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The Two Desfords - A pioneer settlement is reborn as a railway village
Ken Storie
An article from Vantage Points V - The Turtle Mouintain - Souris Plains Heritage Association

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American in 1883. He passed through Brandon and then went south. In the book he published, he mentioned one of the little villages that came and went in those early days. “On our route we passed a store named Desford, where we watered our horses; but the water was bad. A road comes in here from Brandon. The Turtle Mountains are still to the south.” That’s about all he had to say, but the settlement got a mention.   The Desford community began in the late 1870's along the Old Commission Trail about twelve kilometres south-southeastof Boissevain, and was, after Wakopa, the first trading centre in the area.  People living where Boissevain would soon be located would do their shopping and get their mail at Desford in the store opened by E. Nichol. The first Church services were held at James Burgess’s log house. More Claims to Fame…. Duncan Henderson recalls: “Practically all our travel was done on foot and I have walked to Old Desford, eleven miles distant, for the mail and shouldered a hundred pound sack of flour back. “ Mrs. A. E. Cook recalled: “There were no stores where food could be purchased, nearer than Brandon, except those at Desford, Wakopa and Waubeesh. “