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

Link to:
Photos & Coordinates | Sources

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.
Canadian National Railway Freight and Passenger Shelter	This small railway building was constructed at 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.
Canadian National Railway Station	This building was moved from Baldur in 1975
Canadian Pacific Railway Toolshed	This simple railway maintenance building, once located at Austin, was moved to the museum in 1995.
Canadian Pacific Railway 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 from MacGregor in 1987.
Carrothers House	This building was the former residence of museum founder Thomas J. Carrothers.
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.
St. Saviour’s Anglican Church	This church was moved here from its original site west of Minnedosa.
Westbourne Post Office	This building was originally built at Westbourne in 1902. It was moved to the museum in 1972.

Photos & Coordinates

The former Centreville School building, moved to the museum in 1960 (July 2017) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Steam locomotive on display (2003) Source: Gordon Goldsborough 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 (July 2017) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Homesteaders village (July 2017) Source: Gordon Goldsborough 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 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 (May 2018) Source: Gordon Goldsborough The former CNR portable freight passenger station from Katrime (July 2008) Source: George Penner The former CNR station from Baldur (April 1997) Source: George Penner Site Coordinates (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

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Railway Stations

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, David Ennis, and George Penner for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 29 June 2019

Historic Sites of Manitoba This is a collection of historic sites in Manitoba compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. SEARCH the collection 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. Search Tips | Suggest a Site | FAQ | Acknowledgements Send inquiries to the MHS Webmaster.