Walking the Exchange District: Brick, Cast Iron and Coffee
Winnipeg's Exchange District is a twenty-block National Historic Site that survived the city's early-20th-century boom and bust intact. Brick, cast iron, terracotta and limestone — the warehouses here were built when Winnipeg briefly believed it was going to be the Chicago of the North. The boom ended in 1914. The buildings stayed.
A self-guided walking route
Start at Old Market Square. Walk north on King Street, turn right on Bannatyne, then left up Albert. Look up: cornices, dentils, and date stones from 1899 to 1912. Coffee at Forth or Thom Bargen breaks the walk neatly in half.
Where to eat
- Clementine — brunch, Princess Street.
- Hermanos — Argentine steak, Bannatyne.
- Deer + Almond — small plates, Princess.
- Capital Grill & Bar — old-school, King.
Pair it with our first-timer guide for a full-day itinerary.
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