This building, built in 1915 for the Ford Motor Company, received parts from the Ford manufacturing plant at Windsor, Ontario to assemble complete motor vehicles for sale across western Canada. The plant closed in late 1941. The following year, the building was purchased by the provincial government and converted into the Manitoba Technical Institute. It was later used as a textbook repository by the Department of Education, who named it in commemoration of civil servant Robert Fletcher. Its restoration was recognized with a Conservation Award from Heritage Winnipeg.
Postcard view of the Fletcher Building when it was a motor vehicle assembly plant (1920s) by Charles I. Meyers
Source: Rob McInnes, WP1599
Manitoba Technical Institute (no date)
Source: Archives of Manitoba, Highways Branch Fonds, GR8372, photo M125a
Manitoba Technical Institute (no date)
Source: Archives of Manitoba, Highways Branch Fonds, GR8372, photo M125b
Fletcher Building (October 2014)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough
Fletcher Building (May 2019)
Source: George PennerSite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.88376, W97.18312
denoted by symbol on the map above
See also:
Memorable Manitobans: Robert Fletcher (1873-1963)
Manitoba Organization: Red River College
Ford of Canada plant—cars and trucks were once assembled in today’s Robert Fletcher Building (part 1) by Bruce Cherney, WinnipegRealtors, 28 February 2013.
Ford of Canada plant—150 Model Ts were produced daily in company’s Portage and Wall building (part 2) by Bruce Cherney, WinnipegRealtors, 7 March 2013.
Ford of Canada plant—railway cars brought the parts that were assembled into complete vehicles (part 3) by Bruce Cherney, WinnipegRealtors, 14 March 2013.
Ford Motor Company Assembly Plant (Robert Fletcher Building), Municipally Designated Sites in Winnipeg, City of Winnipeg.
We thank Rob McInnes and George Penner for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 2 June 2022
Historic Sites of Manitoba
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