Assembled along the Selkirk Slough in 1915, the steel-hulled C.G.S. Bradbury served a storied career navigating Lake Winnipeg as a fisheries patrol vessel, lighthouse tender, and vital winter icebreaker. From transporting doctors through thick ice during a 1917 flu epidemic to being saved from the scrap heap by community donations in 1974, this historic ship remains a legendary fixture of Manitoba’s marine history at the Marine Museum of Manitoba.
Established in 1897 by Walter “Harry” Gibbs, Gibbs’ Drug Store served as a beloved multi-generational cornerstone of daily life in Selkirk for over a century. From filling crucial after-hours prescriptions to providing postcards and souvenirs for tourists traveling aboard the S.S. Keenora, this historic downtown fixture faithfully served the community for 110 years before closing its doors in 2005.
From its 1920s beginnings equipped with borrowed tools to a striking appearance in an Oscar-winning Hollywood film, Gilbart Funeral Home is one of Selkirk’s most enduring landmarks. Discover the fascinating four-generation legacy of this local institution, the trailblazing businesswoman who blossomed the family trade, and the grand Queen Anne Revival heritage home that holds it all together.
From serving as a 13-year-old canteen boy on the S.S. Keenora to commanding naval warships and becoming the Mayor of Selkirk, Bill Shead’s life is a masterclass in leadership. Discover his incredible journey as a proud Cree naval officer, his royal appointments, and his decades of trailblazing volunteer service dedicated to Indigenous education and veterans.
From his childhood playing with wartime sugar rations to his record-breaking 18 years as Mayor, Robert “Bud” Oliver’s dedication to Selkirk is unmatched. Discover the fascinating life of our longest-serving mayor, his 35-year crusade against Red River flooding, and the hilarious 1986 radio duel that sparked the great “Catfish Capital” feud.