Head of Inland Navigation 1884 - 1910
1884
The flat-bottomed steamboat “Marquette” and a passenger train brought Victoria Day picnickers from Winnipeg to Selkirk park
1884
The Provincial Government appointed Dr. David Young as Medical Superintendent of the Manitoba Asylum.
1884
The Selkirk Fair began
1885
R. H. Gilhuly bought out his drugstore partner from 1880, Mayor James Colcleugh. The latter established the community’s first small telephone exchange
1886
F.W. Colcleugh, cousin and rival of James Colcleugh became Selkirk’s second mayor in 1886
1886
Twelve million board feet of lumber was brought to or through Selkirk. The Burrows owned sawmill was the largest operating in Manitoba
May 25th, 1886
The Manitoba Asylum opened (later known as the Selkirk Mental Health Centre) and 59 patients were transferred to the facility
1887
The Dominion Fish Company was created by Captain William Robinson
1887
The parish of Christ Church erected a building to replace the log chapel schoolhouse which had served their needs for 20 years
1887
The West Slough was being dredged to 12 feet deep and 50 feet wide for 2.5 miles to allow steamboats better access to the industries
1887
The Selkirk Literacy Association was organized
1887
The original Merchant’s Hotel is built by John Christian Shultz
1889
The Selkirk Lutheran Church is created by Icelandic settlers
1890
In 1890, William Gibb and three fellow Liberals organize the Selkirk Electric Company, which at first was just four clusters of streetlights
1890
The “Father” of Selkirk, James Colcleugh left the town under mysterious circumstances after putting Selkirk on the map
1890
Selkirk Gospel Chapel was created. The first service was held in a harness shop owned by one of the members
1892
The Dominion Fish Company had three tugs, a refrigerator barge, several sailing vessels, and 75 men, with Captain Attwood in charge
1892
The Manitoba Fish Company had five steamers, 15 fishing shacks, and 90 men
1893
The federal government constructed its first fish hatchery (for whitefish)
1893
The Selkirk Curling Club was established
1894
The Ewing and Taylor fish company started
1894
Massive fire at Robinson’s fish freezer, unfortunately there was no fire department. Town Council then decided to purchase a fire engine and form a hook and ladder company
1895
The Bell Telephone Company exchange was completed
1895
Methodists erected a United Church on McLean Avenue
1896
A large fire occurred in the winter and 20 buildings were lost, including the office of the Selkirk Record. Selkirk’s citizens decided to establish a volunteer fire brigade consisting of 12-15 men and a horse drawn chemical engine
1898
F. W. Colcleugh, who ran a general store and invested heavily in lumber and fish, became provincial fisheries inspector
1898
1,836 people resided in Selkirk
1898
International Order of Good Templar’s hall was built on Main Street
1898
Oliver and Byron (flour and feed) built a new store at Main Street and Manitoba Avenue
1898
G. H. Fox’s new butcher shop on Manitoba, and his competitor, I. Mills, constructed a two-story building complete with a large stable and ice house on Eveline Street
1900
Selkirk had reached nearly 2000 citizens after the economic developments of Selkirk’s well-known Families who built their enterprises
1900
In 1900, The Selkirk Fire Brigade decided that the chemical wagon was replaced by a Waterous engine and a grand total of 1500 feet of hose. The Fire Hall was located at the corner of Eaton Ave and Eveline St, where the current Selkirk Civic Center is located
1900
The boat building portion of the Selkirk Machine Works was started by Bill Purvis
1900
Long distance telephone service was introduced by Bell
1900
An extension is built onto the Manitoba Asylum
1901
The Selkirk Literacy and Debating Society opened a reading room
1901
J.K. McKenzie Fish Co. Ltd., which later became Imperial Fish Company, was formed
1901
The Northern Fish Company was founded by William Guest, a fish retailer who had battled the Dominion Fish Co. which had tried to drive him out of business
1902
L.S. Vaughan became mayor of Selkirk
1902
Captain William Robinson built Selkirk’s first department store
1903
The Winnipeg, Selkirk & Lake Winnipeg Railway received an 85-year lease and some tax exemptions over twenty-five years, for daily service between Selkirk and Winnipeg
1903
The original Merchant’s Hotel was moved and replaced by a new structure
1904
The Merchant Hotel and Traders/Dominion Bank opened on the corner of Manitoba Ave and Eveline St
1904
A new Knox Presbyterian Church opened
1904
An empty lot at Main and Clandeboye became the Town’s farmers market square
1904
Stuart House, built by James Stuart in 1904
1906
North Ward School was built along Superior Avenue
1906
A passenger and freight station was built
1907
In 1907 the Winnipeg, Selkirk, and Lake Winnipeg Railway Company car barn was built
1907
Selkirk’s first indoor Arena was established
1907
The Trader’s Bank completed its three-storey structure
1907
Construction of The Old Post Office begun in 1907 by Brown and Garson Construction Corporation; it was designed by the Winnipeg architectural firm of James Chisholm and Son
1908
A new patrol wagon was purchased for taking inebriated people to jail
1908
First movies were shown in one corner Pearson Hall (used for live theatre, etc.) by the Newman Electrical Comedy Company
1908
The Selkirk bottling plant burned down
1909
50 fire hydrants were installed with most located downtown
1909
Water was no longer obtained from the river. Selkirk now drew water from an artesian well, pumped it into a water tower, and then distributed it to residents through nine miles of water mains