Historic Sites of Manitoba: Olafsson House (663 McDermot Avenue, Winnipeg)

Formerly located on McDermot Avenue in Winnipeg, a 2½-storey brick and stone house, measuring 31 feet by 43 feet, was designed by local architect John Hamilton Gordon Russell and built in 1907 by the Malcom Brothers Construction Company for merchant Gísli Ólafsson at a cost of about $9,500. After his death, the house continued to be occupied by his widow Elín “Ellan” Sigrídur Olafsson (1857-1934).

The house was demolished in 1959 to make way for the Manitoba Rehabilitation Hospital.

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.90269, W97.15751 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Memorable Manitobans: John Hamilton Gordon Russell (1863-1946)

Manitoba Business: Malcom Brothers Construction Company / Malcom Construction Company

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Olafsson House (539 William Avenue, Winnipeg)

Memorable Manitobans: Gísli Ólafsson [Olafson] (1855-1909)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Manitoba Rehabilitation Hospital (800 Sherbrook Street, Winnipeg)

Sources:

City of Winnipeg Building Permit 1493/1907, City of Winnipeg Archives.

Winnipeg fire insurance map, #224 May 1956, City of Winnipeg Archives.

Henderson’s Winnipeg and Brandon Directories, Henderson Directories Limited, Peel’s Prairie Provinces, University of Alberta Libraries.

This page was prepared by Jordan Makichuk.

Page revised: 28 September 2025

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