote for womenwere staged at theatres once in or nextto the Exchange District. The theme of Women’s Suffrage not

only deals with the fight for politicalempowerment but also for socialwel fare , improved workingconditions, prohibition, and supportfor unwed mothers. Some of theprominent women involved with themovement include Nellie McClung,Lillian Beynon Thomas and her sisterFrancis Marion Beynon, and E. CoraHind. These women used satiricalpamphlets, public meetings, appeals toone’s conscience, and petitions in theirfight for the vote. Noteworthy eventssuch as the “Mock Parliament ofWomen” at the Walker and Bijoutheatres were instrumental in thegranting of the vote in January 1916,making Manitoba the first province togrant this right. It should also benoted that these women wereundeniable successes in their ownright as they taught school, served asnewspaper editors, and writers, andhelped establish other women’smovements in western Canada.

C Garment Trade: Clo th ingmanufacturing was one of the largestindustries in the Exchange District.

At one time the area was known as the“Garment District”. Some employersare still located here, but the heyday ofthe industry was from the 1920s untilthe 1960s when many entrepreneursmade their fortunes. A wide range ofgarments were produced includingclothing novelties, tailored suits anddresses, hats, outer clothing, boots andshoes, gloves, and fur or leatherproducts. The firms occupiedwarehouse space in the Peck, Daylite,and Whitla buildings, as the wholesaleor manufacturing sectors eitherdeclined or moved to suburban

locations. Many of the warehousebuildings have survived because thegarment trade has been able to usethem with a minimum of change to theinterior or exterior.

C Conservation and SustainableDevelopment of the District: TheExchange District is a case study ofrenewal, conservation and sustainabledevelopment initiatives of nearly fortyyears.

Urban renewal schemes in the 1960sresulted in a new City Hall,Administration Building, PoliceStation, and the Centennial Centrecomplex which bound the north end ofthe Exchange District. But thisdevelopment did not rejuvenate theWinnipeg’s downtown as wasexpected. Alternative strategies weresought in the 1970s making theDistrict a testing ground for the latestinnovations in conservation,streetscaping, restoration, and greenspace development. The history of theconservation movement associatedwith the Exchange District includesearly feasibility studies for theretrofitting of buildings, theinvolvement of Heritage Canada andthe Manitoba Historical Society, theformation of Heritage Winnipeg andthe Old Market Square Association,creation of heritage legislation, battlesto save the banks, and numerousconservation projects throughout theDistrict. All have contributed to theretention of the Exchange Districtwithout which the national designationcould not have been awarded. Thedistrict continues to evolve as a uniqueplace. The complexity and intactnessof the Exchange lends itself to being a

model for sustainable developmentwhere heritage values and the use ofexisting buildings contributes to thesocial, economic, and environmentalwell-being of the people of Winnipeg.The coordination of public policies ofthe three levels of government servesas a model of cooperation in achievingthe conservation and sustainabledevelopment of a historic districtwhich continues to play a part in thelife and economy of Winnipeg.

6.4.1 Messages Objectives

Planning and design of heritage presentationprograms will be effective when:

C the diversity of audiences and marketsis considered and accounted for;

C presentation information is based onsound research;

• quality presentation practices and keymessages are incorporated intoprograms; and

C monitoring of program content,quality, and delivery occurs.

Delivery of heritage presentation programswill be effective when:

C a heritage communication strategy,including the above, is developed andimplemented;

C owners and tenants in the district areaware of and are encouraged tosupport the delivery of heritagemessages;

C the residents of Winnipeg recognize

the historic significance of theExchange District and convey it tovisiting friends and family;

C marketing the historic district respectsand conveys the historic significanceof the place;

C investing in heritage presentationcreates economic opportunities; and

C members of the heritage communityand the three levels of governmenttake part in heritage presentation forthe district.

7 ASSOCIATION WITH OTHERHERITAGE PLACES

The Exchange District National Historic Siteof Canada is part of a family of nationalhistoric sites found across Canada. Eighteenof these are historic districts which share thesame status as the Exchange District. TheExchange District is not an isolated place ofnational commemoration. There are a numberof places, persons, and events of nationalsignificance which are thematically andspatially associated with the ExchangeDistrict, including:

Within the Exchange DistrictS Pantages Playhouse TheatreS Confederation BuildingS Union Trust BuildingS Bank of Hamilton BuildingS Royal Bank Tower and AnnexS the 1919 Winnipeg General Strike (event)

Adjacent to the Exchange District S Walker TheatreS Winning of the Vote by Women (event)

Within Downtown WinnipegS Capitol TheatreS Metropolitan TheatreS Fort Garry HotelS Dalnavert HouseS Holy Trinity ChurchS Union StationS Winnipeg Law CourtsS The ForksS Upper Fort Garry, Fort Rouge, and Fort

GibraltarS the Creation of the Province of Manitoba

(event)

The national significance of the ExchangeDistrict can be understood and conveyedthrough its thematic connections with theseother places and events.

8 GLOSSARY

Beaux-Arts: This style was popular during thefirst three decades of this century, and it was styleprimarily of French origins. Facades aresymmetrical, and plans are based upon aprogression of symmetrically disposed,functionally arranged spaces. The decorativefeatures are classical, especially the orders, and areexecuted to achieve a monumental effect.

Chicago School: The influence of the ChicagoSchool, seen in urban high-rise buildings of the1890s to the 1920s, is characterized by the grid-like organization of their facades. The elevationsare usually divided into three sections comprisingof base, middle, and attic storeys, and are cappedby a massive cornice. The height of thesebuildings was made possible by the perfection ofmetal frame and reinforced concrete construction,and the introduction of the elevator. Usually thesebuildings had masonry exteriors with highlysculptural details.

Commemoration: Ministerial recognition of thenational significance of specific lands or watersfor the purposes of protecting and presentingheritage places and resources.

Commemorative Integrity: a site possessescommemorative integrity when the resources thatrepresent or symbolize its importance are notimpaired or under threat, when the reasons for thesite’s national significance is effectivelycommunicated to the public, and when the site’sheritage values are respected by all whosedecisions affect the site.

Commemorative Integrity Statement (CIS): astatement that describes the what the designatedplace is, the cultural resources which are part of it,and the historic values which make them culturalresources. In total, the CIS describes the desiredstate and conditions for ensuring commemorativeintegrity. It is a conceptual framework to helpplan, manage, and evaluate national historic sites.

Commemorative Intent: the specific reason(s)why a historic site was declared to be of nationalhistoric significance. It is based on the minutes ofthe Historic Sites and Monuments Board ofCanada. It is the foundation of the site’sCommemorative Integrity Statement.

Conservation: activities that are aimed atsafeguarding a cultural resource so as to retain itshistoric value and extend its physical life. In allconservation activities, respect for the historicvalue of the resource is paramount. Conservationcan include maintenance, preservation, andmodification.

Continuous Edge: effect produced on a city blockwhen building facades are in alignment, are ofsimilar scale, and fill the lot to the sidewalk withno large gaps between buildings.

Cultural Resource: a human work or place whichgives evidence of human activity or has spiritualor cultural meaning, and which has beendetermined to have historic value. It includes thewhole as well as the parts. For example, anational historic site is a cultural resource as areparts of the site such as buildings, landscapes,archaeological resources, and historic objects.

Cultural Resource Management (CRM):principles and a range of practices encompassingthe protection, presentation, and use of culturalresources. CRM is the policy of Parks Canada forthe management of all of its cultural resources.

Designated or Historic Place: the area orcomplex identified as being of national historicsignificance by the Historic Sites and MonumentsBoard of Canada regardless of ownership orjurisdictional boundaries.

Historic Sites and Monuments Board ofCanada (HSMBC): an independent body thatprovides the Minister responsible for ParksCanada with the impartial and expert advice onmatters relating to historical commemoration. Inaddition to recommending persons, places, andevents deemed to be nationally significant, theHSMBC recommends the type of commemorationwhich it feels is appropriate.

Heritage Character: the distinct characteristicsthat give a resource its heritage value.

Historic Object: portable objects which are deemed to have historical significance.

Historic Value: a recognition of a resource’sphysical or associative value in relationcommemorative intent (making the resource aLevel 1 cultural resource) or having a physical aor associative value in relation to municipal orprovincial heritage designation, or communitystandards of what is historically important(making the resource a Level 2 cultural resource).

Intervention: a term referring to any activity ornon-activity that has a physical or potential impacton a cultural resource.

Italianate: This style flourished from the 1840sto the 1870s, and was predominantly of Britishorigin. On Italianate villas, the most characteristicfeatures are the square, off-centre tower,asymmetrical plans and elevations, prominentbrackets under the eaves, verandahs, stucco, anddeep eaves. On urban buildings there is a use ofthe Renaissance tripartite composition of base

storey, main storey, and attic storey, with a regularfloor plan. On these latter buildings, decorativefeatures include segmental arches over windows,vermiculated masonry, prominent keystones, deepcornices with prominent brackets, and round-headed windows grouped into threes. There is agenerally sculptural treatment of wall surfaces.

Level 1 Cultural Resource: a resource of nationalhistoric significance by virtue of its specificcommemoration by the Historic Sites andMonuments Board of Canada or its directrelationship to the commemorative intent of anational historic site.

Level 2 Cultural Resource: a resource not ofnational significance but considered to possesshistoric value nonetheless.

National Historic Site: the designated boundariesof a place declared to be of national historicsignificance by the Minister responsible for ParksCanada acting on the recommendation of theHistoric Sites and Monuments Board of Canada.

Neo-Classical: Neoclassicism appeared in Canadain the 1820s and continued until the 1860s.Neoclassicism entailed use of decorative motifstaken directly from Roman and Greek classicalarchitecture, in particular the use of acanthusleaves, baseless Doric columns, antique Ioniccolumns, earred trim, and a prominent entablature.Neoclassicism, a European architectural style ofboth English and French origins, treated surfacesin a stark manner, eliminating window surroundsand using channelled masonry, blind arcades,flattened rusticated storeys, and stringcourses.

Resource: anything that has natural, historical, orcultural significance.

Romanesque Revival: This style first appeared inthe mid-19th century, but was most popular in the1880s and 1890s. At the end of the 19th century,the influence was principally from the architectureof American architect H.H. Richardson. Thisphase featured squat columns, corbel tables underthe eaves, polychromatic and heavily texturedsurfaces, and capitals carved with geometrical,

floral, and sinuous designs, having 12th centuryantecedents.

Sustainable Development and Sustainable Use:Sustainable development meets the needs of thepresent without compromising the ability of futuregenerations to meet their own needs. No form ofeconomic development, including heritagetourism, can develop long-term and sustainedviability unless the economy is linked with theenvironment and society in a threefold interactiveway. With historic sites, sustainable use meanspeople gaining direct and indirect benefits fromheritage resources over the long term, withoutdestroying them. Sustainability is an exercise inthe conditional optimization and fine-tuning thebalance of economy, environment and social well-being.

Table 1. List of Buildings in The Exchange District National Historic Site. Under Date Source ‘1' refers to documents that give date of construction of the building. ‘2'is the year in which the building permit was issued. (Information in this table current to September 2000.)

Name ofBuilding

Address Level ofResource

Date ofConstruction

Date *Source

Physical Values Associative Values

Building Style Architectural Details Heritage Status Original Function Architect

Albert StreetBusiness Block

38-44 Albert St Other 1877 (house),1924 (store)

1 One PartCommercial

Example of early brick veneerconstruction, unadorned

Inventory Residence and retail House by J.J.Johnson, store byWilliam Irish

Royal Albert ArmsHotel

48 Albert St 1 1913 1 SpanishColonial Revival

Wrought iron balconies, red tileroof, facade partially obscuredby restaurant addition

Municipal, 1981,grade III

Hotel--service provider towholesale trade

E.D. McGuire

Gregg Building 52-56 Albert St 1 1902 1 RomanesqueRevival

Brick and undressed limestonetrim, masonry over post andbeam construction


Warehouse forwholesale and garmenttrade

James Cadham

Albert Street BurgerRestaurant

58 Albert St Other 1921 2 One PartCommercial

Inventory

Hammond Building 63 Albert St 1 1902 1 Edwardian Piecemeal additions precludeunified style. Wood beam andpost construction


Offices and samplerooms for manufacturer'sagents. Retail andgarment trade alsopresent

J.H.G. Russell

Dingwall Building 62 Albert St 1 1910-11 1 RomanesqueRevival

Simplified neoclassicalelements on facade, elaboratecornice, some skyscrapermotifs, masonry over wood postand beam construction


Wholesale warehouseand factory. Garmenttrade also occupied onefloor

J.H.G. Russell

Whitla I/TelegramBuilding

70 Albert St/242McDermot Ave

1 1882-84 1 Italianate Classically inspired styling withmany decorative motifs, heavycornice, wood post and beamconstruction with iron columns

Municipal, 1980,grade II

Publishing andwholesale

William Hodgson

SchmidtFoundry/WesternBuilding

90 Albert St 1 1901 1 Edwardian Solid brick with some restrainedneoclassical detailing


Foundry for manufactureof brass fittings

Samuel Hooper

Imperial Dry GoodsBlock

91 Albert St 1 1899 1 Edwardian Brick facades Municipal, 1980,grade III

Retail outlet forwholesaler. Also garmenttrade

Unknown

Reliable ServiceStation

96-98 Albert St 1 1901 1 SpanishColonial Revival

White stucco walls with red tileroof

Inventory Retail and garment trade W.J.. Smith

Whitla Building IIand Annex/SilpitBuilding

54-70 Arthur St 1 1899 1 RomanesqueRevival

Yellow brick with limestonelintels, some use of cast ironframing and columns along withmill construction

Inventory Warehouse forwholesale trade

James Cadham

Gault Building andAnnex

92-104 ArthurSt/93-99 King St

1 1900, 1903(annex)

1 RomanesqueRevival

White brick, rusticated stonebase, three-part division offacade, pilasters, masonry overwood post and beamconstruction

Municipal,1982(building),1987(annex), gradeII

Warehouse forwholesale trade

George Browne,annex by J.H.Cadham

Donald BainBuilding (119Bannatyne alsocalledMerrick-AndersonWarehouse)

115 BannatyneAve

1 1899 1 RomanesqueRevival

Solid brick with stone sills andlintels, straw basket brickdetailing around windows, woodpost and beam construction



J.J. McDiarmid

Marshall-WellsWarehouse

123 BannatyneAve


Solid brick, rusticated lowerlevel, accented arch heads,wood post and beam



J.J. McDiarmid

Bright and JohnsonBuilding/SwissBuilding

137 BannatyneAve


Solid brick with littleornamentation, wood post andbeam construction



Willmot and Stewart

Bright andJohnson/MackenzieBlock

141 BannatyneAve


Minimal stylistic treatment, solidbrick with brick corbelling andarches with radiating brickheads, wood post and beamconstruction


Warehouse forwholesale trade (additionto 137 Bannatyne)

J.H.G. Russell

AshdownWarehouse

167 BannatyneAve


Buff brick with Selkirk stonetrimming, wood post and beamconstruction



S. Frank Peters

Franklin PressBuilding/ChatfieldDistributors

168 BannatyneAve


Solid brick with metal cornice,wood post and beam frame


Publishing J.H.G. Russell

Kelly Block/KilgourBlock

181 BannatyneAve


Solid brick, timber post andbeam



Charles A. Walker

McClary Building 185 BannatyneAve


Brick with rustication on firstfloor, windows housed in threebays, wood post and beamconstruction


Warehouse formanufacturing stovesand coal furnaces

S. Frank Peters

J.W. MacDonaldAutoservice

189 BannatyneAve

Other 1948 2 Post - 1945 Concrete and masonry Not listed Garage

Traveller's Building 283 BannatyneAve

1 1906 1 Italianate Reinforced concrete, red brickexterior, stone archwayentrance


Offices and other supportservices for salesmen inthe wholesale andmanufacturing industries

Darling and Pearson

Maw's Garage andSanford Building

291 BannatyneAve

1 1890, modifiedin1906

1 Maw’s -BoomtownSanford -RomanesqueRevival

Large plate glass windows,steel trusses allow open floor

Municipal, 1979,Maws = grade IIISanford = grade II

Automobile showroomand warehouse forwholesale trade

Charles H. Wheeler(1890), W.H. Stone(1906)

Great WesternElectric/RyanBrother’s Buildings

110 James Ave 1 1910 2 Edwardian Brick façade, rubble stonefoundation, stone belt course


V.W. Harwood

Fred IngaldsonBuilding

120 James Ave 2 ? No information

Deval Warehouse 128 James Ave 1 1912 2 Edwardian Red brick façade, cut stonefoundation, stone belt courseand sills


Richardson-BrownWarehouse

130-132 JamesAve

1 1911 2 Edwardian Brick exterior, rubblefoundation, timber post andbeam

Inventory Warehouse George W.Northwood

Hydro Sub-StationNo. 1

54 King St 1 1910-11 1 Italianate Highly detailed façade withRomanesque arches and someclassical motifs, brick andsandstone over steel andconcrete frame

Inventory Generating station--partof city infrasturcture andcivic development

J.P. West, Smith,Kerry and Chace

Blue RibbonBuilding (AnneBuilding)/ArthurBuilding

87 King St and88 Arthur St


Rusticated lower level, stonearch entrance, segmentedarches, wood post and beamconstruction



J.H.. Cadham

Ryan Block/KingBuilding/Warkov-Safeer Ltd

104 King St/286Bannatyne Ave


Rusticated base, roundedarches, wood post and beamframe,


Office building andwarehouse for wholesaleand garment trade

H.S. Griffith

Carruthers and Co.Building

120 King St 1 1896 1 RomanesqueRevival

Rusticated stone, brick detailingaround windows, pediment,wood post and beamconstruction


Office building forGerman language paperand warehouse forgarment wholesaler

J. Greenfield

A. Carruthers Co. 124 King St Other 1916 2 2 PartCommercial

Brick walls, stone foundation Inventory Warehouse for garmentwholesaler

J. Chisholm andSons

CraneBuilding/LombardBuilding

93 Lombard Ave 1 1906 1 RomanesqueRevival

Very utilitarian, little decoration,mill construction

Inventory Wholesale warehouseand factory formanufacturing plumbing

J.H.G. Russell

Gaylord Block/KempBuilding

111 Lombard Ave 1 1903 1 RomanesqueRevival

Rusticated stone lower level,white brick facade

Inventory Factory formanufacturing sheetmetal products

J.H. Cadham

Northern SalesOffice

135 Lombard Other 1953 2 Post - 1945 Brick with reinforced concrete Not listed Retail

Grain ExchangeBuilding III

167 Lombard Ave 1 1906-08 1 Italianate Mixture of Sullivanesque andItalian palazzo styling. Largedecorative entrance, projectingcornice, steel frame


Grain exchange Darling and Pearson

Great West Life 177 Lombard Ave 1 1909-11 1 Beaux-Arts style Steel skeleton clad in kootneymarble, rusticated lower level,paired corinthian columns,pedimented windows set inmetal panels, and otherclassical elements

Provincial andMunicipal, 1983,grade II

Office building forinsurance and financialconcerns

John D. Atchison

Bailey's Restaurant 185 Lombard Ave 2 1900 2 RomanesqueRevival

Brick with stone foundation,ornamental doors

Inventory Offices and retail H.S. Griffith

Union Trust Tower 191 Lombard/387Main

1 1912-13 1 Chicago school Steel and concrete frame,Sullivanesque style, marble onfirst two levels, cartouch andItalianate detailing, elaboratecornice

NHS, Municipal,1983, grade II

Bank and office tower John Atchison

Customs ExaminingWarehouse

145 McDermotAve


Brick facades on all four sides,steel and concrete construction,denticulated metal cornice,subtle stone decoration overwindows

Inventory Department of InlandRevenue customsexaminingwarehouse--used toinspect grain shipments

Department ofPublic Works

Porter/GalpernBuilding

165 McDermotAve

1 1906 1 Italianate Brick with limestone accentsover windows, steelconstruction


Wholesale warehouse J.H.G. Russell

Dawson RichardsonBuilding

169-171McDermot Ave

2 1921 1 Edwardian Solid brick with light-colouredstone sills


Publishing a grain tradepaper

Charles Bridgman

GrangeBuilding/MitchellBlock

173 McDermotAve

1 1886-1887 1 Edwardian Original had ornate facadeincluding a mortar and pestlemotif over doorway (onlywindow decoration remains)


Retail and manufactureof drugs and medicines

A.T. Timewell

Toronto TypeFoundry Building

175 McDermotAve

1 1881 1 Edwardian Brick, originally had stone beltcourses between floors andthree bays


Wholesale warehouse,also used for publishing

David Ede

T.W. Taylor Building 177 McDermotAve

1 1882 1 Italianate Solid brick, ornamentationaround windows


Publishing Unknown

W.F. AllowayBuilding

179 McDermotAve


Rusticated limestone base,simple detailing, wood post andbeam frame


Wholesale and officespace

J.H. Cadham or S.F.Peters

Lake of the WoodsHouse

212 McDermotAve


Red brick facades withsandstone, cornice is roundedat the corners and hasturret-like brick corbelling, woodpost and beam frame

Inventory Wholesale warehouse J.H.G. Russell

Criterion Hotel 214 McDermotAve

1 1903 1 Sullivanesque Limestone facade with falsebalcony, coloured terra-cottadetail


Hotel. Bar was a popularwatering hole fornewspaper employeeson MacDermot

H.S. Griffith

Leckie Building 216 McDermotAve

2 1901 2 Edwardian Dark brick façade with stonefoundation

Inventory Office and retail H.S. Griffith

Lyon Block/BateBuilding

217-223McDermot Ave


Romanesque Revival influencessuch as window arches, woodpost and beam construction


Grocery wholesalewarehouse

Blackstone

Silvester-WillsonBuilding

222 McDermotAve

1 1904 1 Italianate Solid brick, little decoration Inventory Office block J.H.G. Russell

AlexandraBlock/Albert Block

227-237McDermotAve/86 Albert St

1 1901 1 Italianate Solid brick veneered with redpressed brick, ornamented withbuff stone trimming, brickquoins


Hotel and commercialspace. Was a serviceprovider to wholesaleand manufacturing firms

Fremont Oroff

Stovel Building 245 McDermotAve

1 1893-94 1 RomanesqueRevival

Heavily detailed with roundedentrance, corbelled brickcornice with finials, wood postand beam construction


Publishing Hugh McCowen

Thompson, CodvilleCo. Building

246-248McDermot Ave


Hood mold around windows,elaborate metal cornice, postand beam construction


Wholesale warehouse Unknown

Merchant'sBuilding/GeorgeWoods Building

250 McDermotAve

1 1897-98 1 RomanesqueRevival

Cut stone base, solid whitebrick, Bedford stone trim

Inventory Wholesale warehouse J.H. Cadham

Stobart'sBuilding/BedfordBuilding

281 McDermotAve


Paired windows with rusticatedstone sills, steel and masonryconstruction


Warehouse for thewholesale and garmenttrade

J.H. Cadham

Maltese CrossBuilding

286McDermot/66King St

1 1909 1 Italianate Steel and concrete (no woodused), little ornamentationexcept for Maltese crosses , redbrick


Wholesale warehouse John Atchison

WilsonBuilding/AllenBuilding

288 McDermotAve


Large arches on main floor,copper cornice, brick parapet,brick quoins, ornamentationover windows, post and beamframe


Wholesale warehouse John Woodman

Glengarry Block 290 McDermotAve

1 1910 1 Neoclassical Brick and Tyndall stone,projecting pilasters, ironcornice, brick pediment,girder-post sketetal frame


Housed a variety ofwholesalers andmanufacturers, includinggarment trade

J.H.G. Russell

Daylite Building 296 McDermotAve


Red brick with rough cut Tyndallstone trim, wood post and beamframe


Originally a warehousefor the manufacture andwholesale of drugs, laterused in the garmenttrade

J.H. Cadham

Former CanadianBank of Commerce

389 Main St 1 1910-12 1 Italianate Stanstead granite over steelframe, bronze doors, doriccolumns

Municipal, 1979,grade I

Bank Darling and Pearson

Former Bank ofHamilton

395 Main St 1 1916-18 1 Italianate Dressed limestone over brick,large arched entrance way, littleornamentation, steel andconcrete frame

Municipal, 1979,grade I

Bank and office block John Atchison

Canadian WheatBoard

423 Main St Other 1928 2 Gothic Revival Brick and tile with concretefoundation

Inventory Grain trade Northwood andChivers

United GrainGrowers

433 Main St Other 1976 2 Post - 1945 Grain trade

Former Bank ofBritish NorthAmerica

436 Main St 1 1903 1 Italianate Sandstone facade withverimculated detailing, iconiccolumns, pediment, steel andconcrete construction


Bank A.T. Taylor

Former ImperialBank of Canada

441 Main St 1 1906 1 Italianate Sandstone facade, pediment,false balconies, elaboratewindow treatment, steel andreinforced concrete construction


Bank Darling and Pearson

Former Bank ofToronto

456 Main St 1 1905-07 1 Italianate White marble facade, Corinthiancapitals, balustrades, secondaryfacade (behind columns) ofglass and cast iron, steel andconcrete construction


Bank H.C. Stone

Confederation Life 457 Main St 1 1912 1 Chicago School Granite base, curved facadeencased in white terra-cotta,projecting cornice, steel andconcrete construction


Housed Winnipeg branchof life insurancecompany and served asan office tower for avariety of businesses

J. Wilson Grey

Former Royal Bankof Canada

460 Main St 1 1911 1 Italianate Based on Italian Renaissanceor palazzo style, pink graniteover steel frame with bronzegrills on doors and windows


Bank Carrere andHastings

Woodbine Hotel 466 Main St 1 1899 1 Edwardian By 1899 had dark brick veneerwith limestone accents


Hotel and bar Peter Sutherland

Baker Block/Birt'sSaddlery

468 Main St 1 1901 1 Italianate Pressed red brick facade,projecting brick pilasters


Retail space and offices H.S. Griffith

Duffin Block/Birt'sSaddlery

472 Main St 2 1881 1 One PartCommercial

Cornice and pediment onlydetailing

Inventory Retail and residence T.H.. Parr

Ashdown HardwareStore

476 Main St 1 1904-05 1 Post 1945 Original had red brick,limestone, and terra-cotta trim,steel and wood construction,offices on upper floors

Inventory Retail and wholesaletrade

J.H.G. Russell

1959 addition toAshdown Store

480 Main St Other 1952 2 Post 1945 Inventory Retail and wholesaletrade

Moody and Moore

RyanBlock/MacdonaldShoe Store

492 Main St 1 1883rebuilt 1903 &

1933

1 Art deco andNeoclassical

Original had elaborate facadewith red granite columns, beltcourses and gargoyles


Shoe store andwholesaler

Johnson Brown

Union Bank Towerand Annex (RoyalTower)

500-504Main/139Letinsky Place

1 Tower-1903-04

Annex-1921

1 Chicago school Steel frame with reinforcedconcrete, brick facades withstone quoins, elaborate cornice,terra-cotta detailing with floralmotifs. Annex had terra cotafacade at both ends

NHS, Municipal(bank); Municipal(annex)1995, gradeI (bank) grade III(annex)

Bank Darling and Pearsonwith W. Percy Over

Cronkite Building 90 Market Ave Other 1951 2 Post 1945 Masonry Not listed Warehouse for plumbingsupplies

Great WestSaddlery Building

112-114 MarketAve


Stone accents on facade ofotherwise utilitarian building,use of red and cream colouredbrick, wood post and beamframe


Wholesale warehouseand factory

J. McDiarmid

Great WestSaddlery

113 Market Ave 1 1910 1 Chicago School Neoclassical elements onentrance way, rusticated stonefirst floor, corbelled brickcornice


Warehouse andmanufacturing plant tocomplement the originallocated across the street

William Wallis Blair

Firestone Tire CoWarehouse

133 Market Ave Other 1946 1 Post 1945 Inventory Warehouse E. Fitz Munn

Marshall-WellsWarehouse

136 Market Ave 1 1905 and 1906 1 RomanesqueRevival

Rough-cut limestone on lowerportion of facade, keystonesover windows, wood post andbeam frame


Wholesale warehouse Samuel Hooper andCharles Walker

Steele BriggsBuilding

139 Market Ave 1 1912 1 Edwardian Brick with cut stone entrance Inventory Warehouse for seedwholesaler

C.W.V. Chivers

Stanley Brock Ltd 145 Market Ave 2 1916 1 Italianate Brick with cut stone entrance Inventory Warehouse forwholesale trade

J.H.G. Russell

Manitoba TheatreCentre

174 Market Ave Other 1970 2 Brutalism Reinforced concrete Not listed Theatre--arts andentertainment

No. 10 ArchitecturalGroup

PantagesTheatre/PlayhouseTheatre

180 Market Ave 1 1913-14 1 Beaux-Arts Brick with reinforced concretecovered with terra cota,marquise


Theatre--arts andentertainment

B. Marcus Pritecaand GeorgeNorthwood

Electric RailwayChambers

213 Notre DameAve

1 1913 1 Chicago school Sullivanesque, combines steeland concrete structure withRenaissance design, granitemain floor, terra-cotta, statuestop capitals, heavilyornamented windows andcornice


Office building forWinnipeg ElectricRailway Co. Transportation and civicdevelopment

Pratt and Ross withCharles Frost

St. Charles Hotel 235 Notre DameAve

1 1913 1 ? Dark brick with limestone trim,pedimented window heads,parapet


Hotel--service provider towholesale andmanufacturing agents

Carter-Halls-Aldinger

Christie Block 249 Notre DameAve

2 1906 2 2 PartCommercial

Brick with rubble stonefoundation, front stucco

Inventory Office and retail

General ElectricBuilding

265 Notre DameAve

2 1930 2 Art deco Tyndal stone and dark brick Municipal 1988,Grade III

Tim Horton's 275 Notre DameAve

Other 1981 2 Post 1945 Dark brick Not listed Retail

Peck Building 33 Princess St 1 1893-94 1 RomanesqueRevival

Limestone buttresses,decorative arches, neoclassicalmotifs on 1907 addition, woodpost and beam construction


Garment factory andwholesale warehouse

Charles H. Wheeler

Ryan Block 44-46 Princess St 1 1906 1 RomanesqueRevival

Red brick with stone trim, timberpost and beam


Shoe wholesalewarehouse and offices

William WallaceBlair

Ryan Building 48 Princess St 2 1907 2 2 PartCommercial

Brick Not listed Retail

Del Block 54-62 Princess St 2 1905 2 2 PartCommercial

Brick with stucco front Inventory Retail

City HydroShowroom

55 Princess St 2 1919 2 Art Deco Inventory

Bole Drug Building 70 Princess St 1 1903 2 RomanesqueRevival

Brick with stone trim Inventory Warehouse for drugwholesaler

H.G. Russell

Oddfellows Hall 72-74 Princess St 1 1883-84 1 RomanesqueRevival

Elaborate cornice, pilasterstopped with miniature columns,brick detailing, wood post andbeam frame


Fraternal organizationhall with commercialtenants. Used as alabour temple and as agarment wholesaler

Hugh McCowan

Earn InternationalBuilding (originallytwo separatebuildings:MackenziePowis at 78Princess and Miller,Morse, and Co at86-88 Princess)

78 Princess St 1 1891 1 RomanesqueRevival

Solid brick, stone ornamentationaround windows, façade hasbeen significantly altered


Wholesale warehouse George Brown

Happy GardenRestaurant

85 Princess St Other 1959 2 Post 1945 Concrete block with tyndalstone trim

Inventory Restaurant

Rimer Block 87 Princess St 1 1901 2 ? Brick with stucco front Inventory Warehouse for garmentwholesaler

Canada RubberBuilding

89 Princess St 1 1893 2 ? Brick with stucco front Inventory Retail?

Campbell-Wilson/AdelmanBuilding/SinclairBuilding

92-100 PrincessSt


Rusticated lower level, roundedhead brick arcade, someChicago school elements, woodpost and beam frame


Wholesale warehouse J.H.G. Russell

Galt Building 103 Princess St. 1 1887 1 RomanesqueRevival

Rounded corner entrance,rounded arches, solid brick withSelkirk stone detailing, woodpost and beam frame


Wholesale warehouse Charles H. Wheeler

Princess StreetWarehouse

104-108 PrincessSt


Solid brick, gothic pilaster capsremoved in 1904


Wholesale warehouse W. Brydon and B.R.Robertson

FairchildBuilding/SterlingCloak

110-120 PrincessSt

1 1906-07 1 Chicago School Sullivanesque terra-cottadetails, corbelled brick cornice,steel and reinforced concreteconstruction with cast ironcolumns


Wholesale warehouse John Atchison andHerbert Rugh

Western Elevator &Motor Co.

121-123 PrincessSt

1 1904 1 2 PartCommercial

Mill construction, first floororiginally cut stone

Municipal, 1999,Grade III

Wholesale warehouse S.F. Peters

Imperial Bank ofCommerce

140 Princess St Other 1969 2 Post - 1945 Concrete panels Not listed Bank

BensonBuilding/Drake Hotel

146 Princess St 1 1882 1 Italianate Neoclassical motifs, detailedpolychromatic brick work, woodpost and beam construction


Hotel--service provider towholesale andmanufacturing agents

Charles and EarleBarber

Bawlf Building I 150 Princess St 1 1882 1 Italianate Flamboyantly styled in theVictorian manner, wood postand beam construction


Wholesale warehouse Charles and EarleBarber

HarrisBuilding/HochmanBuilding

154 Princess St 1 1882 1 Italianate Flamboyant, highly detailedbrick work and pressed metalornamentation, statue of ceres,wood post and beamconstruction


Warehouse to displayfarm machinery. Later agarment wholesaler

James Chisholm

Exchange Building II 160 Princess St 1 1898 1 Italianate Red brick with terra-cottamoldings, central pediment,floral motifs, iron balcony,pressed copper panels, woodpost and beam construction


Grain and produceexchange

Samuel Hooper

Exchange BuildingI/Bawlf Building II

164 Princess St 1 1892 1 Italianate White brick, wood post andbeam construction


Grain and produceexchange

Charles Barber

Caernefac Block 188 Princess St 1 1905 2 Edwardian Brick Inventory Wholesale warehouseand retail outlet

H.G. Russell

McLaughlinCarriage

200 Princess St 1 1902 1 One PartCommercial

Brick with rough stone sills Inventory Wholesale warehousefor carriages and motorcars

J.H. Cadham

Northern ElectricBuilding

65 Rorie St 2 1928 1 Italianate Brick veneer with Tyndall stonetrim


Office and depot J.O. Despatie withPratt and Ross

Maw Block 280 William Ave 1 1897 2 Edwardian Brick, stone basement Inventory Wholesale warehousefor carriage and harnessequipment

Winnipeg SaddleryBlock

284 William Ave 1 1903 2 2 PartCommercial

Brick with stone sills, plate glasswindows

Inventory Wholesale warehousefor harness and saddlery

Gordon Footwear 288 William Ave Other 1948 2 Post 1945 Brick and tile Inventory OfficesMassey-HarrisBuilding

294 William Ave 1 1885 1 Italianate Paired windows and segmentedarches, keystones, rusticatedbase, originally had fan shapedpediment, Italianate influences,wood post and beamconstruction


Warehouse andmanufacturing plant foragricultural products

George Brown

Police Credit Union 300 William Ave Other 1997 2 Post 1945

Table 2. Identification and Description of Streetscapes in The Exchange District National Historic Site.(Information in this table current to September 1999.)

Location View Defining Characteristics

Lane betweenJames and Market

Looking west from Bertha St Narrow lane, rails of spur lines visible,hydro lines, loading bays

Market Ave East and west, section between Lilyand Bertha streets, both sides of theavenue

Includes buildings originally owned byElisha Frederick Hutchings, they werebuilt to complement each other

Rorie Street Looking south from Market, andnorth from Lombard

Street jogs, different elevations reflectdifferent building periods

John Hirsch East and west, both sides Location of main spur line, hydro lines

Bannatyne Ave(east of Main)

From Ship to Main, focus on thenorth side of avenue

North side of avenue presents continuousline of similar structures mostly built bythe same architect, south side would havebeen location of rail yards

Lombard Ave From Main to the river, north side ofavenue only

Train bridge at the end of the road, senseof proximity to the river

McDermot Ave(east of Main)

Looking east from Main to theCustoms Examining Warehouse,north side of avenue

A series of smaller buildings ofcompatible scale and materials, someeven used for same purpose (printersrow), street jogs

Main Street North and south from junction ofMain and Lombard to junction ofMain and William , both sides of thestreet

Dominated by financial institutions,neoclassical architecture and skyscrapers

McDermot Ave(west of Main)

Looking east from Princess Intact streetscape, few gaps, newspaperrow, street jogs

Albert Street From Notre Dame to Market Square,both sides of the street

Building complementary in scale, design,and materials

Arthur Street From Notre Dame to Market Square,both sides of the street

Turn of the century building and streetscale readily apparent

King Street Notre Dame to Market Square, bothsides of the street, west side onlyfrom Bannatyne to William

Few gaps, buildings complementary

Princess Street North and south, section betweenNotre Dame and Bannatyne

Good view of layering, wall advertising,original grain exchange

Princess Streetback lane

From McDermot to Bannatyne Rail ties, lights overhanging, loadingbays, fire escapes

Location View Defining Characteristics

Page 45

Bannatyne Ave(west of Main)

Looking east from Princess, bothsides of the avenue

Intact, continuous edge, dominated bywarehouses, street jogs

Lane betweenBannatyne andJohn Hirsch

Looking north from Bannatynetoward artifact garden at John HirschPlace

Narrow, hydro wires

Back lane betweenKing and Princess

North and south from McDermot andBannatyne

Hydro wires, fire escapes, loading docks

Streetscape 2. Market Ave viewed eastfrom front of Manitoba Theatre Centre.

Streetscape 1. Lane between Market andJames, viewed from Bertha St looking west.

Streetscape 2. South side of Market Avelooking west from Bertha to Rorie.

APPENDIX A. Inventory of Streetscapes in The Exchange District National Historic Site (Photographs by Bruce Hoskins, Parks Canada, 1999)

STREETSCAPE 1Lane between James and Market Avenues,looking west from Bertha Street.

Characteristics S Railway spur line in the middle of the laneS Loading docksS Hydro lines

STREETSCAPE 2South side of Market Ave looking from Berthato Rorie and North side of Market from Lily toBertha

Characteristics- Note the wall advertisement on Marshall

Wells building- Buildings complement each other in scale

and materials

Streetscape 3. Rorie St looking south from Market with Marshall Wells building in the foreground.

Streetscape 3. Rorie St looking north fromLombard with the Great West Life andGrain Exchange in the foreground.

STREETSCAPE 3Rorie Street from Market Avenue to LombardAvenue.

Characteristics- Jog in street indicative of early road

patterns- Layering of buildings with different scale

of buildings reflecting differentconstruction periods

Streetscape 4. John Hirsch Place looking west from Rorie with the Ashdown warehouse on the left.

Streetscape 4. John Hirsch Place lookingeast from Rorie with the back of the MarshallWells on the left.

STREETSCAPE 4Lane between Market and Bannatyne Avenuesknown as John Hirsch Place, looking east fromRorie at the back of the Marshall Wellsbuilding and the west side of John HirschPlace showing the Ashdown warehouse.

CharacteristicsS Hydro linesS Lane originally a spur lineS Fire escapes

NoteS Historic Winnipeg plaques in artifact

garden of cut stone from demolishedbuildings

Streetscape 5. North side of Bannatyne Avelooking east at the Ashdown warehouse.

Streetscape 5. Bannatyne Avenue lookingwest from Ship Street toward Main, withDonald Bain and Merrick Andersonbuildings on right.

STREETSCAPE 5 Bannatyne Ave from Ship to Main Streets.

CharacteristicsS Only north side of street ever had

buildings, the south side was are of spurlines adjacent to the Customs ExaminingWarehouse

S Trees obscure the structures, but thestreetscape presents a continuous line ofsimilar buildings several of which werebuilt by the same architect, J.J.McDiarmid

Streetscape 6. North side of Lombard Avefrom the Lombard Hotel toward the RedRiver.

Streetscape 6. North side of LombardAvenue from Main to Rorie Streets.

STREETSCAPE 6North side of Lombard Avenue from MainStreet to the Red River.

CharacteristicsS Short but intact streetscape consisting of

the Union Trust tower, Bailey’s, GreatWest Life, and the Grain Exchange

S Crane and Kemp warehouses shown inconjunction with the train bridgedemonstrates the importance of the railroad in the development of the ExchangeDistrict

Streetscape 7. North side of McDermotlooking east from Main towards Rorie.

Streetscape 8. Main St looking north fromcorner of Main and McDermot, earlyskyscrapers in the background.

STREETSCAPE 7North side of McDermot Avenue betweenMain and Rorie Streets, viewed looking eastfrom the corner of Main and McDermot.

Characteristics- A series of smaller scale buildings which

present a continuous line and complementeach other in scale and materials

S Most of these buildings have been used tohouse printing presses so there is also asimilarity of usage

STREETSCAPE 8Main Street between Lombard Avenue to thesouth and William Avenue to the north.CharacteristicsS Main Street streetscape only intact in some

areasS Street jogsS Dominated by financial institutions and

skyscrapers

Streetscape 9. McDermot Ave looking westfrom corner of McDermot and Albert.

Streetscape 9. South side of McDermotAve looking east from Princess, goodexample of continuous edge and building tothe edge of the side walk.

Streetscape 9. South side of McDermot Avelooking east from Albert and McDermotacross Main.

STREETSCAPE 9McDermot Avenue between Main andPrincess Streets.

CharacteristicsS Intact streetscape with no gaps between the

buildings, structures complement eachother in size, materials, and style creatinga sense of time and place

S This is especially true of the intersection ofMcDermot and Albert where the viewer issurrounded by historic streetscapes in fourdirections

Streetscape 10. Albert St looking northfrom near Notre Dame towards MarketSquare.

Streetscape 11. West side of Arthur Stlooking south from Market Square.

Streetscape 11. Arthur St looking northfrom Notre Dame.

STREETSCAPE 10Both sides of Albert Street from Notre Dameto McDermot Avenues.

CharacteristicsS Streetscape largely intact with few gapsS Buildings complement each other in size,

materials, and design

STREETSCAPE 11Both sides of Arthur Street from Notre DameAvenue to Market Square.

CharacteristicsS Few gaps or breaks in the continuous line

except at the south end of the streetS Advertising on walls

Streetscape 12. West side of King Stlooking south from William to Bannatyne.

Streetscape 12. West side of King Streetlooking south from William to Bannatyne.

STREETSCAPES 12Both sides of King Street from Notre DameAvenue to Market Square, the west side onlybetween Bannatyne and William Avenues.

CharacteristicsS Continuous edge, buildings are

complementary in design, materials, andscale

Streetscape 13. Princess Street looking north fromNotre Dame with the Peck building in rightforeground.

Streetscape 13. Princess Street lookingnorth from William to Elgin Avenues.

Streetscape 13 West side of Princess Stlooking north from McDermot.

STREETSCAPE 13Both sides of Princess Street from Notre Dameto William Avenues, west side only fromWilliam to Elgin Avenues.

CharacteristicsS This streetscape provides a good view of

layeringS Note wall advertising

Streetscape 14. Princess St backlane between McDermot andBannatyne.

Streetscape 15. Bannatyne Avenue lookingwest from Market Square. TravellersBuilding in right foreground.

Streetscape 16. Narrow laneleading from BannatyneAvenue to John Hirsch Place.

STREETSCAPE 14Princess Street lane between McDermot andBannatyne Avenues.

CharacteristicsS Rail tiesS Overhanging lightsS Loading baysS Fire escapes

STREETSCAPE 15Both sides of Bannatyne Avenue west of MainStreet to Princess Street.

CharacteristicsS Intact with no significant gapsS Street jogs

STREETSCAPE 16Lane between Bannatyne Avenue and JohnHirsch Place, east of Rorie Street.

CharacteristicsS narrow lane

the exchange district national historic site of …

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