Historic Sites of Manitoba: Robinson, Little and Company Building / Silpit Building (54 Arthur Street, Winnipeg)

This six-storey building on Arthur Street was constructed between 1903 and 1904 on a design by Winnipeg architect James Henry Cadham. Situated next to the Whitla Building, the original owner was the wholedale dry goods firm of Greenshields Western Merchants but it was soon sold to Robinson, Little and Company. This company used the building until the 1960s when the Silpit Industries Company that had occupied the Whitla Building expanded into this space.

The entire complex of two buildings is sometimes known as the Silpit Building. It is a municipally-designated historic site.

The Robinson, Little and Company Building, as well as the Whitla Building beside it, can be seen at left in this view of Arthur Street

The Robinson, Little and Company Building, as well as the Whitla Building beside it, can be seen at left in this view of Arthur Street (circa 1912)
Source: Giles Bugailiskis

Robinson Little Building

Robinson Little Building (September 2015)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.89607, W97.14179
denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Memorable Manitobans: James Henry Cadham (1850-1907)

Manitoba Business: Robinson Little and Company

Historic Sites of Manitoba: R. J. Whitla and Company Building / Silpit Building (70 Arthur Street, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Municipally Designated Historic Sites

Greetings from Winnipeg: Views of a Changing City by Gordon Goldsborough, Russ Gourluck, Rob McInnes, Giles Bugailiskis and Randy Rostecki
Manitoba History, Number 55, June 2007

Sources:

Robinson, Little and Company Building, 54 Arthur Street, City of Winnipeg Historical Buildings Committee, May 2007.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 22 November 2022

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