Souris Dominion Post Office Building
21 Crescent Avenue W,
Souris

Designation Date: March 18, 1991
Designation Authority: The Town of Souris
Present Owner: Souris Fellowship Club Inc.

The postal service was a vital public service that the Dominion government provided, and the post office buildings that were erected were typically of the highest quality, powerful symbols of the maturity of the country. Souris’s post office was designed under the supervision of David Ewart, Chief Architect of Public Works and was built between 1911 and 1912. The firm of M.A. Pigott & Sons was responsible for the construction.

Compared with other post office buildings in Manitoba, this is an unusual example. Where the Chief Architect’s Office had created solid, boxy post offices with corner towers in places like Carman, Morden and Minnedosa, here they came up with a different approach. The building is sleeker, with numerous limestone bands that encircle the building and emphasize its width, rather than the height. Classical detailing like the cornice at the roof line and pediment over the doorway create a dignified and reliable impression.