Home / Accueil

The Big House

Highway 9, Selkirk, Manitoba, Canada

Formally Recognized: 1990/05/24

Side view of the Big House, showing the colombage pierroté of the annex, which consists of a heavy oak timber frame infilled with rubblestone and mortar and finished in stucco, 1989.; Parks Canada Agency / Agence Parcs Canada, K. MacFarlane, 1989.
Side view
Rear view of the Big House, showing its two linked structures, both of which have prominent hipped roofs and masonry chimneys, 1989.; Parks Canada Agency / Agence Parcs Canada, 1989.
Rear view
Façade of the Big House, showing the three-sided verandah extension at the main house, 1989.; Parks Canada Agency / Agence Parcs Canada, 1989.
Façade

Other Name(s)

n/a

Links and documents

Construction Date(s)

1830/01/01 to 1832/01/01

Listed on the Canadian Register: 2009/02/24

Statement of Significance

Description of Historic Place

The Big House is centrally located within the perimeter walls of Lower Fort Garry National Historic Site of Canada. The L-shaped, two-storey residence is composed of a main house and attached annex, both of which have prominent hipped roofs and masonry chimneys. The main house is distinguished by its rubblestone walls that are simply detailed with cut stone at the openings, and by its three-sided verandah extension. The annex is notable for its stucco-clad masonry walls, large multi-pane sash windows and panelled doors, all symmetrically arranged on the building’s façades. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

The Big House is a Classified Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental values.

Historic Value
Lower Fort Garry was an administrative headquarters for fur trading and the focal point of the lower Red River settlement, as well as an important link to Britain. The construction of the Big House reflects the consolidation of the fur trade under the Hudson’s Bay Company and the development of the fort as a transhipment depot and agricultural supply centre. The Big House is associated with George Simpson, Governor of the Hudson’s Bay Northern Department's fur trade, who initiated the construction of the fort as a centre from which to manage the fur trade. The house is also associated with the North West Mounted Police, whose headquarters were initially located at the fort.

Architectural Value
The Big House is a very good example of a residence and administrative building designed in the British Classical tradition. The L-shaped structure was built in two visually distinct stages, each with a dominant hipped roof and domestically scaled symmetrical façades. The annex was constructed using colombage pierroté as the structural system.

Environmental Value
The Big House is a part of the historic enclave defined by the perimeter walls of the fort, and its central location has ensured its prominence over the years.

Sources: Kate MacFarlane, Lower Fort Garry National Historic Site, Big House, Selkirk, Manitoba, Federal Heritage Building Review Office Building Report 89-004; Furloft/Saleshop, Lower Fort Garry National Historic Site, Selkirk, Manitoba, Heritage Character Statement, 89-004.

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the Big House should be respected.

Its good aesthetic and functional design and very good craftsmanship and materials, for example:
- its two linked structures, both of which have prominent hipped roofs and masonry chimneys;
- the three-sided verandah extension at the main house;
- the incorporation of stone construction and colombage pierroté;
- the rubblestone walls of the main house, which are simply detailed with cut stone work at the openings;
- the colombage pierroté of the annex, which consists of a heavy oak timber frame infilled with rubblestone and mortar and finished in stucco;
- the symmetrical balance and good proportional relationships of the windows and doors, which is typical of the British Classical style used for fur trade buildings.

The manner in which the Big House reinforces the historic military character of its setting in the Lower Fort Garry National Historic Site of Canada and is a well-known building, as evidenced by:
- the central location and scale of the Big House, which ensures its prominence within the fort environs.

Recognition

Jurisdiction

Federal

Recognition Authority

Government of Canada

Recognition Statute

Treasury Board Heritage Buildings Policy

Recognition Type

Classified Federal Heritage Building

Recognition Date

1990/05/24

Historical Information

Significant Date(s)

n/a

Theme - Category and Type

Function - Category and Type

Current

Historic

Residence
Single Dwelling

Architect / Designer

Hudson's Bay Company

Builder

n/a

Additional Information

Location of Supporting Documentation

National Historic Sites Directorate, Documentation Centre, 5th Floor, Room 89, 25 Eddy Street, Gatineau, Quebec

Cross-Reference to Collection

Fed/Prov/Terr Identifier

3516

Status

Published

Related Places

General view

Southwest Bastion

The Southwest Bastion is a low circular tower with a medium-pitched conical roof and forms part of the defensive perimeter of Lower Fort Garry. It is constructed of stone, with…

Exterior photo

Men's House

The Men’s House, located west of the Big House at Lower Fort Garry, is a modest, ‘T’-shaped utilitarian building with a low-pitched hip roof. The detailing of the building is…

Exterior photo

Lower Fort Garry National Historic Site of Canada

Lower Fort Garry National Historic Site of Canada is a former fur trade post, once the most extensive in western Canada. Situated near Winnipeg, Manitoba, 30 km. upstream from the…

SEARCH THE CANADIAN REGISTER

Advanced SearchAdvanced Search
Find Nearby PlacesFIND NEARBY PLACES PrintPRINT
Nearby Places