This museum in the Rural Municipality of Springfield focuses on the Galician (Ukrainian) pioneers of the area. It was started by the parish priest, Alois Krivanek, when he began collecting pioneer artefacts so the history of the people of the area would not be lost. The main museum is in the old church rectory and contains Slavic costumes, folk art, paintings, instruments, religious items as well as various antique clothing and household items. Some of the items were brought over from Europe. The building was built around 1937 as a show home by the Hudson's Bay Company. In 1939, it was sold back to the church.
The rest of the museum consists of a barn, farm machinery, and the blacksmith shop of David Taylor Reid that was originally located at Birds Hill. A pioneer log house, built of spruce logs in 1910, belonged to Nick Czura who lived 12 miles east of the museum site. Subsequent owners included Alois Ohanka (1937), John Warywoda (1942), and Steve Warywoda (1947). The house was purchased by the museum and restored in 1976.
Church rectory at the Cooks Creek Heritage Museum (July 2019)
Source: Rose Kuzina
Reid blacksmith shop at the Cooks Creek Heritage Museum (2006)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough
Pioneer log house at the Cooks Creek Heritage Museum (July 2019)
Source: Rose Kuzina
Farm buildings at the Cooks Creek Heritage Museum (July 2019)
Source: Rose KuzinaSite Coordinates (lat/long): N50.01847, W96.77355
denoted by symbol on the map above
See also:
Memorable Manitobans: David Taylor Reid (1882-1961)
Memorable Manitobans: Alois Krivanek (1919-2009)
Personal Memoirs: The Silent Smithy by Dave Reid
MHS Historical Features: On the Road to Manitoba Museums by Maria Zbigniewicz
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and Rose Kuzina.
Page revised: 3 October 2023
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