Manitoba Heritage Council Commemorative Plaques

Isbister School
Vaughan Street,
Winnipeg

The oldest surviving public school building in Winnipeg, Isbister School was built during the fall and winter of l898-99 to plans by Samuel Hooper, Provincial Architect of Manitoba from l904 to l9ll. Named for Alexander Kennedy Isbister (l822-l883), the eminent scholar and educator of Scottish and Cree parentage, it was used as a model for a number of Winnipeg Schools built after the turn of the century.

With its picturesque roof line, varied surfaces, round and square-headed windows, columns, pilasters and tower loggia, it incorporates elements from various styles including Romanesque and Queen Anne Revival. In short, it is a fine example of the late Victorian fashion for architectural eclecticism.