Historic Sites of Manitoba: Portage la Prairie Indian Residential School / National Indigenous Residential School Museum of Canada (Crescent Road West, Portage la Prairie)

Link to:
Principals | Vice-Principals | Teachers | Photos & Coordinates | Sources

This two-storey brick and stone building in Portage la Prairie was occupied from 1916 to 1975 by the Portage la Prairie Indian Residential School. It is now used as a resource centre by the Long Plain First Nation. The main floor provides a home for the National Indigenous Residential School Museum of Canada.

In 2005, the building was designated as a Provincial Heritage Site and a plaque was erected by the Manitoba Heritage Council. A golden eagle monument on the grounds is dedicated to First Nations people who were forced to attend residential schools. The building became a nationally-designated historic site in September 2020.

Principals

Period

Matron

1902-1909

Rev. W. A. Hendry

1909-1911

Rev. J. L. Miller

1911-1934

Rev. W. A. Hendry

1935-1942

Joseph Jones (1881-1970)

1942-1944

John McNeill

1945-1946

Rev. A. C. Huston

1946-1949

Joseph Jones (1881-1970)

1949-1956

Rev. Lachlan McLean

1956-1957

?

1957-1958

William Charles “Bill” Warren (1917-1958)

1958-1970

Jack O. Harris

c1970

Charles Greaves

Teachers

School Year

Teachers

1959-1960

Rosa Johnson

Among the other teachers of the school was Margaret Creighton.

Matrons

Period

Matron

1886

Miss Sebastion

1887-1888

Miss Wight

1888-1891

Bessie Walker

1891-1901

Annie Fraser

Photos & Coordinates

Postcard view of Portage Indian Residental School

Postcard view of Portage Indian Residental School (no date)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough, 2012-0056

Former Portage la Prairie Indian Residential School building

Former Portage la Prairie Indian Residential School building (September 2011)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Former Portage la Prairie Indian Residential School building

Former Portage la Prairie Indian Residential School building (July 2020)
Source: George Penner

Golden eagle monument at the former Portage la Prairie Indian Residential School

Golden eagle monument at the former Portage la Prairie Indian Residential School (July 2020)
Source: George Penner

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.96230, W98.32255
denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Brandon Indian Residential School (RM of Cornwallis)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Brandon Indian Residential School Cemetery (RM of Cornwallis)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Brandon Old Indian Residential School Cemetery (Brandon)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Birtle Indian Residential School (Birtle, Municipality of Prairie View)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Elkhorn Indian Residential School (Elkhorn, RM of Wallace-Woodworth)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: MacKay Indian Residential School (Opaskwayak Cree Nation)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Portage la Prairie Indian Residential School (Crescent Road West, Portage la Prairie)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Pine Creek Indian Residential School / Camperville Indian Residential School (Pine Creek First Nation)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Norway House Indian Residential School (Norway School)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Julia Clark School (611 Academy Road, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Residential School Totem Pole (Assiniboine Park, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Rupert’s Land Indian Industrial School / St. Paul’s Industrial School (Middlechurch, RM of West St. Paul)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Provincially Designated Historic Sites

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Manitoba Plaques for Persons, Events and Sites of National Historic Significance

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Portage Indian Boarding School (Ninth Street NE, Portage la Prairie)

Sources:

Portage la Prairie Indian Residential School (Rufus Prince Building), Manitoba Historic Resources Branch.

We thank Katherine Nichols, Diane Haglund, Nathan Kramer, Judy Gleich, and George Penner for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 2 May 2024

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.

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