The Icelandic Canadian - 01.06.1984, Page 23

THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
21
trious Icelandic authoresses, twice win-
ner of the Governor-General’s award
for literature. Her first novel was “The
Viking Heart”, published in 1923. She
was also the first Editor of “The Ice-
landic-Canadian” magazine, 1942-43.
Turn left (south) at Sherbrook, and drive
to the intersection at Ross Ave., watching
for
17. ICELANDIC DISTRICT, cl885-1905.
By 1885 Icelanders had centralized in
a district of their own, then located
primarily between Isabel St. and
Sherbrook St. (then called Nena) and
between William Ave. and Pacific
Ave. (then called McWilliams). The
main business thoroughfare was Ross
St., with most commercial outlets
being located along the north side of
the street. Icelandic churches and social
centres were located in this district for
most of the period before the turn of
the century. It declined quickly after
1905 when the Great Northern Rail-
road purchased the north side of Ross
and the south side of Pacific as a right-
of-way west of Ellen St. The Icelandic
district then shifted to Sargent ave.
(NOTE: The Icelandic community still
retains at least one link with Ross Ave.
— the “Icelandic-Canadian” maga-
zine is prepared and printed at Wal-
lingford Press, located at 358 Ross,
east of Isabel.)
18. FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH, 1887-
1904 (656 Pacific Ave., SE comer at
Sherbrook). This was the first Ice-
landic church building constructed in
Winnipeg. Located on this comer, its
grey colour prompted the Icelanders
to nickname it “Grana” (“The Grey
One”). It was dedicated on 18 Decem-
ber 1887, and had a seating capacity
of 750 people. It was served by Rev.
Jon Bjamason. First Lutheran Church
was the successor congregation to
Trinity Lutheran Church which had
been founded in 1878 at “Icelandic
House” at Fort and Graham.
19. UNITARIAN CHURCH OF WIN-
NIPEG, 1892-1904 (649 Pacific Ave.,
NE comer at Sherbrook). The Uni-
tarian Church was formally established
in 1891, and was originally called the
First Icelandic Unitarian Church of
Winnipeg. It was the first Unitarian
congregation in Canada west of To-
ronto, Ontario. Early services had been
held at the Progrssive Society Hall.
This first church building was con-
structed in 1892 on Pacific, directly
across the street from First Lutheran,
and was referred to jocularly as “The
Grey One’s Colt”. Bjorn Pjetursson
served as the first minister and, after
his death, Rev. Magnus Skaptason
took up the call in 1894.
Turn left (east) onto Ross Ave. and fol-
low it through to Isabel St. You might like
to get out of your car and spend a short
while walking along this street; and you
will probably get more out of the area if
you do that!
20. ICELANDIC BUSINESS AREA,
1885-1905 (north side of Ross Ave.).
The area on the north side of Ross,
between Sherbrook and Isabel, func-
tioned as the main business area of the
Icelandic district before the turn of the
century and shortly after. At 611/13
Ross, Ami Frederickson had relocated
his store (originally established at
40372 Main St. in 1879) by 1887 and,
while he operated on this site, became
one of the founders of the first Ice-
landic political organization in Mani-
toba (“Icelandic Liberal Association
of Manitoba”, est. 1891) as well as
being elected the first Icelandic Aider-
man on the Winnipeg City Council
(1892). Just down the street (at about
555 Ross), Sigtryggur Jonasson, the