Historic Sites of Manitoba: Waghorn House / Bain House (69 East Gate, Winnipeg)

Link to:
Occupants | Photos & Maps | Sources

This grand three-storey in the Armstrong’s Point area of Winnipeg was designed by local architect Walter Chesterton and built in 1896 for businessman James R. Waghorn. After Waghorn moved to Vancouver in 1905, the house was bought by prominent athlete and businessman Donald H. Bain. He expanded the house in late 1908 on a design by David Wynyard Bellhouse and lived in it until his death in 1962. Bain’s long-time executive assistant Verna Mackay, who had lived in the house for many years, continued to reside there. She died in 1980 and the house, replete with furniture and memorabilia from Bain’s illustrious athletic achievements (subsequently donated to the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame and Hockey Hall of Fame), was purchased later that year by Patricia and Guy Stillman. They undertook extensive renovations to the house, for which it received a Conservation Award from Heritage Winnipeg. When the Stillmans sold the house to the Carter family of Winnipeg, they took most of the remaining Bain furniture and mementoes to a newly-built residence in New Mexico.

Occupants/Owners

Period	Occupant/Owner
1896-1905	James Rawlinson Waghorn (1859-1942)
1905-1962	Donald Henderson “Dan” Bain (1874-1962)
1962-1980	Verna Hughina Miller Mackay (1912-1980)
1980-?	Guy & Patricia Stillman
?-1987	William & Wendy Carter
1987-2001	Ivan Fridrik & Jan Taylor
2001-2005	Twelve Tribes
2005-2006	Peter Rae & Marlene Stern
2006-?	Lynette Wiebe & Jonathan Pylypchuk

Photos & Coordinates

Members of the Bain family beside the Bain House (no date) Source: Gordon Goldsborough, MSHF22370 Former Bain House (April 2017) Source: George Penner Former Bain House (March 2020) Source: Rose Kuzina Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.87757, W97.15528 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Memorable Manitobans: Walter Chesterton (1845-1931)

Memorable Manitobans: James Rawlinson Waghorn (1859-1942)

Memorable Manitobans: Donald Henderson “Dan” Bain (1874-1962)

Historical Tours in Manitoba: A Walking Tour of Armstrong’s Point by Patricia Thomson

Sources:

Armstrong's Point: A History by Randy R. Rostecki, Winnipeg: Heritage Winnipeg Corporation, 2009.

We thank George Penner and Rose Kuzina for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 13 November 2020

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