Manitoba Communities: Tuxedo (Unincorporated Town)

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In 1911 a consortium of businessmen purchased 4,606 acres of land in the Rural Municipality of Assiniboia for the purpose of creating an exclusive, residential-only suburban enclave. The town of Tuxedo, named for a suburb of New York City, was incorporated by the Manitoba Legislature on 24 January 1913. Tuxedo’s first council was a slate acclaimed into office on 24 February 1913. The Winnipeg Free Press commented “As the council is entirely composed of well-known business men of standing it augers well for the future success of the town.” The men were Mayor F. W. Heubach of the financial firm of Heubach, Finkelstein and Heubach; F. T. Griffin, former land commissioner of the Canadian Pacific Railway; A. E. Hoskin of law firm Campbell, Pitblado, Hoskin and Company; A. E. Choate, grain broker; and G. H. Kelly of the Ogilvie Milling Company.

Town leaders approved in advance who ran for council, as a result the citizens of Tuxedo rarely went to the polls in a municipal election. Development was also strictly controlled. There was a policy of no commercial developments or liquor sales. On two occasions council fought the federal government over proposed developments near the town. One was the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway’s line and the other was a civic airport. Both projects ended up being constructed north of the Assiniboine.

In the early 1960s development rules were loosened to allow for a small shopping mall and an apartment complex. In 1969 liquor sales were allowed. Tuxedo enjoyed a high level of municipal services with property taxes at just a fraction of other urban municipalities and strongly opposed closer ties with Winnipeg. It was amalgamated as part of Unicity on 1 January 1972.

Present Status	City of Winnipeg (1 January 1972)
Incorporation History	Town of Tuxedo (24 January 1913)
Land Area (square km)	?

Population

Year	Total
1926	172
1931	1193
1936	1017
1941	735
1946	677
1951	1627
1956	1163
1961	1627
1966	2480
1971	3258

Mayors

Term	Mayor
1913-1914	Frederick W. Heubach (c1859-1914)
1915-1951	David R. Finkelstein (1880-1952)
1952-1961	Cecil Alexander Ralph Lamont (1901-1982)
1961-1971	Clive Kerslake Tallin (1907-1985)
1972	Merged into Winnipeg

Sources:

“Heubach Mayor of Town of Tuxedo,” Manitoba Free Press, 25 February 1913.

Manitoba Gazette, 1887-1959. Manitoba Legislative Library.

“Tuxedo opposes central city plan,” Winnipeg Free Press, 16 January 1971.

“Unanimity highlighted Tuxedo elections,” Winnipeg Free Press, 31 December 1971, page 22.

Town of Tuxedo – Pathways, City of Winnipeg Archives.

Historical Walking Tour of Tuxedo, Manitoba Historical Society.

We thank Jill Paskewitz for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Christian Cassidy and Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 4 July 2017