Historic Sites of Manitoba: King Edward Memorial Hospital / King George Isolation Hospital / Princess Elizabeth Hospital / Winnipeg Municipal Hospital / Riverview Health Centre (Morley Avenue, Winnipeg)

By the mid-20th century, the Winnipeg Municipal Hospital comprised three main buildings: King Edward Memorial Hospital (opened in 1911), King George Isolation Hospital (opened in 1914), and Princess Elizabeth Hospital (opened in 1950).

A one-storey brick building on the grounds opened in 1912 as a laundry facility for the King Edward Memorial Hospital. Its use as a laundry ended in 1970 but it remains the oldest structure on the grounds.

The King George Hospital, designed by local architect George Gaspar Teeter, offered care and treatment of patients with communicable diseases. For its time, it was considered one of the most modern isolation hospitals in the world. It was a key facility over the years for numerous epidemics, including the Spanish influenza epidemic of 1919 and the polio epidemic in the 1950s. By 1960, the focus of care had changed to chronic illness. The four-storey, two-winged building was demolished in 1999 to make room for Riverview Health Centre’s new complex. A commemorative plaque is located beside the original main entrance of the King George Hospital.

A Nurses’ Residence opened on the hospital grounds in 1921. It housed students from numerous affiliating schools of nursing. From 1979 until its demolition in 1991, the residence was used for multiple purposes, including staff housing. Its archway was preserved and remains at the site.

In 1995, the Winnipeg Municipal Hospital began to focus on long-term care and was renamed the Riverview Health Centre.

King Edward Memorial Hospital at left and King George Isolation Hospital at right (no date) Source: Rob McInnes King Edward Memorial Hospital (no date) Source: Rob McInnes, WP1080 King George Isolation Hospital (no date) Source: Archives of Manitoba, George Harris Fonds, Acc. 1979-141, P7447, Album 4, Page 20. Nurses’ Residence (no date) Source: Archives of Manitoba, George Harris Fonds, Acc. 1979-141, P7447, Album 4, Page 20. The former Winnipeg Municipal Hospital laundry building (January 2023) Source: Jordan Makichuk King George Hospital Arch (2010) Source: City of Winnipeg Nurses’ Residence Arch (2010) Source: City of Winnipeg Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.86890, W97.11794 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: King George Isolation Hospital (Morley Avenue, Winnipeg)

Manitoba Business: Moody and Moore / Duncan Rattray Peters and Searle / MMP Architects

Manitoba Business: Claydon Brothers Construction Company / Claydon Construction Limited

Manitoba Organization: Riverview Health Centre

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Winnipeg General Hospital (Bannatyne Avenue, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Don Gerrie Park (80 Churchill Drive, Winnipeg)

Sources:

Information for this page was provided by The City of Winnipeg’s Planning, Property and Development Department, which acknowledges the contribution of the Government of Manitoba through its Heritage Grants Program.

We thank Rob McInnes and Jordan Makichuk for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 14 January 2023

Historic Sites of Manitoba This is a collection of historic sites in Manitoba compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. SEARCH the collection Browse lists of: Museums/Archives | Buildings | Monuments | Cemeteries | Locations | Other Please note that inclusion in this collection does not mean that a particular site has special status or protection. Some sites are on private property and permission must be secured from the owner prior to visiting. 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. Search Tips | Suggest an Historic Site | FAQ Help us keep history alive!