From abandoned cottage subdivisions to community-driven playgrounds, Selkirk’s green spaces are full of surprises. Discover the fascinating origins behind Little Lake Park, Penwarden Park, and Queen’s Park, and the local heroes who championed them.
Following the hardships of the Great Depression, Selkirk experienced a massive post-war boom. Discover how a surge in farming machinery, major industrial expansions like the Manitoba Rolling Mills, and crucial government funding helped transform the town into a thriving modern hub.
The annual Noventis Credit Union Evening of History is back, taking place this year at the historic Memorial Hall. Discover how this special fundraiser supports the Selkirk Heritage Endowment Fund, featuring an inspiring presentation by the Honourable Murray Sinclair on the meaning of home.
Tucked away in the Selkirk council chambers sits a peculiar horn chair that has baffled staff for decades. Discover the fascinating history behind this bizarre artifact, its connection to early 1900s livery stable owner George Dickenson, and the mystery of how it finally made its way to city hall.
From her happy childhood on North Main Street to her dedicated service as a church deaconess and school board member, Ruth Hooker’s life was defined by community impact. Discover how she triumphed over personal health battles to foster 37 children worldwide and leave a lasting legacy that still lives on at the Selkirk school bearing her name.
From 1952 to 1962, Selkirk moviegoers packed the Roxy and Garry theatres for “Foto-Nite”—a wildly popular weekday promotion with massive cash prizes. Discover the clever loophole used to bypass anti-gambling laws, and the legendary local stories of massive jackpots and overwhelmed winners
Built as a vital Great Depression relief project, the Selkirk Lift Bridge quickly became the center of a dramatic standoff. Discover the historic “War of Selkirk Bridge,” when local citizens took matters into their own hands to open the span after governments refused to claim ownership.
Conceived in 1946 as a “living memorial” to honor local servicemen and women, Selkirk’s Memorial Hall stands as a testament to community resilience and determination. Discover the fascinating history behind its years of grassroots fundraising, its architectural connection to the Selkirk Arena, and its vibrant legacy as a community hub—which even included a legendary 1965 live performance by a young Neil Young and The Squires.
From its origins as a 1907 “tin-covered monster” rink to its official 1949 rebirth as a pillar of community recreation, the Selkirk Arena has stood as a proud testament to a “big-little sports city.” Discover how local fundraising, innovative architecture, and a deep-seated love for the game shaped Selkirk’s most iconic gathering place for generations of hockey fans and community events.
Named to honor the “Mother of the Empire,” Queen Avenue speaks to the immense admiration Selkirk residents held for Queen Victoria. This exhibit reveals how a prestigious street address was used to entice early buyers, and how land originally reserved for the main Transcontinental Railway line transformed into a vital shipping corridor that powered Selkirk’s booming waterfront industries.