Historic Sites of Manitoba: Burrows Block / Howarth Block / Stafan Block (235 Burrows Avenue / 1056-1060 Main Street, Winnipeg)

Located at the northwest corner of Burrows Avenue and Main Street in Winnipeg, this two-storey building was commissioned by Martin Thomas McKittrick and designed and built by contractor John Mattson in 1900. Built as a dwelling and commercial space, the structure had 70 feet of Main Street frontage and was completed at a cost of about $3,600. In 1906, a single-storey rear addition was designed by McKittrick and built by day labourers at a cost of about $1,500. The ground level featured three commercial and retail units, with four residential units on the second floor.

In 1906, the building was advertised under the name of Burrows Block. It suffered a fire in late 1908 and was repaired at a cost of $1,600 in early 1909 by contractor Edward Allan Johnston. In 1918, it was renamed as the Howarth Block under the management of James Brown Pepler and Company. Around 1944, it was renamed again as the Stefan Block. As of 2022, the building still contains four residential apartments.

The former Burrows Block

The former Burrows Block (October 2022)
Source: Nathan Kramer

The former Burrows Block

The former Burrows Block (October 2022)
Source: Nathan Kramer

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.91514, W97.13215
denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Memorable Manitobans: Martin Thomas McKittrick (1864-1927)

Memorable Manitobans: Edward Allan Johnston (1869-1923)

Sources:

City of Winnipeg Building Permit 20/1900, City of Winnipeg Archives.

City of Winnipeg Building Permit 21/1900, City of Winnipeg Archives.

City of Winnipeg Building Permit 955/1906, City of Winnipeg Archives.

City of Winnipeg Building Permit 4/1909, City of Winnipeg Archives.

1911 Canada census, Automated Genealogy.

“To let [To let - Modern suites of apartment in Burrows Block ...],” Manitoba Free Press, 7 September 1906, page 15.

“To let - unfurnished suites,” Manitoba Free Press, 11 September 1918, page 12.

Henderson’s Winnipeg and Brandon Directories, Henderson Directories Limited, Peel’s Prairie Provinces, University of Alberta Libraries.

Find a Postal Code, Canada Post.

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

We thank Gordon Goldsborough for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.

Page revised: 31 March 2023

Historic Sites of Manitoba

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