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 (August 2014) Source: Gordon Goldsborough 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

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