16) Sieg's Corner

Sieg's Corner

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Sieg’s Corner, residing at the corner of Hwy. 44 and Brookfield Road, is a name that many might not be accustomed to. More often referred to as “Benny’s Corner” (because of the garage that was built in 1958, and still currently stands at the corner of Hwy. 44 and Hwy. 11), Sieg’s Corner was a bustling location from 1930 to 1974, with bus service still active until the late 1990s.

In 1919, a road was opened from Seddon's Corner to Sieg's Corner, providing a route to Beausejour and Winnipeg. This trail was called "The Automobile Road" until it officially became the Trans-Canada Highway in 1930. This corner became a major junction, with the Brookfield Road leading to the hydro project construction, the tourist areas of Whitemouth Falls and the Whiteshell, as well as the numerous farms and towns in the area.

With the opening of the road, many service stations began to spring up, one of those stations being Sieg’s Corner. Herman Sieg opened Sieg’s Corner Gas Station in 1930. This station had the first electric lighting plant in the area, a 32 volt system powered by a gasoline generator. The store was later enlarged, adding in a restaurant, ice cream parlor and groceries.

By 1932, there was scheduled bus service from Winnipeg to Kenora and Sieg's Corner was a major stop. Bus tickets were sold at Sieg’s Corner. Parcels and letters could also be given to the bus driver to be mailed in Winnipeg.

Herman ran the station until 1934, when he went into the lumber business. The station was then leased to Radio Oil Company, and sublet to various tenants. One of the most notable tenants was MLA George Henderson who sublet it for many years. The gas station would run until 1974, once the old Trans-Canada was torn out in favor of the new (and faster) Trans-Canada Highway #1.  

The original building was removed sometime in the 1980s. After the building was removed, the location was used for stockpiling gravel, which is no longer on site. This area is still known as Sieg's Corner. The Rural Municipality of Whitemouth recently installed a fire hydrant on the location, clearly marking the location on Sieg’s Corner. If you stop by Sieg’s Corner, you can still see part of the old Trans-Canada Highway that was the building block of eastern Manitoba and Winnipeg alike.

-Thank you to Cohen Sieg (great-grandson of Herman Sieg) for the updated details

Additional Details

Civic Number: N/A;   l    Amenities on Site: N/A   l    Building on Site: No


*Photo courtesy of the Sieg Family*