Historic Sites of Manitoba: Dominion Post Office and Customs Building (406 Main Street, Selkirk)

Link to:
Postmasters | Photos & Coordinates | Sources

Designed by Winnipeg architect James Chisholm, this two-storey building in Selkirk was constructed between 1907 and 1909 by Brown and Garson Construction. The structure was of solid brick construction with finished limestone above grade on the exterior. The interior was post and beam.

The building was used as a general public building, housing several federal offices including the North West Mounted Police, post office, and customs. Converted into a rooming house in the 1960s, and later vacant, it was renovated into offices, an art gallery and restaurant in 1989 and, the following year, was designated as a provincial historic site.

Today, the building houses the Selkirk Community Art Centre, featuring local artists and a gift shop with local crafts.

Postmasters

Period

Postmaster

1876-1889

James Colcleugh (1841-1918)

1890-1935

Richard Henry Gilhuly (1857-1935)

1935

Jean Smith

1936-1955

Louis George Howard

1955-1960

William Roy Foulkes

1960-1964

Lac Larviere

1964-1973

P. T. Pearse

1973

E. K. Curtis

1973-1985

Harry K. Moore

1985-1986

Earl Curtis

Photos & Coordinates

Former Dominion Post Office and Customs Building at Selkirk

Former Dominion Post Office and Customs Building at Selkirk (August 2014)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Former Dominion Post Office and Customs Building at Selkirk

Former Dominion Post Office and Customs Building at Selkirk (June 2020)
Source: Jaydi Overwater

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N50.14357, W96.87463
denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Historical Tour: Selkirk, Manitoba by Wendy G. Smulan
Manitoba History, Number 34, Autumn 1997

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Provincially Designated Historic Sites

Sources:

Selkirk Post Office and Customs Building, 406 Main Street, Selkirk, Manitoba Historic Resources Branch.

Post Offices and Postmasters, Library and Archives Canada.

We thank Oksana Preachuk and Jaydi Overwater (City of Selkirk, Culture Recreation & Green Transportation Department) for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 11 October 2020

Historic Sites of Manitoba

This is a collection of historic sites in Manitoba compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. The information is offered for historical interest only.

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