Formerly located at the northwest corner of Queen Elisabeth Way (Main Street South) and River Avenue [no longer a public road] in Winnipeg, a one-storey brick and stucco building, measuring 33 feet by 40.6 feet, was designed by the local architectural firm of Northwood and Chivers. It was built in 1929 by the construction firm of Pain and Roe, at a cost of about $9,000, as a service station for the Prairie Cities Oil Company. It sold the firm’s Electro and Buffalo brands of gasoline. The building originally had one service bay and two gasoline pumps.
In 1938, Prairie Cities Oil was acquired by the North Star Oil Company and the building continued to be used as a service station by the new company until later being demolished. The site is now occupied by a new building and a portion of the property was taken over by the City of Winnipeg when Stradbrook Avenue was rerouted. No vestige of the original building remains today.
Postcard view of the North Star Service Station during the 1950 flood (1950)
Source: Jordan MakichukSite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.88403, W97.13239
denoted by symbol on the map above
See also:
Manitoba Business: Northwood and Chivers / Northwood Chivers and Casey
Manitoba Business: Pain and Roe
Manitoba Business: Prairie Cities Oil Company
Manitoba Business: North Star Oil Company / Shell Oil Canada
City of Winnipeg Building Permit 5270/1929, City of Winnipeg Archives.
“Biggest permit this week for heating system,” Winnipeg Tribune, 26 October 1929, page 30.
Winnipeg fire insurance map, #424 November 1957, City of Winnipeg Archives.
Henderson’s Winnipeg and Brandon Directories, Henderson Directories Limited, Peel’s Prairie Provinces, University of Alberta Libraries.
This page was prepared by Jordan Makichuk.
Page revised: 4 August 2025
Historic Sites of Manitoba
This is a collection of historic sites in Manitoba compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. The information is offered for historical interest only.
Browse lists of:
Museums/Archives | Buildings | Monuments | Cemeteries | Locations | OtherInclusion in this collection does not confer special status or protection. Official heritage designation may only come from municipal, provincial, or federal governments. Some sites are on private property and permission to visit must be secured from the owner.
Site information is provided by the Manitoba Historical Society as a free public service only for non-commercial purposes.
Send corrections and additions to this page
to the MHS Webmaster at webmaster@mhs.mb.ca.Help us keep history alive!
