Historic Sites of Manitoba: Boissevain Telephone Exchange Building (460 South Railway Street, Boissevain, Municipality of Boissevain-Morton)

This one-storey brick and stucco building on South Railway Street in Boissevain, measuring 25 feet by 45 feet, was designed by Winnipeg architect Alexander D. Melville and built in 1938 by contractor John James Morrow of Melita, at a cost of about $6,645. It housed local circuitry and staff of the Manitoba Telephone System.

The building was used by the company until 23 September 1963 when a new telephone building was opened on Mountain Street.

The former Telephone Exchange Building at Boissevain (July 2018) Source: George Penner The former Telephone Exchange Building at Boissevain (October 2022) Source: Gordon Goldsborough The former Telephone Exchange Building at Boissevain (July 2025) Source: Glen Toews Mural on the former Telephone Exchange Building at Boissevain (October 2022) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.23037, W100.05385 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Manitoba’s First Explorers (Boissevain, Municipality of Boissevain-Morton)

Memorable Manitobans: Alexander D. Melville (1873-1949)

Memorable Manitobans: John James Morrow (1874-1962)

MHS Centennial Business: Manitoba Government Telephones / Manitoba Telephone System / MTS Allstream / Bell MTS

Sources:

“Tenders,” Winnipeg Tribune, 2 May 1938, page 14.

“Tenders, Telephone Exchange Building Boissevain, Manitoba,” Brandon Daily Sun, 2 May 1938, page 14.

“Tenders, Telephone Exchange Building Boissevain, Manitoba,” Brandon Daily Sun, 3 May 1938, page 14.

“Boissevain to have new phone building,” Winnipeg Tribune, 7 May 1938, page 22.

“Tenders,” Winnipeg Free Press, 9 May 1938, page 17.

“Contract awarded for the new telephone exchange in Boissevain,” Winnipeg Free Press, 13 June 1938, page 6.

Beckoning Hills Revisited, Boissevain, 1981, pages 86-87.

We thank Glen Toews for providing additional information used here.

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

Page revised: 10 July 2025

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