Historic Sites of Manitoba: Williams House (2 Ruskin Row, Winnipeg)

Link to:
Occupants | Photos & Coordinates | Sources

This 2½-storey dark red brick and Tyndall stone trimmed house on Ruskin Row, in the Crescentwood area of Winnipeg, was designed by local architect John Hamilton Gordon Russell. It was built in 1912 by contractor William James Davidson for owner John Williams at a cost of about $16,000.

At the time of a 2023 site visit, the house was relatively unmodified from its original appearance.

Occupants/Owners

Period

Occupant/Owner

1912-1915

John Williams (1853-1932)

1920-1930

Frank Druxerman

1940

Panhellanic House

1950

Roy Kinzie

1960-1970

Walter Waryc

1980-1990

Earl R. Allen

Photos & Coordinates

Williams House

Williams House (1913)
Source: Manitoba Free Press, 29 March 1913, page 11.

Williams House

Williams House (April 2018)
Source: George Penner

Williams House

Williams House (April 2023)
Source: Jordan Makichuk

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.87245, W97.15924
denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

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

Memorable Manitobans: William James Davidson (1879-1969)

Historical Tour: Crescentwood, Winnipeg’s Best Residential District by Rosemary Malaher
Manitoba History, Number 24, Autumn 1992

Historical Tours in Manitoba: A Walking Tour of Crescentwood (Winnipeg)

Sources:

City of Winnipeg Building Permit 1132/1912, City of Winnipeg Archives.

“Another Ruskin Row residence,” Manitoba Free Press, 29 March 1913, page 11.

Crescentwood: A History by Randy R. Rostecki, The Crescentwood Home Owners Association, 1993.

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

Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada, 1800-1950 by Robert G. Hill, Toronto.

Property Details [2 Ruskin Row], Winnipeg Assessment & Taxation.

This page was prepared by Jordan Makichuk, George Penner, and Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 18 October 2025

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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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