Historic Sites of Manitoba: Central Fire Hall (637 Princess Avenue, Brandon)

The 2½-storey Central Fire Station, designed by architect William Alexander Elliott and constructed in 1911 by contractor Alfred Edward Bullock, is one of Brandon’s finest buildings. A previous fire hall stood here between 1882 and 1893. A 4,400-pound bell in the tower was removed in 1971 to reduce the stress on the structure. A plaque describing the history of the building was erected here by the Brandon Municipal Heritage Committee and it became a municipally-designated heritage site in 2000. The building has been renovated into a restaurant.

On 27 June 1920, the Brandon Fire Department unveiled a memorial tablet to six members of the fire department who died during the First World War. The tablet was unveiled by Brandon’s Mayor George Dinsdale. It was originally located in a recess on the outside of the building. The tablet is now located at the Brandon Fire and Emergency Services Museum.

Central Fire Hall

Central Fire Hall (circa 1912)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough, 2015-0004

Central Fire Hall

Central Fire Hall (no date)
Source: Archives of Manitoba, George Harris Fonds, Acc. 1979-141, P7456, Album 4, Page 32.

Central Fire Hall

Central Fire Hall (2011)
Source: Peter McLure

The former Central Fire Hall

The former Central Fire Hall (May 2018)
Source: George Penner

The former Central Fire Hall

The former Central Fire Hall (August 2023)
Source: Eva Janssen

The former Central Fire Hall

The former Central Fire Hall (August 2023)
Source: Eva Janssen

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.84703, W99.94693
denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Memorable Manitobans: William Alexander Elliott (1866-1957)

Memorable Manitobans: Alfred Edward Bullock (1871-1957)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Brandon Fire and Emergency Services Museum (120 Nineteenth Street North, Brandon)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Brandon Fire Hall No. 2 / McTavish School / Brandon Technical School (603 Eleventh Street, Brandon)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Municipally Designated Historic Sites

Sources:

“Bullock is awarded fire hall contract,” Brandon Daily Sun, 13 April 1911, page 6.

“Unveil memorial to fireman who gave their lives,” Brandon Weekly Sun, 24 June 1920, page 1.

“Unveil tablet to firemen who gave their lives,” Brandon Daily Sun, 28 June 1920, page 1.

Central Fire Station, Manitoba Historic Resources Branch.

We thank Peter McLure, Darryl Toews, George Penner, and Eva Janssen for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 28 June 2025

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Historic Sites of Manitoba

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