114 Second Avenue - Mutter House

Thomas Mutter arrived in Reston in the early 1900's to farm with his brother Bill.  He had been born in Kilmarnock, Scotland but sailed for Canada as a boy.  He along with his parents and ten siblings settled first in Ontario and later near Brandon.  In the 1901 census, he listed himself as a grain buyer since he also had the job as enumerator for that census in Reston.  Later he was an agent for the Lake of the Woods elevator, a position he held for 20 years. This elevator was at the end of Third Street and had a capacity of 35,000 bushels. Thomas had 2 brothers (George and John) who ran the Mutter Bros Store in the LaPlont Block at 924 Rosser Avenue Brandon that is featured today as an exhibit in the Daly House Museum. 

Thomas married Margaret Barber in 1908 at Portage.  The red brick house at 114 - 2nd Avenue featured in this blog post was built in 1909.  The Heritage Manitoba website  contains details of all the known brick manufacturers in Manitoba and these distinctive red ones may have come from the Melita plant belonging to J. Dobbyn who advertised as being just as cheap but better than lumber.  A 1904 ad for Virden Brick prices them at $12 per 1000 bricks. 

Thomas seems to have been a busy man as he was the first fire chief for the town and his name is associated with early hockey and curling teams.  A member of the Masonic Lodge and hosting elegant bridge parties in their home filled their social calendar.  Tom and Margaret had a family of three: Vera Dorothy (later McDougall), "Jack" Orville Earl (who married Kay Mennie from just across town) and Egbert Allan Gerald "Bert". Jack and Bert Mutter both later ran the Lake of the Woods elevator until it burned in 1950. Thomas died in 1953 and Margaret the next year and are buried in Reston Cemetery. 

Vera Mutter McDougall and her husband Foster lived in the red brick house for a time after he retired from work in The Pas.  They passed away in the early 1990's.   Their daughter Bev Campion remains in the area.  

Blaine Kennedy and Shelly Tesarski were married on the lawn of her parents home at 325 First Street. They lived in the Mutter house from 1980 to 1996 and had 3 children - Candace, Nicholette and Zachary. They took on turning the attic into living space - a bathroom, bedroom and common area that the kids used as a game/recreation room. They also added the porch and balcony above as the before and after pictures below show.  Thanks Nicholette for sharing these with me. 

Barry and Lil Brice opened the house as the Sundial Bed and Breakfast in June 1997.  The house was named a Municipal Heritage Site   that same year. They completed extensive renovations and upgrades and welcomed many guests. By completing the paperwork involved, they put it and the grounds on the list of Canada's Historic Places. 

Kelly Hiebert and her family have lived in the Mutter House for the last decade and it remains a spot of beauty well over a century since its construction.  

216 Railway Avenue - McAdam House

216 Railway Avenue - McAdam house written by Fletch Manning in 2002

This is the McAdam house as it was known for a long time. It is situated on Railway Avenue. Back in 1900 (and maybe a year earlier) Mr. McAdam built this house for he and his wife. Mrs. McAdam was known for her baking. She baked bread and other pastries for her customers. On the death of Mr. McAdam, Mrs. McAdam moved to Regina.

The house was rented for a short time by Mr. Jack Kay and family who lived there until they bought their own home on the site now occupied by the Terry Pauls. In 1942 Mr. and Mrs. Jack Cronk and family came to Reston and moved into this house. In 1948 Howie and Cathy McIntosh return from the east and purchased the house from Mrs. McAdam. Bill and Linda Hume and family took up residence in 1966 until 1992.

Gary and Peggy Dixon from the Broomhill area move to this location in 1996 and Peggy still resides there.

It has been interesting to note that this house was home to some businesses. Mrs. McAdam had her baking.... Cathy McIntosh had a dress shop.... Mrs. Cronk did custom sewing.... Linda Hume had a beauty salon.

Today Peggy drives the school bus.

103 - 1st street - McDougall House

103 - 1st street McDougall House written by Fletch Manning in 2002

“The Old McDougall House” as it was once called is where Alice Zarn lives at the corner of first Street and 2nd Ave. on the south side. This house was supposedly built by one of the Paul brothers as they were building the one directly south. Mr. Bill McDougall bought and lived in the house. Bill was the father of Foster McDougall. When the McDougalls were gone Mr. Lewis Ranger and family lived here for a short time until taking up residence in a nearby home.

Mr. Lansing and family were the next owners who lived here for several years before selling their home to the Parsonages in 1955.

Mr. and Mrs. Parsonage were from the Stonehill district. Mr. Parsonage died shortly after moving to Reston while shovelling snow.

Mrs. Parsonage continued living here until the house was sold to Frank Basiuk. Frank and Thelma moved to Reston when Frank accepted a teaching position at the Reston Collegiate. The Basiuks lived in this home until 1967 and the house was sold to the Zarn family. Carol and Bob lived there until moving west and it was taken over by their mother Alice who is still residing here in Reston.

February 2020 update by Sharon 
In January of 2007, Ken and Frances Martin moved into their new home at 146 - 1st Street, the site of the former McDougall house. 

248 -5th street – Duncan House

248 -5^th street – Duncan House written by Fletch Manning in 2002

This is the Duncan house which is across from the municipal office to the south. This was built and owned by Mr. George Fraser Sr.  who with his family resided there. Later it was leased by a Mr. Dave Johnson who was an uncle to Lloyd Johnson. Mr. Johnson was a baker who worked in the bake shop in Reston. This bake  shop was just south of the G.S. Monroe store (now Reston Fine Foods).

During the war years, from 1942 until 1945 Hank and Metta Klusendorf lived there. In 1945 Mr. Fraser sold the building to J.R. Duncan and they moved into town for a few years. Newlyweds Bev and Norma Lockhart rented this house from 1949 until 1951. In 1952 Orie and Lil Duncan and their family moved from the Linklater district to make Reston their home. Lil still resides there.

February 2020 update by Sharon
Lil Duncan passed away in 2008.  For many years she walked miles around town every day in a dress no matter how cold the weather.  

This home was owned by Randy and Candace Morris for a time and they completed many renovations including changing the red insul-brick siding to a deep red as can be seen in Google Maps here from 2014. 
In June of 2019, the Duncan house was destroyed by fire.  

520 3rd Avenue - Mennie House

This two story house at 536 Third Avenue is an impressive abode with a large yard and is now home to the Green family. Todd and Leah Lobreau and their girls and Myles and Bernice Van Damme and their boys have previously called it home.  Ben Kroeker owned the house from 1973-1980.  He and his wife Gerrie came to Reston when he was principal at the Collegiate but also made their living as a journalist and business owner.  
First residents of this house seem to be the Mennie family. William Mennie (36 years old), wife Jane(33), daughter Catherine (7 years old) and sons William Jr (5) and Alexander D.(3) came to Canada from Ellen, Scotland in 1921 and can be found on the census that year as farm workers for Stuart Gillie near Virden.  By 1924, the family of 5 is living in Reston and William has a draying (hauling) business on the southeast corner of the Main Street and Railway Avenue.  Above the business was a hall known as Mennie's Hall where meetings and social events took place in the early days and it stood until 1972 when it was torn down.  The 1981 Pipestone history book describes Mennie's Hall (also called Jackson's Hall) as being reached by twenty-two open steps leading up from the north and having a stage for dramatic performances.  I have been told at one time, William Mennie owned all the land north and east of his home right up to #2 highway and 9th street. Many homes now fill that neighbourhood and looking at it now, it is hard to imagine the vast wetlands that once covered that spot. 
William was an adaptable businessman as he soon became a coal dealer and later an agent for Imperial Oil. He was first to install gas bowsers on the street in front of his business.  Bill and Jane raised their three children in this home.   
Both sons enlisted in WWII and tragically, Sergeant William Mennie Jr. lost his life at the age of 29 near the end of the war on June 1, 1945.  He is buried in Holten Canadian War Cemetery in the Netherlands. A poignant verse appears on his gravestone as chosen by his family.  Pictures below were found on the Veteran Canada website here.   

  Second son Alexander Duncan (known as Scottie) returned to Reston and took over his father's business in 1946 , married and settled in his own house in Reston at 154 9th Street. Scottie and his wife Shirley (nee Cronk) had 2 sons and left for points west in about 1970 when he sold the Imperial Oil business to Ross Benzie.  Scottie died in 2013 in Calgary.  
Daughter Catherine (Kay) Mennie married Jack Mutter in 1940 and moved around different points in Manitoba.  They had one son Jack Jr. 
The home has had many remodels over the years but continues to impress with a U sidewalk set back from the street. It seems to be of FourSquare design as are many of Reston's older homes.  The symmetry from the front is a classic detail and likely dates from 1910-1925.  Exact date of construction of the Mennie home is unknown currently but maybe one of my readers has the answer?  Comment below or email me additions and corrections please! ssimms@escape.ca