Historic Sites of Manitoba: Manitoba Agricultural Museum (Austin, Municipality of North Norfolk)

Link to:
Presidents | Collections | Photos & Coordinates | Sources

Located on a 50-acre site three kilometers south of the junction of #1 and #34 highways, near Austin in the Municipality of North Norfolk, the Manitoba Agricultural Museum features Canada’s largest collection of operating vintage farm machinery.

Situated on a parcel of land donated in 1954 by local farmer Thomas James Carrothers, bisected by the historic Fort Ellice Trail, the museum has grown to become a major tourist attraction in Manitoba and is designated by the provincial government as one of its Signature Museums. The museum is the site of the Manitoba Amateur Radio Museum and the annual Manitoba Threshermen’s Reunion and Stampede.

Presidents

Period

President

1952-1955

Harold Lloyd Henderson (1907-1993)

1955-1956

George Henry Hambley (1896-1983)

1956-1957

Charles Arthur Sear (1894-1965)

1957-1965

David “Dave” McKeand (1894-1979)

1965-1966

William Frank Sims (1920-1990)

1966-1970

David “Dave” McKeand (1894-1979)

1970-1971

Gordon Macdonald Hay (1917-1984)

1971-1975

Tom Scott

1975-1977

William Frank Sims (1920-1990)

1977-1978

Clifford Wesley Carrothers (1914-2010)

1978-?

Bob Anderson

?-?

Ray Tolton

?-?

Bill McCreery

?-2007

John Helmut Neufeld (1948-2023)

2007-2010

Gerald Dueck

2010-2012

Chad Bodnarchuk

2012-2015

Gloria Sims

2015-2017

Robert Beamish

2017-?

Angie Klym

Collections

A feature of the museum is its Homesteaders Village, a collection of over twenty original and replica buildings situated along a portion of the old Fort Ellice Trail. Intended to illustrate the early pioneer experience in Manitoba, the village includes the following 19 municipally-designated heritage buildings:

Building

Description

Designation Year

Arizona United Church

This church, that served the community of Arizona from 1898 to 1974, was moved to the museum in 1975.

2018

Ayr School No. 150

This original log school building, used from 1883 to 1908, was brought to the museum in 1968.

2018

Brookdale Grain Warehouse

Believed to be the only grain storage warehouse (predecessor to the grain elevator) left in western Canada, this building was moved to the museum in October 2021.

2022

Canadian National Railway Freight and Passenger Shelter

This small railway building, constructed at Katrime in 1919, was moved to a farm near MacGregor after it was no longer used by the railway then moved to the museum in 2002.

2018

Canadian National Railway Station

This building, a Class 4 station building, was constructed at Baldur in 1893 by the CNR. It was moved to the museum grounds in 1975.

2018

Canadian Pacific Railway Toolshed

This simple CNR maintenance building, once located at Austin, was moved to the museum in 1995.

2018

Canadian Pacific Railway Water Tower

This 1900 CPR structure, similar to the former Glenboro Railway Water Tower and the Clearwater Water Tower, was moved from MacGregor in 1987.

2013

Carrothers Barn

This building was a former barn used by museum founder Thomas James Carrothers.

2018

Carrothers House

This building was the former residence of museum founder Thomas James Carrothers and his family.

2018

Centreville School No. 606

This wood frame schoolhouse, built in 1890 and closed in January 1959, was moved to the museum in March 1960.

2018

Manitoba Telephone System Building

This telecommunications building was moved from Tilston to the museum in June 1988.

2018

Mekiwin Manor

This two-storey residence, built in 1918 by the Hutchison family south of Gladstone, was moved to the museum in 1974.

2018

Muir Cabin

The oldest structure in the Homesteaders Village, dating from 1879, this log structure was moved from its original location southeast of MacGregor to the museum in 1972.

2018

Muirhead House

This house, built of squared poplar logs by the Muirhead family near Carberry in the 1880s, was moved to the museum in 1973.

2018

Pembina Bridge

A steel pony truss bridge, built over the Pembina River in 1893 (about N49.14829, W98.56401), is believed to be the oldest surviving bridge in Manitoba.

2018

St. Saviour’s Anglican Church

This church was moved from its original site west of Minnedosa to the museum in 1972. Restoration was completed the following year.

2018

Union No. 108 Masonic Lodge

This two-storey wood frame building once stood at Brookdale. Originally a bake shop, then a harness shop, the building was bought in 1916 by the local lodge of the Masonic fraternity. It was moved to the museum in 1986.

2018

Westbourne Post Office

This building, originally built at Westbourne in 1902, was moved to the museum in 1972.

2018

Western Canada Flour Mills Grain Elevator

This “standard plan” grain elevator was built in 1901 at Austin for the Western Canada Flour Mills, later sold to Manitoba Pool Elevators, and moved to the museum in 1976. It is the oldest surviving grain elevator in Manitoba.

2013

Photos & Coordinates

Aerial view of the Manitoba Agricultural Museum

Aerial view of the Manitoba Agricultural Museum (July 2020)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Steam locomotive on display

Steam locomotive on display (2003)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Sheds with vintage farm machinery

Sheds with vintage farm machinery (2003)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Former Centreville School building

Former Centreville School building (July 2017)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Muirhead House

Muirhead House (July 2017)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Homesteaders Village

Homesteaders Village (July 2017)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

St. Saviours Church

St. Saviours Church (June 2023)
Source: Glen Toews

Former Western Canada Flour Mills grain elevator from Austin

Former Western Canada Flour Mills grain elevator from Austin (July 2017)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Former Western Canada Flour Mills grain elevator from Austin

Former Western Canada Flour Mills grain elevator from Austin (July 2022)
Source: George Penner

Engine from the former Glenwood Roller Mills

Engine from the former Glenwood Roller Mills (May 2018)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Pembina Bridge

Pembina Bridge (May 2018)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Former Canadian National Railway freight and passenger shelter from Katrime

Former Canadian National Railway freight and passenger shelter from Katrime (July 2008)
Source: George Penner

Former Canadian National Railway station from Baldur

Former Canadian National Railway station from Baldur (April 1997)
Source: George Penner

Fort Ellice Trail monument unveiled in 1973

Fort Ellice Trail monument unveiled in 1973 (July 2017)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Memorial Wall at the Manitoba Agricultural Museum

Memorial Wall at the Manitoba Agricultural Museum (July 2023)
Source: George Penner

Small gauge steam locomotive from Port Nelson

Small gauge steam locomotive from Port Nelson (August 2022)
Source: David Ford

Tree Planting Car

Tree Planting Car (June 2023)
Source: Glen Toews

Brookdale Grain Warehouse undergoing restoration

Brookdale Grain Warehouse undergoing restoration (July 2023)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Brookdale Grain Warehouse

Brookdale Grain Warehouse (July 2023)
Source: George Penner

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.92567, W98.94781
denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Memorable Manitobans: Thomas James Carrothers (1880-1967)

Memorable Manitobans: Donald Ephriam Carrothers (1910-1988)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Brookdale Grain Warehouse (Brookdale, Municipality of North Cypress-Langford)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Steam Tractor Monument (Austin, Municipality of North Norfolk)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Fort Ellice Trail Crossing (RM of Wallace-Woodworth)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Manitoba Amateur Radio Museum (Austin, Municipality of North Norfolk)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Pembina Threshermen’s Museum (RM of Stanley)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Port Nelson (Hudson Bay, Northern Manitoba)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Sandilands Forest Discovery Centre (Sandilands Provincial Forest, RM of Reynolds)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Manitoba Prairie Churches Project / Manitoba Prairie Icons Project

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Railway Stations

Manitoba Business: Oak Lake News

Sources:

Obituary [Gordon Hay], Winnipeg Free Press, 7 June 1984, page 56.

Manitoba Agricultural Museum

Pioneering in Highway Bridges for the Province of Manitoba and the Engineering Profession by George A. DePauw, 1993, page 28.

We thank Georgette Hutlet, David Ennis, George Penner, David Ford, and Elliot Sims for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 9 September 2024

Historic Sites of Manitoba

This is a collection of historic sites in Manitoba compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. The information is offered for historical interest only.

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