Manitoba Historical Society
     Keeping history alive for over 144 years

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Rivercrest Airstrip (Main Street, RM of West St. Paul)

In 1951, First World War pilot Konrad Johannesson moved his Johannesson Flying Services to a half-mile strip of land in the Rural Municipality of West St. Paul next to the Red River that has been occupied by the River Springs housing development since the 1990s. The municipality fought the establishment of the airstrip and floatplane facility in court. In 1952, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in Johannesson’s favour, establishing that federal jurisdiction applied to all matters pertaining to aviation. This ruling is still a landmark case in Canadian aviation. After Johannesson retired in 1967, the facility was operated by Gem Air until 1975.

Aerial view of the Rivercrest Airstrip

Aerial view of the Rivercrest Airstrip (1955)
Source: Brian Johannesson

Seaplanes at the Rivercrest Airstrip on Red River

Seaplanes at the Rivercrest Airstrip on Red River (no date)
Source: Brian Johannesson

Seaplanes at the Rivercrest Airstrip on Red River

Seaplanes at the Rivercrest Airstrip on Red River (no date)
Source: Brian Johannesson

Aerial view of seaplane base on Red River

Aerial view of seaplane base on Red River (no date)
Source: Brian Johannesson

Aerial view of the former Rivercrest Airstrip

Aerial view of the former Rivercrest Airstrip (August 2019)
Source: George Penner

Aerial view of the former Rivercrest Airstrip

Aerial view of the former Rivercrest Airstrip (June 2020)
Source: George Penner

Site Location (lat/long): N49.99831, W97.04800
denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Memorable Manitobans: Konrad Jonasson “Konnie” Johannesson (1896-1968)

Sources:

We thank Brian Johannesson for providing information used here.

This page was prepared by George Penner and Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 12 September 2022

Historic Sites of Manitoba

This is a collection of historic sites in Manitoba compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. The information is offered for historical interest only.

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

Inclusion in this collection does not confer special status or protection. Official heritage designation may only come from municipal, provincial, or federal governments. Some sites are on private property and permission to visit must be secured from the owner.

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

Send corrections and additions to this page
to the MHS Webmaster at webmaster@mhs.mb.ca.

Search Tips | Suggest an Historic Site | FAQ

Help us keep history alive!

MHS YouTube Channel

Back to top of page

For queries on the above page, please contact the MHS Webmaster.

Home  |  Terms & Conditions  |  FAQ  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy  |  Donations

© 1998-2023 Manitoba Historical Society. All rights reserved.