July 9, 2021

Finding the Past in Our Present: A Bird’s-Eye View of Winnipeg in 1884

Ross House Museum is exploring the history of Winnipeg’s built heritage from 137 years ago with its exciting new project, Finding the Past in Our Present: A Bird’s-Eye View of Winnipeg in 1884. The digital project was inspired by the iconic 1884 birds-eye view map of Winnipeg produced by W. G. Fonseca, which hangs in the Display Room gallery at the Ross House Museum. Researchers delved into the story of 18 of the buildings featured in the boarder of the map, plotting their location on a modern Google map, amassing images and sharing their history. While some building have been lost to the mists of time, other still stand tall, connecting us to our past and serving our community. You can appreciate Winnipeg’s transformation since 1884 by visiting the project’s website or by adventuring out to see the sites in person. You might be surprised by how much the city has changed while other parts remain unfazed by the last 137 years!