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Population | Mayors / Reeves | Memorable Manitobans | Historic Sites | History Books | Maps | Contact Information | Sources
Virden was established in 1882 as a stopping point on the Canadian Pacific Railway as it moved west across the prairies. Initially known as Gopher Creek, for a creek that flowed into the Assiniboine River, its name was changed to Virden in 1883, for the country estate of the Duke of Manchester, who served on the CPR Board of Directors. Oil was discovered in its vicinity in 1957, making Virden the centre of Manitoba’s “oil patch.”
Present Status |
Town of Virden (14 September 1904) |
Incorporation History |
Village of Virden (2 August 1890)
Town of Virden (14 September 1904)
|
Adjoining Municipalities |
Wallace-Woodworth |
Land Area (square km) |
8.97 |
Population
Year |
Total |
1891 |
606 |
1901 |
901 |
1906 |
1471 |
1911 |
1550 |
1916 |
1618 |
1921 |
1361 |
1926 |
1380 |
1931 |
1590 |
1936 |
1481 |
1941 |
1619 |
1946 |
1597 |
1951 |
1746 |
1956 |
3225 |
1961 |
2708 |
1966 |
2933 |
1971 |
2823 |
1976 |
2936 |
1981 |
2940 |
1986 |
3054 |
1991 |
2894 |
1996 |
3137 |
2001 |
3109 |
2006 |
3010 |
2011 |
3114 |
2016 |
3322 |
2021 |
3118 |
Mayors
Term |
Mayor |
1890-1892 |
Robert Adamson (1852-?) |
1892-1894 |
William James Kennedy (1857-1912) |
1894-1896 |
B. F. Foster |
1896-1897 |
Benjamin Meek (1834-1905) |
1897-1904 |
Duncan McDonald (1856-1920) |
1904-1905 |
Richard Langtry (1866-1954) |
1905-1907 |
J. A. Blakeman |
1907-1909 |
George Clingan (1868-1953) |
1909-1911 |
James Robert Mullins (1864-1941) |
1911-1912 |
William A. Bridgett (1867-?) |
1912-1913 |
T. A. Carscadden |
1913-1916 |
T. M. Mitchell |
1916-1918 |
D. S. Carnahan |
1918-1921 |
H. N. Thompson (?-1953) |
1921-1922 |
James Henderson Chalmers (1876-1942) |
1922-1924 |
James Gardner |
1924-1925 |
James E. Rothnie (1887-1937) |
1925-1931 |
James Gardner |
1931-1935 |
A. E. Higginbotham |
1935-1941 |
George Jacob Gabel (1884-?) |
1941-1947 |
H. N. Thompson (?-1953) |
1947-1948 |
R. J. Timms |
1948-1949 |
James Gardner |
1949-1951 |
Clarence Moore (1884-1977) |
1951-1953 |
H. N. Thompson (?-1953) |
1953-1957 |
D. J. Reid |
1957-1961 |
John Clifford Cory (1904-1971) |
1961-1970 |
H. J. McNeill |
1970-1975 |
Steven Hegion |
1975-1977 |
Brian Archer |
1977-1980 |
Allen Shepherd Case (c1928-2010) |
1980-1986 |
W. Glen McKinnon |
1986-1989 |
Richard Joseph “Rick” Plaisier (1948-2017) |
1989-1993 |
W. Glen McKinnon |
1993-1995 |
Darcy Cockbill |
1995-1998 |
J. Richard Armstrong |
1998-2001 |
David J. Reid |
2001-2006 |
Stan Ward |
2006-2010 |
Bruce Dunning |
2010-2018 |
Jeffrey “Jeff” McConnell |
2018-2022 |
Murray Wright |
2022-? |
Tina Williams |
Memorable Manitobans
Search the MHS collection of biographies for ones connected to Virden:
Historic Sites
Go here for a list of historic sites in Virden.
History Books
Go here for a list of history books for Virden.
Maps
Sources
Geographic Names of Manitoba, Manitoba Conservation, 2000.
We thank Jeff McConnell for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 28 October 2022
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