Historic Sites of Manitoba: Mennonite Village Museum / Mennonite Heritage Village (Highway 12, Steinbach)

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Photos & Coordinates | Sources

Established in 1967 by the Manitoba Mennonite Historical Society in collaboration with the Town of Steinbach and the Rural Municipality of Hanover, on a 40-acre site north of Steinbach, this facility was known originally as the Mennonite Village Museum. It was renamed the Mennonite Heritage Village in 1987. Open year-round as one of Manitoba’s Signature Museums, it tells the story of Mennonite faith and culture through the centuries, from the 16th century to the present day.

The site contains many restored historic buildings, including a Semlin (sod house), two housebarns, Mennonite church, general store, print shop, blacksmith shop, Mennonite Private School, and Barkfield School No. 1951. It features Canada’s only operational windmill, a 2001 reconstruction of one built in 1877. Also on the grounds is a monument bearing several commemorative plaques as well as a plaque erected by the Historic Sites Advisory Board of Manitoba in commemoration of the Mennonite East Reserve. (A plaque commemorating the Mennonite West Reserve can be found in the village of Rosenfeld.)

The Waldheim Mennonite House-Barn is the oldest heritage building at the museum. It was built around 1876 by Julius Dyck in the village of Waldheim, three miles south of Morden. The house was dismantled a few years later and moved to a new location outside the village. In the early 1960s it was moved to Mennonite Heritage Village. Restoration was done with funding from the Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program.

The Chortitz Mennonite House-Barn was built in 1892 by Jacob & Justina Teichroeb in the village of Chortitz South of Winkler. It was moved to the Steinbach Mennonite Heritage Village Museum.

Hochfeld House, is one of the earliest log dwellings built in the Mennonite village of Hochfeld, circa 1877, by Johann and Katharina Wiebe. It was modified many times and remained occupied until 1985.

Chortitz Old Colony Mennonite Church Community members provided logs to build their worship house in the village of Chortitz in 1881. It was used for regular services until 1967 when it was moved to the museum grounds.

The Lichtenauer Church, built in 1929-1930 originally was located in Ste. Elizabeth. The Church closed its in 1989 and in 1994 the building was moved to MHV.

The Mennonite Private School was built in the village of Blumenhof, near Altona in 1881.

Photos & Coordinates

Mennonite Semlin (sod house) at the museum (September 2013) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Hochfeld House, built in 1877 in the village of Hochfeld (September 2013) Source: Gordon Goldsborough The Blumenhof Mennonite School, built in 1885 and used until 1924 (September 2013) Source: Gordon Goldsborough The former Barkfield School building (September 2013) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Lichtenau Mennonite Church (2011) Source: George Penner Windmill at Steinbach’s Mennonite Heritage Village Museum (2003) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Waldheim Mennonite House-Barn (June 2011) Source: George Penner Waldheim Mennonite House-Barn (October 2019) Source: George Penner Chortitz Mennonite House-Barn (October 2019) Source: George Penner Hochfeld House (October 2019) Source: George Penner Chortitz Old Colony Mennonite Church Community (October 2019) Source: George Penner Lichtenauer Church (October 2019) Source: George Penner Blumenhof Mennonite Private School (October 2019) Source: George Penner Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.552024, W96.688110 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Memorable Manitobans: Johann C. “John” Reimer (1894-1990)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Mennonite West Reserve (Rosenfeld, RM of Rhineland)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Barkfield School No. 1951 (RM of Hanover)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Steinbach Plaques (Mennonite Heritage Village, Steinbach)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Lichtenau Mennonite Cemetery (RM of DeSalaberry)

On the Road to Manitoba Museums by Maria Zbigniewicz

Mennonite Heritage Village

Sources:

“Souvenirs of 1967,” Winnipeg Free Press, 13 July 1965, page 17.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough, George Penner, and S. Goldsborough.

Page revised: 27 January 2022

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