Historic Sites of Manitoba: Big Grass Marsh Conservation Monument (Gladstone, Municipality of WestLake-Gladstone)

A monument along Highway #16 at Gladstone, in the Municipality of WestLake-Gladstone, was dedicated at a ceremony on 15 September 1988 in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the conservation of Big Grass Marsh. It was the first project undertaken by Ducks Unlimited Canada. Drained starting in the 1880s, construction of a dam at the outflow from the Big Grass Marsh, located east of this site, was completed in 1938, with the cooperation of the Province of Manitoba, Rural Municipality of Lakeview, Rural Municipality of Westbourne, local land owners, and lessees. The project was dedicated in 1961 to honour Manitoba sportsman and conservation advocate Isaac Pitblado.

Boating regatta in Big Lake within Big Grass Marsh, before it was drained to be used for agricultural production

Boating regatta in Big Lake within Big Grass Marsh, before it was drained to be used for agricultural production (1906)
Source: Ducks Unlimited Canada

Dam constructed on the south side of Big Grass Marsh to hold water and enable the marsh to be restored

Dam constructed on the south side of Big Grass Marsh to hold water and enable the marsh to be restored (December 1938)
Source: Ducks Unlimited Canada

Big Grass Marsh conservation commemorative monument

Big Grass Marsh conservation commemorative monument (August 2010)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N50.21959, W98.95280
denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Big Grass Marsh Monument (Langruth, Municipality of WestLake-Gladstone)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Big Grass Marsh Monument (Plumas, Municipality of WestLake-Gladstone)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Duck Factory No. 1 Building (Oak Hammock Marsh, RM of Rockwood)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Ducks Unlimited Monuments

Manitoba Organization: Ducks Unlimited Canada

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Happy Rock (Gladstone, Municipality of WestLake-Gladstone)

Sources:

We thank Bob Grant, Rick Wishart, Gary Garrioch, Don Sexton, and Dale Wrubleski for providing information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 9 June 2023

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