Historic Sites of Manitoba: First Scandinavian Mission Church (268 Ellen Street, Winnipeg)

Link to:
Clerics | Photos & Coordinates | Sources

This brick structure at the corner of Ellen Street and Logan Avenue in Winnipeg was constructed in 1897, on a design by local architect Hugh McCowan, to meet the spiritual needs of the city’s burgeoning populations of Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Danish, and Icelandic immigrants. It replaced a wooden frame structure built at the site in 1886. In addition to hosting church services with seating for 225 people, and space for another 125 people in an adjoining room, the building was also used as a meeting place and resource centre. In the late 1950s, it was taken over by the congregation of the Presbyterian First Reformed Church. The church closed in 1975 and stood vacant for 15 years. The structure was saved from demolition in 1990 and was restored for use as office space. It is a municipally- and provincially-designated historic site.

Clerics

Period

Cleric

c1924-1927

Gustuf [Gustaf] Aron Quarnstrom (1875-1953)

Photos & Coordinates

First Scandinavian Mission Church

First Scandinavian Mission Church (April 2013)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

First Scandinavian Mission Church

First Scandinavian Mission Church (November 2021)
Source: George Penner

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.90477, W97.14360
denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Memorable Manitobans: Hugh McCowan (1841-1908)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Provincially Designated Historic Sites

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Municipally Designated Historic Sites

Sources:

First Scandian Mission Church, 268 Ellen Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba Historic Resources Branch.

Scandinavian Mission Church, City of Winnipeg Historical Buildings Committee, August 1987.

We thank Nathan Kramer and George Penner for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 3 December 2021

Historic Sites of Manitoba

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