Key Number:	HS 36680
Site Name:	Mannville AGT Building
Other Names:	Mannville Library
Site Type:	1201 - Communications: Telephone Building 1202 - Communications: Radio or Television Station

Location

ATS Legal Description:

			Twp	Rge	Mer
			50	9	4

Address:	5041A - 50 Street
Number:	N/A
Street:	50
Avenue:	50
Other:
Town:	Mannville
Near Town:

Media

Type	Number	Date	View	Source

Architectural

Style:
Plan Shape:	Square
Storeys:	Storeys: 1
Foundation:	Basement/Foundation Wall Material: Concrete
Superstructure:	Nailed Frame
Superstructure Cover:
Roof Structure:	Pyramidal
Roof Cover:
Exterior Codes:	Massing of Units: Single Detached Wings: Unknown Wall Design and Detail: None Roof Trim - Eaves: Rafters Exposed Roof Trim Material - Eaves: Wood Roof Trim - Verges: Plain Soffit Roof Trim Material - Verges: Wood Towers, Steeples and Domes: None Dormer Type: None Chimney Location - Side to Side: Centre Chimney Stack Material: Brick Chimney Stack Massing: Single Roof Trim - Special Features: None Window - Structural Opening Shape: Flat Window - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Head: Plain Flat Window - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Sides: Plain Window - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Material: Wood Window - Sill Type: Plain Slip Sill Window - Sill Material: Wood Window - Trim Within Structural Opening - Head: Plain Window - Trim Within Structural Opening - Sides: Plain Window - Number of Sashes: One Window - Opening Mechanism: Single or Double Hung Window - Special Types: None Window - Pane Arrangements: 2 over 2 Main Entrance - Location: Off-Centre (Facade) Main Entrance - Structural Opening Shape: Flat Main Entrance - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Head: Shaped hood, with or without brackets Main Entrance - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Sides: Plain Main Entrance - Trim Outside Structural Opening Material: Wood Main Entrance - Trim Within Structural Opening - Head: Plain Main Entrance - Trim Within Structural Opening - Sides: Plain Main Entrance - Number of Leaves: 1 Main Entrance - Number of Panels Per Leaf: 1 Main Entrance - Leaves - Special Feature: Glass Main Stairs - Location and Design: First or Ground Floor, Open Railing Main Stairs - Direction: Straight Main Porch - Type: Recess Main Porch - Material: Concrete Main Porch - Height: First Storey
Exterior:	Small hip addition on rear, exposed rafters. The exterior is original except the roof. The brick veneer is in poor condition in places
Interior:	The interior has been modified very little and most finishes such as wood trims are intact
Environment:	N/A
Condition:	Structure: Good. Repair: Good. Fair (1993)
Alterations:	Bunglow style roof replaced original flat roof.

Historical

Construction:	Construction Date:
Construction Started	1904/01/01
Usage:	Usage Date:
Library A.G.T. Exchange Building	1917/01/01
Owner:	Owner Date:
The Village of Mannville AGT

Architect:	N/A
Builder:	N/A
Craftsman:	N/A
History:	Contract let JUL 19, 1917. The telephone exchange building appears to be standard AGT 'AA Type. Originally a flat roofed structure to which was added a hipped roof, probably around 1930. The land was purchased January 10, 1917. There was an apartment in the rear for operators. RESOURCE: Alberta Government Telephone Exchange Building ADDRESS: 5047 - 50 Street, Mannville BUILT: 1917 DESIGNATION STATUS: Registered Historic Resource HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE In October 1915, a new telephone exchange was opened in Mannville with a northern electric switchboard. On December 1, 1917, the exchange was moved into a newly constructed telephone office on Main Street built by Neil MacKinnon who became mayor a year later. MacKinnon had also constructed the original Mannville School and the McQueen Memorial Church. The Telephone Agent was Ellen Ewing. Mrs. Alice Rutherford, who would take over as Agent in 1920 and continue in this role until 1965 while herself residing in the AGT building, assisted her. During the 1930s the rural areas around Mannville formed mutual telephone companies. Six of these were eventually amalgamated into one company centered in Mannville. On May 1, 1965, automatic dialing was introduced to the village and its hinterland with the use of one of the finest underground cable systems to be installed in the province. As a result, the Mannville Telephone Exchange was closed. The building served for a while as the community library and has continued as a prominent historical feature of Main Street Mannville ever since. The historical significance of the Mannville Telephone Exchange lies in its provision of structural evidence of telecommunications in early Alberta. It is one of the oldest, if not the oldest telephone exchange buildings in the province, at least of those buildings dedicated exclusively to telephone service. It is also a reminder of the early development of downtown Mannville. *   *   * This building housed the telephone company's north Edmonton exchange from the time that it was built until 1937. The Edmonton Telephone Company (builder and owner of the structure) began operating in 1904, making it one of the province's oldest municipal utilities. (Notice of Intention)

Internal

Designation Status:	Designation Date:
Provincial Historic Resource	2009/10/27

Register:	N/A

Links

Internet:
Alberta Register of Historic Places:	4665-0669