Historic Sites of Manitoba: Dominion Business College Building / Chapman Building (1864 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg)

Located at the southwest corner of Portage Avenue and College Street (now Collegiate Street) in Winnipeg, the structure was build in 1929 by contractor W. A. Cameron as a branch office for David Cooper’s Dominion Business College (DBC). Designed to accommodate studnets from St. James and surrounding municipalities, the single-storey brick building featured a Tyndall stone ediface in the style of the downtown campus off Memorial Boulevard. Local companies assisting with the construction and furnishing included Fiss Oil Burners of Canada Limited (Fiss Automatic Oil heating system), Irwin Sheet Metal and Roofing Company (sheet metal, roofing, furnace install), College Electric (electrical), D. R. Dingwall Limited (clock fixtures), McDonald-Dure Lumber Company (lumber), United Typewriter Company Limited, and Office Specialty Company Limited. The facility replaced a previous location at 1751 Portage Avenue to which the DBC had expanded in 1928. The building, though smaller than its kindred Elmwood Branch, also hosted community events, meetings, and rental functions. After the DBC usage of the structure concluded, the building was sold to lawyer George T. Chapman and became known as the Chapman Building.

Principals

Period	Principal
c1929	Kathleen Hurst

Photos & Coordinates

Dominion Business College Building under construction (August 1929) Source: Winnipeg Evening Tribune, 22 August 1929, page 6. Chapman Building (June 2015) Source: Nathan Kramer Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.87840, W97.21801 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Dominion Business College Building / Mall Plaza Apartments / Abbott Clinic (274 Osborne Street North, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Dominion Business College Building / Elmwood Building (189 Henderson Highway, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Success Business College / Dominion Business College / St. John’s Music Store (1308 Main Street, Winnipeg)

Manitoba Business: Dominion Business College / Cooper Education Institute

Memorable Manitobans: George Thomas Chapman (1899-1985)

Sources:

“Business College will open St. James Branch,” Winnipeg Tribune, 25 August 1928, page 3.

“Many share in construction of both branches,” Winnipeg Tribune, 22 August 1929, page 7.

“Dominion Business College provides improved facilities,” Manitoba Free Press, 23 August 1929, page 4.

“Local firms supply material equipment,” Manitoba Free Press, 23 August 1929, page 4.

“The Dominion Business College announces the opening of its new buildings in Elmwood and St. James,” Manitoba Free Press, 23 August 1929, page 4.

Companies Office corporation documents (CCA 0059), Dominion Business College - St James Branch, Archives of Manitoba.

This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.

Page revised: 28 February 2023

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