Historic Sites of Manitoba: Chatfield Park of Souvenirs Museum (Chatfield, RM of Armstrong)

This small private museum, closed as of Fall 2012, is situated in Chatfield in the Rural Municipality of Armstrong. Among the buildings in its collections are the Peace Lutheran Church (Polish National Apostolic Church, municipally-designated in 1999), Sandridge School No. 1363 (moved to the museum in 2002-2003 and reopened for visits in 2007), and Chatfield Creamery (on its original site). A guest house built of logs in 1932 sits next to the main museum building, which was formerly a barber shop and pool hall built in 1936. A telephone utility building, known as the “Hankie House” because it houses the museum’s collection of over 3,000 handkerchiefs, was brought from near Lower Fort Garry.

Among its extensive collections, the museum holds attendance and other records for 17 local school districts, including Markland School No. 828, Rondeau School No. 1213, Sandridge School No. 1363, Booth School No. 1444, Chatfield School No. 1610, Willowview School No. 1616, Wheathill School No. 1650, Fraserwood School No. 1666, Fish Lake School No. 1747, Narcisse School No. 1842, Buffalo Lake School No. 1881, Cook School No. 1900, Spruce View School No. 1936, and Three Sisters School No. 1747.

A noteworthy student who attended Sandridge School was artist Clarence I. Tillenius.

The museum closed in the Fall of 2012 following the death of its proprietor, Alfred Johnson. The main museum building was converted into a private residence.

Chatfield Museum (May 2011) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Chatfield Museum (June 2021) Source: Rose Kuzina “Hankie House” at the Chatfield Museum (June 2021) Source: Rose Kuzina Peace Lutheran Church (May 2011) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Sandridge School Building (May 2011) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Chatfield Creamery Building (May 2011) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Rear of the Chatfield Creamery Building (June 2021) Source: Rose Kuzina Aerial view of the museum (June 2020) Source: George Penner Site Coordinates (lat/long): N50.78494, W97.57177 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Peace Lutheran Church Monument (RM of Armstrong)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Municipally Designated Historic Sites

Sources:

“The past is presented at rural museum” by Bill Redekop, Winnipeg Free Press, 23 July 2007, page A6.

Obituary [Alfred William Johnson], Winnipeg Free Press, 19 September 2012.

We thank Geraldine Johnson and Alfred Johnson (1930-2012) for their kind hospitality during a brief visit to the museum in 2012, and George Penner and Rose Kuzina for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and S. Goldsborough.

Page revised: 29 January 2022

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