Our Heritage  Special Places Project

Site Inventory / Page 3 / Baldur Commercial Sites

Lee’s Grocery
Elizabeth Ave.
1924



History

Mr. Lee Foon arrived in 1916 and purchased a restaurant business from Charlie King. He built this building in 1924 to house his store, with a café and ice-cream shop at the back. He retired in 1959. His sons Tommy (died 1961) and then Oscar took over the business until 2010.


Features


Thomas Poole Hardware
Elizabeth Ave.
1910

History

Thomas E. Poole moved to Baldur in 1890 and established himself as a hardware dealer and tinsmith. In 1901 he built the brick building that in 2010 houses the Argyle Museum.
This designated municipal heritage site has been the site of Hardware business operated by Hunter and Gemmill (1925), Hunter (J.O.) and Sons, Wm. Burton (as a Mashall Wells Store), and Joe Januska. The interior retains some of the original metal ceiling and elements of trim and wall coverings.

Other occupants: Dennis Mateychuck, Kay McGill

Features

- the interior retains some of the original metal ceiling and wood flooring
- brick exterior – date stone
- residence upstairs


Fowler Block
22 Elizabeth Avenue
1899

History

Alex Fowler

Originally Mr. Fowler operated his harness, saddlery and shoe business from the eastern segment and the west side was rented to by J. Smith and Sons for a grocery. In 1902 R. Rollin took over the J. Smith business. After a long run it was taken over by Karl and Lily Bjarnason (1938-60) then Marcel Fransoo operated it until the current owners, Joy and Earl Johnson purchased it.
There was a dressmaker’s shop above the Rollins Store at one time


Features

Harry Haskill, the “Glenboro cyclone bricklayer” (A quote from the Baldur Gazette”?

- oldest building on Elizabeth Avenue
- date stone - nice brickwork
- interior elements – metal ceiling
- municipally designated heritage site.



Curtis Block Site
Elizabeth Ave.
1901

History

Percy F. Curtis bought out the business of George Griffith on the corner of Elizabeth and Second Street about 1895. It had been the first store in town.  In 1901 he completed a new brick two-storey building with a distinctive corner entrance and a second level balcony. Proprietors included the Playfair Brothers, Neil McDonald, Frederickson’s Cash Store, W.G. Kilgour and the Co-op. The upper level was called the Victoria Hall after Queen Victoria. It was home to various public gatherings and entertainments, including movies in its later years. Mr. Curtis also operated a store in Greenway for a time. He had the areas first telephone installed to callow communication between the two operations.

Features:

- only portions of the exterior wall from the original structure remain, the original building was largely demolished in 1957 and converted into a filling station

**Torn down as of  2013

Baldur Motor Hotel
2nd St
ca. 1960


History
 

Features


Former Chester House Sample Room
Back lane off of 1st St.
1890

History

Jesse Chester

Jesse Chester’s house became a sort of unofficial restaurant for railway workers in 1890 and he was soon persuaded to open a boarding house that became know as the Chester House. It was expanded over the years to become a full-service hotel until the early 1950’s. The Sample Room (where Traveling Salesman could display their “samples”) was in a rectangular building to the north of the gable-fronted “Hotel” part. In 1910 it was taken over by Jos. Morris and became the “Baldur Hotel”


Features

- part of the original building was moved to this site in 1959

Pool Elevator
Elizabeth Ave.
1927


History

Baldur’s first elevator, the Manitoba Elevator, was a horse-powered structure built in 1891 by W.O. Fowler and operated by his son Alex. This was soon replaced by the Farmer’s Elevator with a 12 horsepower engine. Other elevators followed. The Baldur Pool Elevatorwas built in 1927 by the Canadian Elevator Co. for the newly formed Pool.


Features