This two-storey red brick and Tyndall stone building at the northwest corner of Main Street and Bannerman Avenue in Winnipeg, measuring 31 feet by 65 feet, was designed by local architect John Danley Atchison. The contract was awarded to George Fuller Construction of New York and construction in 1913 consumed 23 cords of stone, 125,000 bricks, 1500 yards of plaster and 40 cubic yards of concrete, along with structural steel provided by the Manitoba Bridge and Iron Works. Completed at a cost of about $28,000, the building was intended as a branch of the Merchants Bank of Canada, with a residence for the bank manager on the second floor, to service the prosperous new suburb which was developing north of Redwood Avenue.
In 1914, alterations to the building, designed by John Danley Atchison, were completed by George Fuller Construction of New York at a cost of about $3,000. In 1922, when the bank merged with the Bank of Montreal, it became a branch of that bank. In 1961, a one-storey red brick and Tyndall stone addition, measuring 14 feet by 65 feet, was made to the north side. Completed at a cost of $36,240, it matched the appearance of the original building.
The bank relocated to new premises in 1979. Six years later, the North West Child and Family Services purchased the building and immediately undertook a major retrofit to provide suitable work space for serving the local community. Westland Construction of Winnipeg contracted to complete the modernization, energy upgrading and partial restoration in consultation with the City of Winnipeg Historical Buildings Committee. Particular attention was given to retaining the beauty and distinction of this important heritage building, a municipally-designated historic site (1985).
Architectural plan for the Merchants Bank Building on Main Street (1913)
Source: Manitoba Free Press, 8 February 1913, page 37.
Merchants Bank Building under construction on Main Street (1913)
Source: Manitoba Free Press, 4 October 1913, page 13.
Former Bank of Montreal Building on Main Street (May 2011)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough
Former Bank of Montreal Building on Main Street (September 2014)
Source: George Penner
Former Bank of Montreal Building on Main Street (May 2022)
Source: Jordan Makichuk
Aerial view of former Bank of Montreal Building on Main Street (September 2024)
Source: George Penner
Rear view of the former Bank of Montreal Building on Main Street (August 2025)
Source: Jordan MakichukSite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.92507, W97.12579
denoted by symbol on the map above
See also:
Memorable Manitobans: John Danley Atchison (1870-1959)
Manitoba Business: Manitoba Bridge and Iron Works
Manitoba Business: Merchants Bank of Canada
Manitoba Business: Bank of Montreal
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Provincially Designated Historic Sites
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Municipally Designated Historic Sites
City of Winnipeg Building Permit 1613/1913, City of Winnipeg Archives.
“New home of the Merchants Bank in north Winnipeg,” Manitoba Free Press, 8 February 1913, Page 37.
“Winnipeg, Man.,” Contract Record and Engineering Review, 9 July 1913, page 69.
“The new branch of the Merchants Bank on the corner of Bannerman Avenue and Main street, being built by the George A. Fuller Company,” Manitoba Free Press, 4 October 1913, page 13.
City of Winnipeg Building Permit 181/1914, City of Winnipeg Archives.
Merchants’ Bank Building (1386 Main Street), Winnipeg Historical Buildings Committee, August 1982.
We thank George Penner and Jordan Makichuk for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and S. Goldsborough.
Page revised: 13 September 2025
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