This general store in Gimli was constructed in 1898 by Hans Pjetur Tergesen and opened for business on 1 January 1899. It has been owned and operated by three generations of his descendants. It is the oldest operating general store in Manitoba and an excellent example of a rural community store. The vernacular-style building is a rectangular wooden structure with a flat roof. A wooden parapet with a bracketed cornice gives the building a more imposing appearance. The interior possesses most of its original furnishings.
The 1899 general store was a two-storey structure clad in pressed tin to resemble brick. In 1912–13, a two-storey addition provided more space for Tergesen’s dry goods and clothing sales, and room for a drug store, dentist’s office, ice-cream parlour, and a barber shop. A second floor that had first served as the Tergesen family living quarters was removed in the 1920s.
A plaque beside the store was unveiled in 1999 by the Manitoba Heritage Council. In the 2000s, the building was part of the Manitoba Prairie Icons Program.
H. P. Tergesen General Store (September 2010)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough
H. P. Tergesen General Store (June 2019)
Source: Rose Kuzina
Tergesen commemorative plaque (September 2022)
Source: George PennerSite Coordinates (lat/long): N50.63184, W96.98585
denoted by symbol on the map above
See also:
MHS Centennial Business: Tergesen General Store
Memorable Manitobans: Hans Petur Tergesen (1863-1954)
Memorable Manitobans: Terence Pjetur Julius Tergesen (1934-2013)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Tergesen House (38 Fourth Avenue, Gimli)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Provincially Designated Historic Sites
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Manitoba Prairie Churches Project / Manitoba Prairie Icons Project
Historical Tours in Manitoba: Walking Tour of Gimli
H. P. Tergesen General Store, Manitoba Historic Resources Branch
We thank Tim Worth, Rose Kuzina, and George Penner for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 19 November 2022
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