Historic Sites in Grassland






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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. Historic Sites in Grassland Grassland East Grassland West