Sunshine Highway Relic Run Tuesday, 23 July 2024

What is the Sunshine Highway Relic Run?

In the early 1920s, the highways of Manitoba were primitive but automobile enthusiastis nevertheless wanted to get out and see the province. With encouragement from Arthur Coates “Ace” Emmett of the Manitoba Motor League (today's CAA Manitoba), they developed motoring routes. One of those routes, the Sunshine Highway starting in Brandon, connected to a route in the United States that ended in Sioux City, Iowa.

More information on the Sunshine Highway, compiled by historian Ken Storie.

Jump forward to 23 July 2024. A group of antique automobiles, all made in 1938 or earlier, drove the historic Sunshine Highway from the Canada-US border south of Crystal City to Brandon. This 120-mile (190-kilometre) drive took the better part of a day and involved stops in Crystal City, Rock Lake, Glenora, Baldur, Glenboro, Wawanesa, and Brandon.

Vehicle Registration

The following 16 vehicles participated in the Relic Run:

Make and Model	Drivers and passengers
1920 Overland Model 4	Murray and Linda Johanson
1922 Ford Model T	Roland Desrochers
1923 Ford Model T Touring	Allen Peters
1923 Ford Model T-Bucket	Don Funk
1924 Dodge Brothers Business Coupe	Bryan and Fran Jackson
1926 Hudson Brougham Sedan	Brent and Dale Checkley
1926 Ford Model TT Truck	Richard Wileman
1927 Ford Model T Touring	David Rourke
1928 Ford Model A Depot Hack	Charlie Baldock
1928 Ford Model A Tudor	Kane Gervin
1929 Pontiac	Larry Gross
1930 Nash	Ken Gardiner
1931 Ford Model A Four-Door	Carman and Pat Tufts
1931 Ford Model A Victoria	John and Stella Olver
1934 Chevy Coupe	Barry Barylski
1938 Pontiac Coupe	Ike Reimer

Route & Itinerary (mostly unpaved)

A = Canada-US border B = Crystal City C = Rock Lake

D = Glenora E = Baldur F = Glenboro

G = Wawanesa H = Rounthwaite I = Brandon

The itinerary was based on an assumed speed of 25 miles per hour (40 kilometres per hour).

Approx. Time	Place / Action	Miles	Cumulative Miles	Possible Visits
8:00 AM	Meet at Canada-US border	0	0
8:10 AM	Drive to Crystal City	10	10
8:30 AM	Break	-	-	Crystal City Printing Museum, Parklane Theatre, and Crystal Creek Bowstring Arch Bridge
9:00 AM	Drive to Rock Lake	12	22	Avery's
9:30 AM	Drive to Glenora	5	27
9:40 AM	Break	-	-	Glenora School and St. George's Anglican Church
9:50 AM	Drive to Baldur	13	40
10:20 AM	Break	-	-	Argyle Museum
10:50 AM	Drive to Glenboro	14	54	Frelsis Lutheran Church
11:30 AM	Break and lunch	-	-	Burrough of the Gleann Museum
12:30 PM	Drive to Stockton Ferry	13	67
1:00 PM	Break	-	-	Stockton Ferry
1:20 PM	Drive to Wawanesa	13	80	Northfield School
1:55 PM	Break	-	-	Sipiweske Museum
2:25 PM	Drive to Rounthwaite	12	92
2:55 PM	Break	-	-	Rounthwaite Churches Monument
3:05 PM	Drive to Brandon	18	110	Brandon Hills Pioneer Monument
3:50 to 5:30 PM	Arrive and Car Display	-	-	Dominion Exhibition Building

Photos (click to enlarge)

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I know that I am on the Sunshine Highway?
A: The route of the original Sunshine Highway was marked by large yellow signs marked with the letter S.

Q: How do we know the original route of the Sunshine Highway?
A: In the 1920s, the Sunshine Highway organization and the Manitoba Motor League published guides (photos below) showing the route of the Sunshine Highway. We are using those guides to reconstruct the route on today's roads.

Q: Why are you driving at 25 miles per hour?
A: The oldest cars in the Relic Run are over 100 years old and, as such, their maximum speed determines the pace of the Relic Run.

Q: Is the Sunshine Highway route all paved?
A: No. Most of the route is gravel.

Contact Us

Contact the organizers of the Sunshine Highway Relic Run at sunshinehighway1921@gmail.com.

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Sunshine Highway Relic Run 2024