A large stone residence at the northeast corner of the intersection of Carlton Street and Assiniboine Avenue in Winnipeg was built between 1907 and 1908 by contractor Thomas Kelly. He lived in it until 1923 when he moved to the United States. The house was among Kelly’s assets that were seized by the provincial government.
The building was subsequently used as headquarters for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (1928-1934) and a boarding house (1937-1941). After renovations designed by the architectural firm of Green Blankstein Russell and Ham were executed by the construction firm of Hazelton and Walin, it became a residential hotel, event venue, and restaurant called the Graystone Arms. It operated until late 1951 and was later known as the Llentrad Harbour (1951-1956), Shamrock Restaurant (1956-1960), and Kelly House Square (1962-1965).
The house was demolished in late 1965 to make way for a ten-storey apartment block named Kelly House Apartments in its memory. The seven columns at the entrance to the block were salvaged from the house.
Kelly House (no date)
Source: Cath Dermody
Kelly House (December 1957) by John H. Warkentin
Source: John Warkentin Fonds, 2009-029/003, ASC16497, York UniversitySite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.88452, W97.14110
denoted by symbol on the map above
See also:
Memorable Manitobans: Thomas Kelly (1855-1939)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Kelly House (88 Adelaide Street, Winnipeg)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Kelly House (45 Edmonton Street, Winnipeg)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Kelly House (144 Yale Avenue, Winnipeg)
Manitoba Business: Green Blankstein Russell and Associates
Manitoba Business: Hazelton and Walin
Henderson’s Winnipeg and Brandon Directories, Henderson Directories Limited, Peel’s Prairie Provinces, University of Alberta Libraries.
“Kelly mansion remodelled as apartment hotel,” Winnipeg Tribune, 22 April 1942, page 3.
“Stories houses tell” by Lillian Gibbons, Winnipeg Tribune, 27 June 1942, page 11.
“The skids for Kelly House?,” Winnipeg Free Press, 1 December 1964, page 3.
“The dates throw kindly light at last on Kelly mansion scandal sensation” by Lillian Gibbons, Winnipeg Tribune, 23 October 1965, page 10.
“The house that ruined a government,” Winnipeg Free Press, 11 December 1965, page 22.
We thank Cath Dermody for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 25 September 2024
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