Historic Sites of Manitoba: Wood Building / Merchants Building (250 McDermot Avenue, Winnipeg)

This building was constructed in two stages, the north portion being built in 1898 by Philip Burnett and the south portion in 1902, using consistent construction materials and design. Both parts were designed by James H. Cadham. It was originally the home of hardware dealer George D. Wood, later the Wood Vallance Company, that was acquired by the hardware firm of Marshall-Wells Company. Beginning in the mid-1920s, a series of smaller tenants occupied the building, now a municipally-designated historic site. The office of the Manitoba Historical Society was located in the building from 2004 to 2007.

An honour roll for employees of the Wood Vallance Company who were killed during the First World War was publicized in early 1919.

Wood Building

Wood Building (circa 1903)
Source: An Illustrated Souvenir of Winnipeg by W. A. Martel & Sons.

Merchants Building

Merchants Building (April 2011)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Merchants Building

Merchants Building (February 2021)
Source: George Penner

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.89708, W97.14080
denoted by symbol on the map above

First World War Casualties

Name

Occupation

Service

Rank

Birth Date

Death Date

Thomas Cartwright
[Next of Kin]

Warehouseman

78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

23 September 1891

19 November 1916

Sidney George Dunn

Hardware Clerk

1st Deport Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

30 March 1884

27 April 1918

John Robert Gibbins
[Next of Kin, Vimy Ridge]

Clerk

44th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

23 April 1895

23 August 1917

John Erskine Clark Milliken
[Next of Kin]

Clerk

78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

29 July 1897

9 April 1917

Donald Rose
[Next of Kin]

Clerk

27th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

Private

16 September 1888

15 September 1916

John J. Wilkie

Clerk

Canadian Ordnance Corps

Corporal

1872

18 February 1917

See also:

Memorable Manitobans: George Duncan Wood (1858-1907)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Municipally Designated Historic Sites

Sources:

“Our boys who sacrificed, fought and died that all might enjoy everlasting peace,” Winnipeg Tribune, 25 January 1919, page 63.

Merchants Building (250 McDermot Avenue), Winnipeg Historical Buildings Committee, May 2007.

We thank George Penner for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and Darryl Toews.

Page revised: 13 January 2022

Historic Sites of Manitoba

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