In September 1992, a Manitoba Heritage Council commemorative plaque was installed in a small Charleswood park at this site to commemorate it as the location of a ford used by bison herds, First Nations bands, and fur traders because of its shallow water and relatively short distance across the Assiniboine River. A ferry operated here from 1870 to 1908. A trail leading to the crossing was visible until around 1967 when it was covered by a housing development.
Access to this public park site is inconspicuous. From the intersection of Berkeley Street and Southboine Drive, proceed a few metres north on a gravel right-of-way that looks like (but is not) private property. A walking path meets this right-of-way, leading east to the river. The refurbished original plaque, with two additional interpretive plaques, was unveiled in June 2014 by the Charleswood Historical Society.
Approach to The Passage site (June 2014)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough
The Passage plaques (June 2014)
Source: Gordon GoldsboroughSite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.86451, W97.30222
denoted by symbol on the map above
See also:
Location for “The Passage” by J. S. McMahon
Manitoba Pageant, Volume 14, Number 1, Autumn 1968
“Assiniboine ford marked as historical site,” Winnipeg Free Press, 28 September 1992, page B2.
Information for this page was provided by The City of Winnipeg’s Planning, Property and Development Department, which acknowledges the contribution of the Government of Manitoba through its Heritage Grants Program.
We thank Len Van Roon for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 21 February 2021
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 | OtherInclusion 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.
Send corrections and additions to this page
to the MHS Webmaster at webmaster@mhs.mb.ca.Help us keep history alive!
