Historic Sites of Manitoba: Merchants Bank Building / Bank of Montreal Building / Bank of Toronto Building / Minitonas Library (307 Main Street, Minitonas, Municipality of Minitonas-Bowsman)

This two-storey brick building on Main Street at Minitonas was designed by Calgary-based architect Reginald Edwardes McDonnell (1887-1963) and built in 1918 for the Merchants Bank of Canada. The bank operated on the main floor and a suite for manager J. C. Pridham was on the second floor. Nearly identical buildings were constructed at Austin, Bowsman, and Oakville. It became a branch of the Bank of Montreal following the 1922 merger of the two banks then closed in December 1936. The following month, it became a branch of the Bank of Toronto.

The building is now the local public library.

The former bank building at Minitonas (May 2019) Source: George Penner Site Coordinates (lat/long): N52.08541, W101.04235 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Manitoba Business: Merchants Bank of Canada

Manitoba Business: Bank of Montreal

Manitoba Business: Bank of Toronto / Toronto-Dominion Bank

Sources:

“The Merchants’ Bank of Canada,” Swan River Star, 6 December 1918, page 1.

“Two Valley banks to close this year,” Swan Valley Star and Times, 17 December 1936, page 1.

Tent Town, 1898-1979: A History of Minitonas and District by Community Centre Committee, 1979, page 149.

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

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

Page revised: 22 May 2025

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