Historic Sites of Manitoba: Wolseley Hotel / Menard Hotel / Mount Royal Hotel (186 Higgins Avenue, Winnipeg)

Originally called the Wolseley Hotel when it was designed by local architect Henry S. Griffith and built in 1904 on Higgins Avenue in Winnipeg, by brothers Benjamin G. Fonseca and Alfonso G. Fonseca, other owners through the years included Barney Aaron (1915-1918), Peter Moyer (1918-1920), Robert T. McKeen (1920), Joshua B. Gray (1921-1924), William Robertson (1925), John J. McCarroll (1926-1931), William McCord (1932), Richard Lindholm (1941-1947), Henry Dougloski and Sons (1948-1952), and Joseph and Leopold Menard (1952-1955). In 1952, the Menards changed its name to the Menard Hotel. It was renamed the Mount Royal Hotel in 1956. During the 1950s and 1960s, the hotel was a popular meeting spot for the city’s lesbian community.

The business was closed at the time of a 2023 site visit.

Mount Royal Hotel (May 2017) Source: George Penner Mount Royal Hotel (June 2017) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Mount Royal Hotel (October 2023) Source: George Penner Site Location (lat/long): N49.90432, W97.13317 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Memorable Manitobans: Henry Sandham Griffith (1865-1943)

Memorable Manitobans: Benjamin Gomez Fonseca (1867-1915)

Memorable Manitobans: Alfonso Gomez Fonseca (1876-1937)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Mount Royal Hotel / Wellington Hotel / Garrick Hotel (287 Garry Street, Winnipeg)

Sources:

Wolseley (Mount Royal) Hotel, 186 Higgins Avenue by Murray Peterson, Peterson Projects, February 2007.

This page was prepared by George Penner, Jim Astwood, and Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 3 November 2023

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