Seven Oaks & Ross House Museum

Finding the Past in Our Present


A bird's-eye view of Winnipeg in 1884
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    • Winnipeg 1884: Finding the Past in Our Present >
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Finding the past in our present
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A bird's-eye view of winnipeg in 1884

Prior to the invention of photography and its wide-spread use, these intricate and beautifully drawn lithograph prints were as close as you could get to a "Bird's-Eye View" that would be recognizable as such today. This print hangs in our Display Room gallery at the Ross House Museum and provides not only a phenomenal view of the growing city, but a glimpse at some of the breath-taking  architectural landmarks lost to time. 

This map from W. G. Fonseca may not be as accurate as our Google Maps of today, but this view, along with other maps, accounts, and photographs from the period provide important information not only for historians, but everyone who wants to know a bit more about the city they live in.

Us at Ross House have done a bit of research, locating the buildings pictured around Forseca's map that are still standing, and have found information about the buildings that have sadly been lost to time. Hopefully, by learning a bit about this map, you're able to better appreciate the city around you and how much Winnipeg has changed over the course of almost 140 years. 

Thank you to Ferron Guerreiro for their research, Jim Smith for their valuable knowledge about maps, and the Museum's curator Eric Napier Strong. 

- Alyssa Homeniuk, Curatorial Assistant 

Lithograph Map of the City of Winnipeg and surrounding areas. Perspective from the East. Sketches of significant buildings located along the frame of the map image.
"Winnipeg, 1884" by W.G. Fonseca. Image Source: https://www.loc.gov/item/99463757/.

About the project


The first objective of this project was to locate the buildings pictured along the border of W.G. Fonseca's 'Winnipeg, 1884' map, and find out if they were still standing. The second objective of this project was to provide further information, either text or image based, to better contextualize these buildings and their histories within greater history of Winnipeg narrative and our present cityscape. 

To make this project accessible, we plotted the addresses and co-ordinates on an interactive Google Map, along with other recognizable landmarks and significant places related to both Ross House Museum and our sister museum, Seven Oaks House Museum. If you're looking for an adventure in Winnipeg this summer, this is a great map to explore, either by foot, by bike, by transit, or by car. 

Images of these buildings contemporary-to Fonseca's map are included where available, as well as more contemporary images to illustrate the sites' histories. They will be sited individually, and if you have any questions regarding the sources of these images or accompanying information, shoot us a DM on Facebook or Instagram, or an email. Sources can be found on each building's individual page.  


Click here to Follow Along with the interactive google map


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Explore the sites 

Lithograph print of a drawing of Residence of A.G.B. Bannatyne.
Residence of A.G.B. Bannatyne
Lithograph print of a drawing of St. John's College.
St. John's College
Lithograph print of a drawing of St. John's College Ladies School.
St. John's College Ladies School
Lithograph print of a drawing of Hudson's Bay Land Office.
Hudson's Bay Land Office
Lithograph print of a drawing of Hudson's Bay Co. Store.
Hudson's Bay Co. Store
Lithograph print of a drawing of Woods & Ovens Biscuit Manufactory.
Woods & Ovens Biscuit Manufactory
Lithograph print of a drawing of Grand Pacific Hotel.
Grand Pacific Hotel
Lithograph print of a drawing of Manitoba Free Press Office.
Manitoba Free Press Office
Lithograph print of a drawing of M. Keachie's Palace Stables.
M. Keachie's Palace Stables
Lithograph print of a drawing of J.H. Ashdown Hardware.
J.H. Ashdown Hardware
Lithograph print of a drawing of Redwood Brewery.
Redwood Brewery
Lithograph print of a drawing of Ryan's Boot & Shoe Store.
Ryan's Boot & Shoe Store
Lithograph print of a drawing of Manitoba College.
Manitoba College
Lithograph print of a drawing of St. Mary's Academy
St. Mary's Academy
Lithograph print of a drawing of Boy's College, St. Boniface.
St. Boniface Boys College
Lithograph print of a drawing of St. Boniface Cathedral.
St. Boniface Cathedral
Lithography print of drawing of Episcopal Palace, St. Boniface.
Episcopal Palace, St. Boniface
Lithograph print of drawing of Ladies College, St. Boniface.
Ladies College, St. Boniface
Seven Oaks House Museum & Ross House Museum sit on Treaty One land:
​The traditional territory of the Anishinaabeg and Ininíwak, the land of the Dakota and the homeland of the Red River Métis.

Contact us:

Eric Napier Strong - Curator / Manager

Seven Oaks House Museum

204-339-7429
SOHMuseum@gmail.com
50 Mac Street, Winnipeg, MB

​Ross House Museum

204-942-5396
RHouseMuseum@gmail.com
140 Meade Street North, Winnipeg, MB

Operated with support from

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  • Seven Oaks House Museum
    • Visiting Information
    • Events >
      • Past Events
    • School Programs
    • Rentals
    • History >
      • John & Mary
      • Children
      • George T Inkster
      • Nahovway & Colin
      • An Enduring Legacy
      • Changing Times
    • Volunteer
    • Donate
    • Our Mission
  • Ross House Museum
    • Visiting Information
    • Events
    • History >
      • Artifact Gallery
      • The Ross Family >
        • Jemima McKenzie Ross
    • Volunteer
    • Our Mission
  • Learning
    • Self-Guided Tours
    • Video Tours
    • Winnipeg 1884: Finding the Past in Our Present >
      • Residence of Hon. A.G.B. Bannatyne
      • St. John's College
      • St. John's College Ladies School
      • Hudson's Bay Land Office
      • Hudson's Bay Co. Store
      • Woods & Ovens Biscuit Manufactory
      • Grand Pacific Hotel
      • Manitoba Free Press
      • M. Keachie's Palace Stables
      • J.H. Ashdown Hardware
      • Redwood Brewery
      • Ryan's Boot & Shoe Store
      • Manitoba College
      • St. Mary's Academy
      • St. Boniface Boys College
      • St. Boniface Cathedral
      • Episcopal Palace, St. Boniface
      • Ladies College, St. Boniface
  • Gathering
    • Contemporary Artists
  • Employment Opportunities