Lansdowne History

Timeline ... 1890 - 1899

The World

World’s Columbia Exposition (World Fair) opens in Chicago in 1893 – to commemorate the 400th Anniversary of Columbus’s arrival in the new world (1492). Featured prominently are exhibits highlighting the possibilities of electricity.

Canada

1891: The end of the John A. McDonald era.

1896: Gold discovered in the Klondike.

Manitoba

Manitoba School’s Question divides the nation as governments decide on the future of French Language instruction in schools.
The Manitoba Government authorizes the formation of local Farmer’s Institutes and provides some grants. The goal is to improve farming practices.

The Farmer’s Institute Act - 1890 – offers support to local farm groups.

Arden and the R.M. of Lansdowne

1890

Flour Mill built.

Glenholm Church

1891

Glenholm Church opens – served until 1960.
Council requests the Railway Co. to put a crossing in at the foot of the Beautiful Plain Ridge Road immediately.
George Jackson opens Arden’s first butcher shop.

1892

Twyford District #662 formed. It operated until 1951.
Winchester District #706 formed. It operated until 1967.

1893

St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church built and opened on October 22.

Presbyterian Church

The reeve and three councillors are appointed to report on ridges in Twp 17 and 18 with the view to their expropria¬tion for roads.

Keyes Post Office (then called Midway) opens at Henry R. Keyes.

Oakleaf District #745 formed. It operated until 1968.
Ivanhoe District #764 formed from part of Florence and Glenholm.
Winchester School built.

1894

Population of Arden is about 150.
A $2.00 per head was levied for the destruction of wolves.
The first Vestry Meeting of the Church of England, District of Arden was held on May in the Presbyterian Church..
Molesworth School District #765 formed. Dissolved in 1968.

1895

First Molesworth School built – a log building on NW 18-17-13. SD#765.

1896

A report in The Colonist, dated 1896, gives a very glowing account of the “Beautiful Plains” country, referring to it as “One of the most productive regions in the whole of Western Canada,” and claiming fifteen successive years of good crops.
The Colonist reports that, “A cheese factory is now in operation at Orange Ridge. It is fully equipped with modern machinery and is capable of producing 900 pounds of cheese a day.” The site was NE 32-17-14 on the farm of David Wilson who homesteaded there in 1888. Members of the company included: David Wilson, Billie George, Billie Cottam, Thomas Bailey, Sam Alexander, Billie Gilroy and Frank Donaldson.

Southwood Methodist congregation formed. Southwood Church later built on NE 14-14-14.

Galloway Bros. Of Gladstone opens a store in Keyes. The store served until the 1960’s.
Tenby Post Office opens at James Griffith’s residence.
Post Office established at Purple Ridge in the James Scott home.

Tenby School District formed on 7 April 1896, named for a town in Wales. The first school was located at SE13-18-13 west of the Principal Meridian, in the village of Tenby in the Rural Municipality of Lansdowne. It was known as a Union School because taxpayers from more than one municipality paid for it.

Ridgeview School District #883 formed. It operated until about 1917.

1897

The Reeve and Secretary-Treasurer are appointed to prepare an address of congratulations to Her Majesty on completion of sixty years on the Throne of the Empire and it was to be forwarded through the Lieutenant-Govemor.

The Independent Order of Foresters Arden View No. 3732 instituted at Arden in December.

1898

Construction of the Canadian Northern line from Gladstone to Dauphin creates the villages of Plumas, Tenby and Glenella.

Store in Tenby

A resolution is passed supporting producer grain cars so elevator companies would not hold a monopoly.
Edington School District #933 formed, named in honour of the first settlers in the district. Dissolved in 1967.
Orange Ridge Methodist Church built. (Moved to Birnie about 1909)

1899

Council grants Tom J. Lokier a compensation of 5167.50 for four horses shot for glanders.
The Reeve and Secretary-Treasurer are appointed to report on the diphtheria outbreak. Since it was practically impossible to disinfect a house the Reeve was to make arrangements with the resident to have the house burnt down.