SPECIAL
PLACES
Historic Sites in Grassland
**Download
the Complete Project
General Introduction to the Region
The Story Told by Maps
Historic Sites Maps
View
Highlights...
Town of Hartney
Hartney Rural
Sites
Elgin & Area
Minto & Area
Grand Clairiere
& Area
Lauder & Area
Fairfax & Area
Underhill Region
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About the
project...
The 3-part project has documented heritage sites in the Municipality of
Grassland.
For each site we have taken photos and attempted to determine the
origins and significance of the site, as well as noting,
for the
record, architectural, material and design details.
Each site has been placed on a map and any old photos or other
documentation unearthed is included in the file.
In some cases other
resources have been identified.
The Special Places Concept...
Special
Places Projects were developed by the Historic Resources Branch as a
method of creating Community Inventories of Heritage Resources and
subjecting the sites to an analysis process that will help communties
protect and use their heritage resources to best advantage.
The
project helps
communities develop the necessary processes, protocols and products
that
will lead to a deeper appreciation and celebration of local heritage.
It
will also put in place the messages and frameworks that will initiate
the
community into the kind of sophisticated dialogue that defines heritage
activity
in the 21st century.
Introduction
The Municipality of Grassland includes the former Municipalities of
Cameron and Whitewater as well as the Town of Hartney. It contains an
impressive collection of historic sites, which have been documented
through The Hartney Special Places Project, The R.M. of Cameron Special
Places Project and the Grassland Community Heritage Site Inventory
(Part II)
The projects were directed by the Grassland Heritage Advisory Group.
The actual work for the project was undertaken by Ken Storie, a
consultant hired through the Historic Resources Branch of Manitoba
Culture, Heritage, Tourism and Sport (with funding from the
department’s Heritage Grants Program).
This document is a summary of those projects. Sites have been grouped
based on the community and building type and each site has been
assigned an identification code.
Many residents of Grassland have participated in the project by
contributing information in the form of corrections and additions to
the inventory pages. In this way, the final project will incorporate
and preserve the collective knowledge of the town for present and
future generations.
The Story Told by Maps
Postal Routes - 1884
Before there were towns
and railways (which) created the towns, there
were communities, as identified by post offices. When the number of
settlers arrived in a region, someone would apply to the Federal
Government for a post office.
With the arrival of
railway lines, towns were formed, but these towns
were put where the railway wanted them. Most of the post office moved
to the new towns or were closed.
Notice the empty space
between Melgund and Heaslip? Much of that
land is thre Municipality of Grassland today. A Post Office named
Fairfax did open in the mid 80’s between Melgund and Heaslip.
Railway Routes
After the Railway reached Hartney and Lauder.
Note the Post Offices at Waneche and Fairfax.
After the Railway came through Minto and Elgin
The railway only went as far as Trackend (Argue) for a few years until
it pushed on through Hartney and Grand Clairiere.
Rails & Roads
In 1926 the main road from Brandon to Bpissevain passed through
Bunclody and ran just west of Minto. Highway 21 was in place.
By 1929 the new Riverside Bridge was in place and Highway 25 (Later
#10) took a more westerly route.
By 1956 the transition from a rail-based transportation to road was
complete. Rail service would soon begin to disappear.
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The James
Innes Milling Co. 1e Municipality of Grassland Collection
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