Historic Sites of Manitoba: Blumenschein House (689 Selkirk Avenue, Winnipeg)

This 1½-storey grey brick and half wood plank siding house on Selkirk Avenue in Winnipeg, measuring 22 feet by 36 feet, was designed by local architect Max Zev Blankstein and built in 1910 at a cost of about $2,000, by contractor Reubin [Rubin] Cohen. Occupied at first by Cohen, it was sold in 1912 to John P. Blumenschein, a switchman at the Canadian Pacific Railway.

At the time of a 2025 site visit, the house was slightly modified from its original appearance with its grey brick painted green.

Blumenschein House (December 2025) Source: Kerrin Asmundson Blumenschein House (December 2025) Source: Jordan Makichuk Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.91820, W97.15227 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Memorable Manitobans: Max Zev Blankstein (1874-1931)

Memorable Manitobans: Reubin [Rubin] Cohen (c1865-1955)

Sources:

City of Winnipeg Building Permit 2089/1910, City of Winnipeg Archives.

Winnipeg fire insurance map, #280 May 1956, City of Winnipeg Archives.

Henderson’s Winnipeg and Brandon Directories, Henderson Directories Limited, Peel’s Prairie Provinces, University of Alberta Libraries.

Property Details [689 Selkirk Avenue], Winnipeg Assessment and Taxation.

We thank Kerrin Asmundson for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Jordan Makichuk.

Page revised: 4 January 2026

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