Formerly located at the northeast corner of Elizabeth Street and Second Street in Baldur, in the Rural Municipality of Argyle, a two-storey brick building, measuring 33 feet by 80 feet, was designed by Brandon architect Walter Henderson Shillinglaw and constructed between mid-1900 and early 1901 for merchant Percival F. “Percy” Curtis (1860-1936) at a cost of about $8,000. The cornerstone was laid on 8 September 1900.
In its original configuration, the building contained a single retail space on the main floor, initially occupied by Curtis’ store, while the second floor contained a meeting hall known as the “Victoria Hall” with a seating capacity for about 350 people. Later occupants included the Playfair Brothers, Neil McDonald, Frederickson’s Cash Store, W. G. Kilgour, and the Baldur Co-op.
The building has been demolished and the site is now vacant.
Curtis Block (no date)
Source: 12-2004, James Wall collection, S. J. McKee Archives, Brandon UniversitySite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.38508, W99.24401
denoted by symbol on the map above
See also:
Memorable Manitobans: Walter Henderson Shillinglaw (1864-1957)
The Canadian Contract Record, Volume 23, 4 July 1900, page 2.
Come Into Our Heritage: R.M. of Argyle, 1882-1982 by Argyle Centennial History Book Committee, 1981, page 150.
This page was prepared by Jordan Makichuk.
Page revised: 1 July 2025
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