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Manitoba
History
No. 86


MHS Summer
Field Trip


This Old
Elevator


Abandoned
Manitoba


Memorable
Manitobans


Historic Sites
of Manitoba

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Manitoba Agricultural Museum (Austin, Municipality of North Norfolk)

Located on a 50-acre site three kilometers south of the junction of #1 and #34 highways, near the village of Austin in the Municipality of North Norfolk, the Manitoba Agricultural Museum features Canada’s largest collection of operating vintage farm machinery. Situated on a parcel of land donated in 1954 by local farmer Thomas J. Carrothers, the museum has grown to become a major tourist attraction in western Manitoba and is designated by the provincial government as one of its Signature Museums. The museum is the site of the Manitoba Amateur Radio Museum and the annual Manitoba Threshermen’s Reunion & Stampede.

The museum participated in the Manitoba Prairie Icons Program.

Another feature of the museum is its Homesteaders Village, a collection of over twenty original and replica buildings situated along a portion of the old Fort Ellice Trail. Intended to illustrate the pioneer experience in Manitoba, the village includes the following buildings:

Building

Description

Arizona United (Methodist) Church

This church served the community of Arizona from 1898 to 1974.

Ayr School No. 150

This original log school building was used from 1883 to 1908.

Mekiwin Manor

This residence was built in 1918 by the Hutchison family south of Gladstone.

Muir Cabin

The oldest structure in the village, dating from 1879, this log structure was moved to the site from its original location southeast of MacGregor.

Baldur CNR Station

This building was moved to the village in 1975 from a site in Baldur.

St. Saviour’s Anglican Church

This church was moved here from its original site west of Minnedosa.

MacGregor CPR Water Tower

This 1900 structure, a municipally-designated historic site, is similar to the former Glenboro Railway Water Tower and the Clearwater Water Tower. It was moved to the museum in 1987.

Westbourne Post Office

This building was originally built at Westbourne in 1902. It was moved to the museum in 1972.

Katrime Freight and Passenger Shelter

This small railway building was constructed at the community of Katrime in 1919. After it was no longer used by the railway, it was moved to a farm near MacGregor. It was moved to the museum in 2002.

Carrothers House

This building was the former residence of museum founder Thomas J. Carrothers.

CPR Toolshed

This simple railway maintenance building, once located at Austin, was moved to the museum in 1995.

Photos & Maps

Entrance to the Manitoba Agricultural Museum

Entrance to the Manitoba Agricultural Museum (2011)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

The former Centreville School building, moved to the museum in 1960

The former Centreville School building, moved to the museum in 1960 (July 2017)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Steam locomotive on display

Steam locomotive on display (2003)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Sheds with threshing machines

Sheds with threshing machines (2003)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

The Muirhead House, built of squared poplar logs near Carberry in the 1880s by the Muirhead family

The Muirhead House, built of squared poplar logs near Carberry in the 1880s by the Muirhead family (July 2017)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Homesteaders village

Homesteaders village (July 2017)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

A grain elevator in the Homesteaders village, a municipally-designated historic building, was built at Austin in 1905 for the Western Canada Flour Company

A grain elevator in the Homesteaders village, a municipally-designated historic building, was built at Austin in 1901 for the Western Canada Flour Mills (July 2017)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

The former Glenwood Roller Mills

Engine from the former Glenwood Roller Mills, now at the Manitoba Agricultural Museum (May 2018)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

A steel pony truss bridge, built over the Pembina River in 1893 (about N49.14829, W98.56401) and believed to be the oldest extant bridge in Manitoba

A steel pony truss bridge, built over the Pembina River in 1893 (about N49.14829, W98.56401) and believed to be the oldest extant bridge in Manitoba (May 2018)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Site Location (lat/long): N49.92428, W98.94632
denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Fort Ellice Trail Crossing (RM of Wallace-Woodworth)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Pembina Threshermen’s Museum (RM of Stanley)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Manitoba Prairie Churches Project / Manitoba Prairie Icons Project

Sources:

Manitoba Agricultural Museum

Pioneering in Highway Bridges for the Province of Manitoba and the Engineering Profession by George A. DePauw, 1993, page 28.

We thank Georgette Hutlet and Dave Ennis for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 16 May 2018

Historic Sites of Manitoba

This is a collection of historic sites in Manitoba compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society.

Browse lists of:
Museums/Archives | Buildings | Monuments | Cemeteries | Locations | Other

Please note that inclusion in this collection does not mean that a particular site has special status or protection. Some sites are on private property and permission must be secured from the owner prior to visiting.

Site information is provided by the Manitoba Historical Society as a free public service only for non-commercial purposes.

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