Selkirk’s Inception The author of Selkirk: The First Hundred Years, Barry Potyondi, described the town’s inception as “Born of the railway and nurtured by the sea.” Both facts wax poetically of two economic influences that led to the development of the town. In 1876, three early speculators, Dr. John Christian Schultz, Samuel L. Bedson and…
A Simple Form Of Currency Before there were institutional banks in communities across Canada, people had to barter or exchange goods and services to acquire what they could not produce for themselves. In Red River settlement the Settlers relied on bartering throughout the West. It was a common method of developing local commerce, but it…
Evening of History set for May 9; will you be there? Funding from the Selkirk Heritage Endowment Fund (SHEF) now funds more than the Marine Museum, it’s allowed the city to have a dedicated staff person for its online museum, and that has generated a lot of traffic to the site. The question now is,…
“Well done, my good and faithful people.” Whether they came on foot, cart, wagon, cutter, buggy, boat, sleigh, bicycle, truck, car, van, or motorcycle, the objective was always the same—to render homage to their Lord and God. The struggles and sacrifices were many but the outcome most rewarding. We’ve Only Just Begun: History of Notre…
Named the Alexandra, Selkirk’s first indoor ice arena was built in 1907 on Fox Avenue not too far from Main Street. The rink was named after the daughter of John W. Jones. In the 1930s and early 40s it was owned by Jimmy Skinner Sr. who was the father of Detroit Red Wings coach Jimmy…
The Selkirk Settlers Thomas Douglas, the 5th Earl of Selkirk was a Scottish nobleman and a Hudson’s Bay Company stockholder. He is most known for his involvement with the Red River Settlement, but was also instrumental in the Peguis-Selkirk Treaty. The Peguis-Selkirk Treaty, formed between local Indigenous groups and Lord Selkirk has come to be…
In the Beginning Thousands of First Nations have lived in the Red River Valley for centuries. In the late 1700s, Cree people travelled along Lake Winnipeg to settle near Netley Creek. The Saulteaux, led by Chief Peguis from the Sault St. Marie region in the east settled along the Red River in 1790. This is…
Here’s some history for you – what we now refer to as simply ‘online’ used to be known as the information superhighway, and if you’re travelling on it, it should take you somewhere. For those who’ve discovered SelkirkMuseum.ca, the destination has been joyous. Five years after it launched, the City of Selkirk’s museum, which is…
Beginnings The Manitoba Rolling Mills Company Limited first began in 1907 on Logan Avenue in Winnipeg. Lewis Arthur McElroy, Manufacturer and President of the American Horseshoe Company, and four others invested $10 000 each to get things started. Manitoba Rolling Mill, c1905, Archives of Manitoba, Still Images Section. St. Bonifcae Collection-Buildings-Business The Mill quickly outgrew…
Shelling out for World War II By 1934 finances began to turn around again and gradually improved until 1939 when World War II began. The Second World War brought new opportunities for the Mill. The Commonwealth Air Training Scheme required multiple Air Training Bases to be built across Canada. These temporary buildings needed reinforcing bars,…