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MHS Resources: History in Brandon Street Names

Some street names in the City of Brandon commemorate historical events and personalities. Unfortunately, the basis for many names has not been recorded. This project will attempt to reconstruct the basis for as many Brandon street names as possible. Those with obvious names (for example, the “Animal Streets” - Otter Bay, Moose Place, Lynx Crescent, etc. - in the northwest corner of the city) will not be included.

NOTE: This is a work in progress, and information will be added as it becomes available. Please send corrections and updates to Gordon Goldsborough at webmaster@mhs.mb.ca.

Type

Direction

Avenues (usually named)

East-west

Streets (usually numbered)

North-south

There are corresponding lists for the City of Winnipeg and the City of Portage la Prairie.

Street Name

Notes

Source(s)

Aagaard Avenue

Named for a restaurant proprietor.

3

Aberdeen Avenue

Probably named for the Marquis of Aberdeen, Governor-General of Canada (1893-1898) who visited Manitoba in 1895 and 1915.

 

Assiniboine Avenue

Named for the Assiniboine River that flows nearby.

 

Baker Bay

 

 

Balmoral Avenue

 

 

Baragar Drive

In 1939, a section of First Street North near the Manitoba Hospital for Mental Diseases was renamed in honour of facility administrator Charles A. Baragar but the municipal paperwork was never formalized and the change lapsed in the 1970s.

2

Brock Avenue

Named for farmer John A. Brock, who owned the land where the street is located, prior to 1883.

1

Byng Avenue

 

 

Cater Drive

Named for Brandon mayor Harry William Cater.

MHS

Christie Bay

 

 

Clark Drive

According to historian Martin Kavanagh, this streets commemorates "a democratic leader."

Kavanagh

Clement Drive

Named for Brandon mayor Stephen Emmett Clement.

MHS

College Avenue

 

 

Cornwallis Bay

 

 

Creighton Boulevard

Named for Brandon mayor James Albert Creighton.

MHS

Currie Boulevard

Possibly named for early pioneer William J. Currie.

MHS

Daly Crescent

Named for Brandon mayor Thomas Mayne Daly.

MHS

Darrach Avenue / Bay

Named for nurse and philanthropist Sarah Persis Johnson Darrach.

MHS

Delta Bay

 

 

Dennis Street

 

 

Douglas Street

 

 

Elviss Crescent

 

 

Empress Bay

 

 

Finlay Drive

 

 

E. Fotheringham Drive

Named for Brandon alderman, mayor and businessman Edward Fotheringham.

MHS

Franklin Street

 

 

Fraser Crescent

Named for Brandon mayor Alexander C. Fraser.

MHS

Frederick Street

 

 

Gordon Avenue

 

 

Grant Bay

 

 

Hill Avenue

Named for railwayman James Jerome Hill.

Kavanagh

Hilton Avenue

Named for Hilton McGregor, son of Manitoba Lieutenant-Governor James Duncan McGregor. See also John Avenue and McGregor Avenue.

Kavanagh

John Avenue

Named for John McGregor, brother to Manitoba Lieutenant-Governor James Duncan McGregor. See also Hilton Avenue and McGregor Avenue.

Kavanagh

Kelly Place

Named for Brandon mayor Andrew Kelly.

MHS

Kirkcaldy Drive

Named for municipal politician James Kirkcaldy.

MHS

Laurence Crescent

 

 

Leslie Bay

 

 

Lloyd Crescent

 

 

Lorne Avenue

Named for John George Edward Henry Douglas Sutherland Campbell, the Duke of Argyll, also known as the Marquis of Lorne, son-in-law to Queen Victoria, who served as Governor General of Canada from 1878 to 1883. See Louise Avenue.

Kavanagh

Louise Avenue

Named for Princess Louise, daughter of Queen Victoria and wife to the Marquis of Lorne. See Lorne Avenue.

Kavanagh

Magnacca Crescent

Named for Brandon mayor Stephen A. Magnacca.

MHS

Maryland Avenue

 

 

McDiarmid Drive

Named for Brandon mayor John S. McDiarmid.

MHS

McDonald Avenue

Probably named for Martin McDonald, the registrar at the Brandon Land Titles Office in 1881. But it may also commemorate lawyer W. A. MacDonald whose place of business was on the north side of Rosser Avenue between Ninth and Tenth Streets. The latter man later migrated to British Columbia where he became a Supreme Court judge.

Kavanagh

McGregor Avenue

Named for John McGregor, brother to Manitoba Lieutenant-Governor James Duncan McGregor. See also Hilton Avenue and John Avenue.

Kavanagh

McTavish Avenue

 

 

Middleton Avenue

 

 

Mitchell Street

 

 

Pacific Avenue

Named for the Canadian Pacific Railway which reached Brandon in 1881. The main line ran along this street.

MHS

Park Avenue

 

 

Park Street

 

 

Parker Boulevard

 

 

Patmore Drive

 

 

Patricia Avenue

 

 

Percy Street

 

 

Princess Avenue

 

 

Queens Avenue

 

 

Richmond Avenue

 

 

Rideau Street

 

 

Rosser Avenue

Named for Thomas L. Rosser, Chief Engineer of the Canadian Pacific Railway.

Kavanagh

Russell Street

 

 

Southern Avenue

 

 

Stickney Avenue

Named for Alpheus B. Stickney, General Manager of the Canadian Pacific Railway, who was replaced in this position by W. C. Van Horne on 1 January 1882.

Kavanagh

Sykes Boulevard

Named for city official George Frederick Sykes.

MHS

Van Horne Avenue

Named for railwayman William Cornelius Van Horne.

Kavanagh

Victoria Avenue

 

 

Waverly Drive

 

 

Whillier Drive

 

 

Whitehead Crescent

Probably named for Joseph Blyth Whitehead.

MHS

Williamson Drive

Named for Brandon mayor Franklin Truman Williamson.

MHS

Winter Bay

Named for Brandon mayor William Winter.

MHS

Young Avenue

Named for Brandon mayor Frederick Henry Young.

MHS

Sources:

1. The Assiniboine Basin by Martin Kavanagh.

2. “The forgotten history of First Street North” by Graeme Bruce, Brandon Sun, 28 June 2014.

3. Email communication, Andy Schroeder, 23 March 2010.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 1 August 2021

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