Historic Sites of Manitoba: Gwalia Block / Fergus Block (169-173 Osborne Street, Winnipeg)

A three-storey brick building at the southwest corner of Osborne Street and Wardlaw Avenue in Winnipeg, measuring 47 feet by 50 feet, was designed by local architect Herbert Bell Rugh and built in 1909 by Griffin Brothers at a cost of about $15,000. It had three retail stores on its main level and six residential apartments on the upper two floors.

A smaller, two-storey brick building on the south side, also designed by Rugh and built in 1908 by Jacob Isenberg at a cost of about $3,500, was joined to it and the two buildings were known collectively as the Gwalia Block.

Around 1924, the two connected buildings were renamed the Fergus Block.

Southern portion of the Fergus Block

Fergus Block (November 2020)
Source: George Penner

Southern portion of the Fergus Block

Southern portion of the Fergus Block (November 2020)
Source: George Penner

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.87680, W97.14402
denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Memorable Manitobans: Herbert Bell Rugh (1879-1924)

Manitoba Business: Griffin Brothers

Sources:

City of Winnipeg Building Permit 1292/1908, City of Winnipeg Archives.

City of Winnipeg Building Permit 1728/1909, City of Winnipeg Archives.

Preparation of this page was supported, in part, by the Gail Parvin Hammerquist Fund of the City of Winnipeg.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough, Nathan Kramer, and George Penner.

Page revised: 28 March 2023

Historic Sites of Manitoba

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