Manitoba Historical Society
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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, the museum has grown to become a major tourist attraction in western 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 Sear

1957-1965

D. McKeand

1965-1966

Frank Sims

1966-1970

D. McKeand

1970-1971

G. Hay

1971-1975

T. Scott

1975-1977

Frank Sims

1977-1978

Clifford Wesley Carrothers (1914-2010)

1978-?

?

?-2017

Robert Beamish

2017-?

Angie Klym

Collections

A notable 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

 

Ayr School No. 150

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

 

Brookdale Grain Warehouse

 

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

 

Canadian National Railway Station

This CNR building was moved from Baldur in 1975

 

Canadian Pacific Railway Toolshed

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

 

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

 

 

Carrothers House

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

 

Centreville School No. 606

This wood frame schoolhouse was moved to the museum in 1960

 

Union No. 108 Masonic Lodge

 

 

Manitoba Telephone System Building

 

 

Mekiwin Manor

This residence, built in 1918 by the Hutchison family south of Gladstone, was moved to the museum in 1976

 

Muir Cabin

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

 

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

 

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 extant bridge in Manitoba

 

St. Saviour’s Anglican Church

This church was moved here from its original site west of Minnedosa to the museum in 1972

 

Westbourne Post Office

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

 

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 was moved to the museum in 1976

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 threshing machines

Sheds with threshing machines (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

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

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:

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, and David Ford for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 15 July 2023

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.

Browse lists of:
Museums/Archives | Buildings | Monuments | Cemeteries | Locations | Other

Inclusion in this collection does not confer special status or protection. Official heritage designation may only come from municipal, provincial, or federal governments. Some sites are on private property and permission to visit must be secured from the owner.

Site information is provided by the Manitoba Historical Society as a free public service only for non-commercial purposes.


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