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DID YOU KNOW?
Doctor Frank Skinner, world renowned horticulturist, national Person of Heritage Significance and resident of the RM of Shellmouth-Boulton, developed 144 new or improved varieties of landscape plants suited to our prairie climate. (learn more on the Gardens, Parks and the Arts self-guided tour).
Dr. Enoch Green, Veterinary Surgeon commonly known as "Doc" Green, after visiting Winnipeg in 1886 said it (Winnipeg) wasn't a bad town but it wouldn't amount to anything because it was too far from Birtle!
Thomas Alexander Crerar (1876 - 1975), a person of National Historic Significance for his influence in the development of the Canadian Grain Trade and involvement in National Politics got his start in 1904 as a farmer in the RM of Silver Creek, and as the second manager of the Russell Farmers' Elevator Company. (the first manager was fired for embezzlement). He also served as the first Reeve of the RM of Silver Creek, which fueled his interest in politics.
In 1906, he was elected to the board of directors of the Grain Growers' Grain Company, becoming its president in 1907. Under Crerar, the Grain Growers' Guide was developed as a farmers' journal. He also arranged for the purchase of the failed Manitoba Government elevators between 1916 and 1927. In 1917, the Grain Growers' and the Alberta Farmers' Cooperative Elevator companies joined to form the United Grain Growers' Company, with Crerar as president.
Crerar also helped form and led the Progressive Party from 1921 to 1922, which despite not having a National Party organization, won 39 or 43 seats in the Federal election.
Hidden away in Olha, MB lived Mike Swistun. A genuine Canadian folk hero. Billed by Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus (one of the more famous circus in the world) as "The Strongest Man in the World" , toured with the world famous troupe during the summer of 1923. Mike could once bend iron bars in his teeth, support five men on his stomach, and hold two automobiles to a stand-still with his massive arms.
Some townsfolk feared Mike because of his hypnotic powers - a gift fueled by his personal friendship with no less than Harry Houdini, possibly the greatest illusionist of all time.
Until Mike's death in 1980, he remained a vital human being. He still performed many of the illusions which astounded rural crowds across the West during the 1920's when he toured the small towns each winter.
There was a short film produced and a documentary telling Mr. Swistun's story. It's a true fairy-tale story of how a farm boy from Olha became a star in the most famous Circus in the world!
Russell is home to Major Charles Boulton, a soldier, settler, and senator who raised and led the Boulton Scouts against Louis Riel and the Metis people during the North West REbellion of 1885. (You can learn more about Major Boulton on the First Peoples of the Valleylands self-guided tour.)
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The Foxwarren Memory Garden was once the busy hub of the town with numerous businesses located within this block. As you tour the garden, plaques will tell you which businesses were located at each spot. How many businesses can you count?
The Rural Municipality of Russell was home to one of only two Barnardo Homes in Canada. The Russell location consisted of an 8,000 acres farm which had about 800 boys pass through its doors between 1888 and 1907. Although the home is no longer there you can visit the site on the Potash, Pioneers & Prairie Giants self-guided tour.
Baker's General Store in Vista, a piece of living history, has been operating since 1950!
The Valleylands is home to 3 National Historic Sites - The National Doukhobour Heritage Village located at Verigin Saskatchewan (featured in the Bounty of the Past self-guided tour), the Inglis Elevators National Historic Site (featured in the Potash, Pioneers and Prairie Giants self-guided tour) and Fort Esperence, (featured in the First Peoples of the Valleylands self-guided tour). Make sure you check out these impressive sites on your next visit to the Valleylands!
Although not the earliest school, the Marconi School is the only one in the area that has been restored and designated as a historic site. Built in 1922, the school was named Marconi after Guglielmo Marconi who developed wireless telegraphy. The J.J. Crow Lumber Co. in Rossburn built the school for $3,201 with the help of carpenter Frank Kennedy and local farmers who used horses and wagons for the 15 mile haul and were paid $6 per trip. The school opened with 69 students and closed with eleven. The first teacher's monthly salary was $1000 and the last was $237, with drops in the '30's and '40's as low as $45/month. (visit this impressive site on the Biking, Back Roads and Buddas self-guided tour)
Why did early travelers regularly stop in Birtle? Birtle was located along the Fort Ellice Trail and a freshwater spring was and is located on the banks of the Birdtail River where travelers could replenish their supply of fresh water. Today, Heritage Park (a stop on the Gardens, Parks and the Arts self-guided tour) is located at this site. Signs tell the story and mark the location of the spring and a stone stairway will take you down to the spot where the clear cool water runs into the Birdtail River.
In 1906 a CNR Station was opened in Roblin and closed in 1978 to later be open and operating as the Station Cafe specializing in Austrian cuisine.
Built in 1904, the interior of St. Michael's Ukrainian Catholic Church at Olha, MB remains original except for fresh paint on the walls and electricity for lighting was installed in 1952. (View the outside of this church during the Biking, Back Roads and Buddas self-guided tour.)
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Roblin is the fly fishing capital of Manitoba!
In 1999 Canadian Living Magazine voted Binscarth, Manitoba as "the Best Place to Raise a Family in Canada". It was chosen for its wonderful community spirit, safe & supportive family environment and ample opportunities for recreation and sport.
Along the Birtle River Walkway (Gardens, Parks and the Arts self-guided tour) you will find the lime kilns where gathered limestone was heated and made into a powder which was then mixed with cement to make mortar. They must have done a great job gathering the white stones as you will have a hard time finding any in the area now.
in 1904, the hamlet of Goose Lake decided a more suitable name was needed with the growing settlement happening in the community. It was decided that it would be renamed Roblin after the Honourable Rodmond P. Roblin, who was the Premier of Manitoba at the time. And so, that is how the Town of Roblin got it's name!
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Silver Beach Resort (located 12 km north of Angusville on PR#476 and 2 km east, in the RM of Silver Creek) was discovered in 1906 as a favorite local fishing and swimming hole. In its heydays from the 1920's to 1960's the resort had a dance pavilion, cottage development, a boy scouts camp and ball park. Today the dance pavilion has been restored and is used for special events, camping sites are available and there are over 70 cottages on the lake.
Do you know what a buckeye is? You don't have to go to Ohio to find one. Be sure to tour the Birtle Arboretum (part of the Gardens, Parks and the Arts self-guided tour) and look for the Ohio Buckeye tree. This Manitoba hardy zone 2 three has a unique flower in the spring and walnut sized buck-eyes in the fall.
Asessippi Provincial Park was established after the construction of the Shellmouth Dam, which formed Lake of the Prairies by flooding approximately 16,000 acres of farmland, designating another 6,000+ acres for the park & displacing hundreds of people in the Assiniboine Valley. The dam was constructed as a flood control measure for Brandon, Portage la Prairie and Winnipeg.
Just inside the Birtle Riverside Park gate is a stone cairn dedicated to pioneers of the area on the occasion of Birtle's 75th anniversary. Built into the cairn, you can find several stone hammer heads which were gathered up in the area. How many can you find? (Part of the Gardens, Parks and the Arts self-guided tour)
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