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.

Original Municipal Hall Exhibits in 1970:

Founding Members:

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.