Stay safe at home this winter with the Historical Museum of St. James-Assiniboia.
We are pleased to announce our new Multi-Media Event Series made possible through Safe at Home Manitoba. This exciting new series will explore the intersections between history, art, and music through a series of unique, interactive events.
All events (except “What it means to know Winter”) will be premiered on our Facebook and available to watch afterwards on our website (see below for links to events). Please stay tuned for more details as each event approaches.
Educational programming based on the Manitoba Social Studies curriculum to students at home featuring a theatrical tour of the Museum’s 1856 Red River Frame House (originally owned by Scottish immigrant William Brown and Métis Charlotte Omand).
In addition to our theatrical tour, join us throughout March for Facebook Lives where we will present interactive, engaging activities for children and provide a look into museum education and pioneer life.
Schedule:
March 5th at 2pm: Pioneer Life Scavenger Hunt (for younger children)
March 19th at 2pm: What is an Artifact? (for older children)
March 29th at 11:30am: Cameras in History (for all ages)
“Flower Photo Inkblots” and “Deconstruction Mandalas”
Explore art and history through a photographic art show and lecture by professionally trained photographer and artist with works displayed in Europe, Canada, and Hawaii.
Romantic guitar concert for Valentine’s dinner. Take a romantic tour of historical music through the classical guitar, a great dinner companion on this most romantic day of the year. Featuring a former Dalhousie University professor of music who has performed across Canada.
Features Indigenous teachings presented by Museum Elders Clarence and Barbara Nepinak who have delivered educational programs to Indigenous based schools including workshops, performances, and teachings throughout the world.
“What it means to know Winter” will be a live event. To pre-register for Part I or Part II, please email st.jamesassiniboiamuseum@gmail.com with your name and the number of spots you would like to reserve.
For the past 50 years the Historical Museum of St. James-Assiniboia has been operating in our community and beyond to preserve history and bring it to life for all community members.
Today, November 22, 2020, marks the 50th Anniversary of the Historical Museum of St. James-Assiniboia and we would like to take this opportunity to look back over the past 50 years.
FUNDRAISERS OVER THE YEARS:
Silent Auction
Signature Antique Show and Sale at Shopping Malls
Raffles
Silent Auctions
Barbecues
Book Sales
Friends of Museum Garage Sales
INCLUSIVE IN-HOUSE AND OUTREACH PROGRAMMING OVER THE YEARS:
MULTICULTURAL CENTRES: Newcomers to Winnipeg and Manitoba, Needs Centres, Folklorama groups,
YOUTH/CHILDREN: Fringe, LGBQT+ groups, residential youth homes, schools, daycares, community
Senior Centre Program
SPECIALIZED: D.A.S.C.H., St. Norbert Rehabilitation Centre, S.M.D., Alzheimer Society, Autism Society Manitoba, St. Amant Centre, Churches, Learning Disabilities Association of Mantioba, Inclusion Winnipeg, Abilities Manitoba
OFF-SITE SPECIAL EVENTS OVER THE YEARS:
D.A.S.C.H. at Museum Program
John Taylor 50th Anniversary – Exhibits and Displays Weeklong
Bannatyne School 100th Anniversary – Exhibits and Displays Weeklong
Heritage Fairs – St. James-Assiniboia School Division – Displays and Informational Tables Weeklong
Polo Park Heritage Fair
John Taylor Anniversary
St. James-Assiniboia and Weswood Library Exhibits And Displays In Celebration Of Louis Riel Days, Aboriginal Days and Multicultural Days, Other
Bruce Park Historic Walking Tours
Louis Riel School Divisional Schools – Exhibits and Displays
St. James-Assiniboia School Division Schools – Exhibits and Displays
OFF-SITE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING OVER THE YEARS:
Bannatyne School Anniversary
St. James-Assiniboia Divisional Schools
Louis Riel School Divisional Schools
River East School Divisional Schools
Seven Oaks School Divisional Schools
Pembina Trails School Divisional Schools
Parochial, Private, Home Schools
Rural Municipality Schools
WORKSHOPS/CONSULTING OFF-SITE OVER THE YEARS:
St. James-Assiniboia Library Display
MLA, librarians and technicians exhibit workshops
SAG, teachers exhibit workshops
University of Manitoba guest lecturers
WCAM guest lecturers
MAS guest lecturers
Westwood Library Display
AMM conference workshop organizer
Seniors Centres of Winnipeg and Rurally
S.N.A.C. Community Play writer
M.C.C.A. workshop consultant
MART workshop consultant
City of Winnipeg Museum Review Board
Select Community Museums/Archives of Winnipeg and Manitoba
MENTORSHIPS OVER THE YEARS:
Off-Site Program
Canadian Mennonite University – 14 students
University of Manitoba – 5 students
St. James-Assiniboia School Divisional Schools – 4 students
EVENTS ON SITE & OFF-SITE OVER THE YEARS:
C.S.I. Off-Site Program
“Flames of War” Canadian Heritage Outdoor Celebration, and Red River Collective Performances, tours of Museum Buildings
“St. James-Assiniboia Mini Museum & Celebration of 150th Anniversary of Canada – Museum Summer Event May-June at St. Vital Shopping Centre centre court, weekend entertainment, children activities
St. Vital Shopping Centre photo shoot at Museum for their Spring advertising campaign.
Flames of War
Movie shoots at Museum for the Super Channel
Paranormal Investigations
Historical lectures and community facilitation/sharing circles
ANNUAL EVENTS ON-SITE OVER THE YEARS:
Student Staff presenting program
Pioneer Heritage Days
Heritage Winnipeg Door’s Open Winnipeg
Indigenous Peoples Day
Multicultural Day
Culture Days
Manitoba Day
Pride Month
AWARDS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
MLA, Scott Fielding, Manitoba Legislature letter and standing ovation
Canada 150 at St. Vital
MLA, Sharon Blady, Manitoba Legislature letter and standing ovation
St. James-Assiniboia School Division Letter of outstanding contribution
St. James-Assiniboia School Division, Winnipeg One, Pembina Trails, Louis Riel, Seven Oaks, River East/Transcona Private schools letters, responses to questionnaires reporting “excellent” programming delivered.
St. Vital Photo Shoot at Museum
Heritage Winnipeg Door’s Open three times award winner out of 91 locations and the only Museum to win an award for best overall experience and hidden gem.
Community groups, clubs, organizations, daycares, senior centres, special interest groups letters of appreciation.
Elders of our Community and Elder on Board received Order of Manitoba
The Museum’s signature “Antique Show and Sale Fundraiser” ran from 1991 until 2016, successfully raising 33% of our annual budget. In the early days, we hosted five back to back weeklong, and sometimes two week long, antique shows on a revolving basis. Starting with Unicity, setting up displays and vendor tables on a Sunday evening and taking down the following Sunday evening, then moving the whole show to five other malls including: Garden City, Grant Park, St. Vital, Polo Park and North Gate.
From 1999 to 2016 the Polo Park, St. Vital, Grant Park and Garden City Shopping Centres became a huge draw with shoppers from every corner of the city and rurally. We set up between 100 – 125 tables, plus large-scale historic displays, information booths on preserving family archival treasurers and memorabilia, and gave free hand-outs and crafts for children. We ran the Antique Show and Sale Fundraisers all day and evening for 6 – 7 days each week. Definitely a labour of love given the long hours, arduous set-ups of vendor locations within the entire common area of the various malls, and the incredible work involved in planning and creating new large scale museum exhibits and displays each time we did a show.
The Museum’s vendors came from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and even Nova Scotia. Eventually, the out of town vendors became older and sadly could not support the Museum due to an inability to travel such long distances. We were known throughout the industry for providing the highest quality shows with items that appealed to a large audience of shoppers and collectors, with the latter shows showcasing pop culture and vintage wares as well.
We can say without a doubt that this signature fundraiser put the St. James-Assiniboia Museum on the map as the only Winnipeg Museum to attempt such a complex undertaking. One that resulted in an uniquely innovative and self-generated venue for raising funds. It was especially lucrative for our vendors with many becoming like family, travelling with us from location to location. All in all, we produced close to 100 Antique Show and Sale Fundraisers throughout the City of Winnipeg with the support of 250 vendors. However, as with most things, all good things must come to an end, and due to the Shopping Centres’ substantial increase in rental costs it was no longer a tenable fundraiser strategy.
Today, we celebrate our virtual 50th Anniversary. We had planned our Anniversary Celebration to be open to the public with special activities including new guided interpretive tours, entertainment, crafts for children and complementary treats, but of course that is not possible right now. In place of that event, we have prepared an online event that you can view through our social media. Keep watch on our Facebook and Instagram throughout the day for a look over the past 50 years and special videos of our three museum buildings: our 1856 Red River Frame House, 1911 Municipal Hall, and 1890s Interpretive Centre. Please also take a moment to scroll back through our social media to view posts from this past week commemorating the last 50 years.
This unprecedented time in history is so difficult for everyone. My family, like yours, is feeling the enormous tug and pull of everyday living, working, worrying about our children, grandparents, parents, extended family, friends and co-workers. “We are all in this together” is what we have heard time and time again from governments and noticed on commercial advertisements. I believe these words to be true – together we can make a difference in preventing the spread of COVID-19 by following recommended guidelines and health orders.
I want to say a heart-felt thank you to our front-line medical professionals and ALL essential workers. They are truly the brave and courageous. My heart goes out to those who have suffered enormous losses and those who are recovering. To everyone, please stay safe and be well!
I would also like to take a moment to honour the memory of Doreen Luhtala who passed away suddenly in October of this year. Doreen was a long-time member of the museum who served on the board in various positions including President of the Board and Past President. She is greatly missed in our community.
In the year of Canada’s centennial, a group of community members formed a committee for the purpose of preserving the history of the historic parishes of St. Charles, St. James, Old Tuxedo, Brooklands, Headingley, and St. Francis Xavier. The collecting mandate included the historic district of Assiniboia extending to the east portion of Old St. Boniface. In November of 1970, they held their inaugural meeting as The Historical Museum of St. James-Assiniboia Inc in the 1911 Municipal Hall Building of Assiniboia.
The exhibit and collections committee acquired artifacts from the William Brown and John Taylor families, as well as other residents of the former R.M. of Assiniboia. Margaret Taylor (daughter of John Taylor) donated artifacts belonging to the Taylor family including the buggy, cutter, bed (on display upstairs in the Brown House), and blacksmithing equipment (on display in the Interpretive Building) In the pictures you can see that the William Brown Red River Frame House was initially located behind the Interpretive Building but was moved in 1972 (hence the crack in the walls) to its present location facing Portage Avenue to be more visible from the street.
OriginalMunicipal Hall Exhibits in 1970:
Founding Members:
From 1954-1962, Russenholt (first president of the Museum Board) was CBWT’s first local weatherman in Winnipeg. His daily catchphrase, “Ah yes, the heart of the continent,” reflected his fondness for his community.
President: E.S. Russenholt
Vice-President: F.W. Armstrong
Secretary: Kay Moss
Treasurer: Peter Moss
Directors: Denyse Belows, John Belows, Alice Brown, W. Bannister , Margot Chester, Cam Mager, B. Enders, and H. Mobberley
We are grateful for all who contributed to the formation of the museum and apologize for any omissions.
On November 11 we honour all who served and currently serve to protect our country.
November 11, 1914 marked the end of the First World War. During World War I over 1300 of Assiniboia’s citizens enlisted, the greatest per capita enlistment of any Rural Municipality in the west. When the war ended on November 11, 1918, seventy-two of Assiniboia’s own lay dead in the fields, pastures and orchards of northern France and Flanders.
Below are select artifacts from the museum’s collection that belonged to those who served during the First World War.
Helmet worn by Private Charles Earnest L’Ami, 16th Infantry Battalion (Canadian Scottish) Canadian Expeditionary Force. Steel helmets were introduced in 1916 to reduce head wounds. The painted insignia on the front indicates division, brigade, and battalion seniority: 1st division, 3rd brigade, junior battalion.
Glengarry bonnet. Distinctive head dress of highland regiments. The 16th Infantry Battalion (Canadian Scottish) C.E.F. was raised in 1914 for overseas service by four Canadian militia highland regiments. Local volunteers came from Winnipeg’s 79th Cameron Highlanders of Canada.
British war medal (l.); Allied victory medal (r.). Awarded to Corporal S.S. Cuzner who was killed while with the 27th (City of Winnipeg) Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force. The war medal was given to personnel who left Canada on active service. Those who served in a theatre of war received the victory medal.
Spurs worn by Sgt. Wilford Eggleston, Canadian Army Service Corps. The Army Service Corps supplied troops at the front.
Princess Mary’s 1914 Christmas gift to troops serving at the front. The box contained tobacco and either a pipe or cigarette papers.
