Manitoba Municipal Heritage Site No. 54

F. Sowden House
26 Crescent Avenue E,
Souris

F. Sowden House
Designation Date: November 5, 1990
Designation Authority: Souris (Town)
Present Owner: Souris Hillcrest Community Corporation Inc.

The F. Sowden House stands as a testament to the optimism and ambition of pioneering families arriving in southwestern Manitoba around the turn of the twentieth century. The home is a unique ‘prairie castle’ commissioned by members of a locally prominent family, Fred and Maud Sowden, the son and daughter-in-law of Squire Sowden, a businessman and founder of Souris. Meant to recall the castles of Maud’s childhood in England and India, the structure conveys an image of strength and solidity with its crenellated towers. The fanciful, yet sophisticated design, conceived by local architect Carter Brindle, is strikingly distinct from the architectural landscape of the area.