Historic Sites of Manitoba: Swan Valley Historical Museum (Swan River)

Link to:
Photos & Coordinates | Sources

The Swan Valley Historical Museum and Archives exists to collect, compile, record, publicize, preserve, restore, maintain, display and interpret articles, antiques and artifacts which portray the history and culture of the Swan River Valley from the Ice Age to the present for the education of residents and visitors. There are twenty buildings on the museum grounds, which depict Native and pioneer life in the Swan Valley.

Among the buildings at the museum is Lady Hubble School No. 2098, which operated at SW28-37-28W from 1923 to 1964. The museum also has materials pertaining to West Favelle School No. 1037, Swan River School No. 1047, Durban School No. 1080, Minitonas School No. 1102, and others.

Other buildings include the Darroch Building (built in 1940s and moved to museum in 1999), Canadian National Railway station from Bowsman, Manitoba Telephone System office from Benito, Ferguson House (built in 1923 and moved to museum in 1997), St. Peter’s Anglican Church (built at Kenville in 1930 and moved to museum in 1978) and the ship Princess (used on Lake Winnipegosis and moved to the museum in 1987).

A plaque commemorates Gertrude Twilley Richardson who was instrumental in organizing the first “Women’s Suffrage Society” in Manitoba on 22 March 1912 which existed until women got the vote in 1917.

Located near Swan River at the junction of Highway 10 and 83, Highway 10 North, on the east side of the bridge, the museum is open from 1 May to 31 September. Call 204-734-3585 for information.

A plaque commemorating the Swan River Valley, erected by the Historic Sites Advisory Board of Manitoba, is located at the entrance to the museum. A second commemorative plaque is located a short distance north of the site.

Photos & Coordinates

Lady Hubble School (no date) by A. J. Hatcher Source: Archives of Manitoba, School Inspectors Photographs, GR8461, A0233, C131-3, page 93. Exterior of Lady Hubble School (September 2012) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Interior of Lady Hubble School (September 2012) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Eight-sided log house built by local photographer A. B. Sovereen (circa 1910) Source: Gordon Goldsborough, 2016-0212 Eight-sided log house built by local photographer A. B. Sovereen (no date) Source: Nonni Jonsson Former Canadian National Railway Station from Bowsman at the Swan Valley Museum (September 2015) Source: George Penner Former St. Peter’s Anglican Church from Kenville at the Swan Valley Museum (May 2019) Source: George Penner Interior of the former St. Peter’s Anglican Church from Kenville at the Swan Valley Museum (May 2019) Source: George Penner Site Coordinates (lat/long): N52.12160, W101.25091 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Lady Hubble School No. 2098 (Municipality of Swan Valley West)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Abandoned Manitoba

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Railway Stations

Swan Valley Historical Museum

Sources:

One Hundred Years in the History of the Rural Schools of Manitoba: Their Formation, Reorganization and Dissolution (1871-1971) by Mary B. Perfect, MEd thesis, University of Manitoba, April 1978.

This page was prepared by Tim Worth, Alan Mason, Nonni Jonsson, George Penner, and Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 7 July 2019

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