Winnipeg | Historical discussion

[davequanbury]

On the subject of Main St car dealerships, I have this photo from an old souvenir book of Winnipeg. Unfortunately there is no date. Guessing 1930s 1940s

[trueviking]

That’s amazing. The crappy block on Main Street was always crappy.

[Andy6]

Main and Fort streets were where the car dealers and related businesses congregated. So you would have hated it even back then.

[Andy6]

Originally Posted by davequanbury

On the subject of Main St car dealerships, I have this photo from an old souvenir book of Winnipeg. Unfortunately there is no date. Guessing 1930s 1940s

Yes, I think that parking lot in the foreground, which was Inman Motors, was on the site of the old Bay store. There is still an old garage in the middle of that block that was part of the original HBC complex.

[davequanbury]

Originally Posted by trueviking

That’s amazing. The crappy block on Main Street was always crappy.

Can you be a bit more specific? Which block?

[esquire]

^ You can argue exactly where it starts and finishes, but basically the stretch of Main from just north of Union Station to St. Mary Avenue.

A proper redevelopment of the entire Earls site would pretty well fix the problem, though. The west side of that stretch of Main is decent save for a couple of small vacant or surface parking lots.

[buzzg]

Is that tiny building immediately south of what's now Century plaza the current entrance annex that's there, or was it replaced with a new (almost identical) building?

[esquire]

^ On a similar note, does anyone know anything about those buildings at the NE corner of York and Main? I'm not sure that I ever remember seeing pictures of buildings there. I can only remember the rental car lot that was there before Earls.

[OTA in Winnipeg]

Originally Posted by esquire

^ On a similar note, does anyone know anything about those buildings at the NE corner of York and Main? I'm not sure that I ever remember seeing pictures of buildings there. I can only remember the rental car lot that was there before Earls.

One of those smaller buildings was a machine shop. Mid 1980s I went there to find a strip of steel to reinforce my front door after a break in. Guy there drilled it out to my specifications and gave it to me for free.

[davequanbury]

Originally Posted by esquire

^ On a similar note, does anyone know anything about those buildings at the NE corner of York and Main? I'm not sure that I ever remember seeing pictures of buildings there. I can only remember the rental car lot that was there before Earls.

The most recent information I could find online comes from the 1965 Henderson's directory. The odd numbers are the east side of Main. Seems there was an apartment, an artificial limb manufacturer, two other light manufacturers, and then Consolidated Motors.

[esquire]

Very interesting... thanks!

[Authentic_City]

Ah, those were the days. When we actually made stuff in Winnipeg. Like artificial limbs.

[plrh]

Originally Posted by Authentic_City

Ah, those were the days. When we actually made stuff in Winnipeg. Like artificial limbs.

Weren't they just hooks and pegs back then?

[Authentic_City]

Originally Posted by plrh

Weren't they just hooks and pegs back then?

[Labroco]

Originally Posted by Andy6

Yes, I think that parking lot in the foreground, which was Inman Motors, was on the site of the old Bay store. There is still an old garage in the middle of that block that was part of the original HBC complex.

I thought the HBC store was / is where The North West Company is today?

[davequanbury]

Originally Posted by Labroco

I thought the HBC store was / is where The North West Company is today?

Andy6 is correct about the location

[1ajs]

Originally Posted by Andy6

Yes, I think that parking lot in the foreground, which was Inman Motors, was on the site of the old Bay store. There is still an old garage in the middle of that block that was part of the original HBC complex.

i always wonderd what the story behind that garage was kool

[davequanbury]

Originally Posted by 1ajs

i always wonderd what the story behind that garage was kool

but wait.... there's more:

http://clkapps.winnipeg.ca/DMIS/ViewPdf.asp?SectionId=514304

[OTA in Winnipeg]

Originally Posted by davequanbury

but wait.... there's more:

http://clkapps.winnipeg.ca/DMIS/ViewPdf.asp?SectionId=514304

I'd completely forgotten that it used to be Keg N' Cleaver. Used to go there early/mid 80s.

[joshlemer]

Are there any pictures of the neighbourhood that must have been demolished to make way for the disraeli freeway from Main to Higgins? Or even the triangular parcel of land in North Point Douglas that also had to have been leveled?