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Come
out O Little Mocassins and frolic on the
snow
Come out O tiny beaded feet and twinkle in the
light
I'll play the old Red River reel, you used to
love it so,
Awake, O Little Mocassins and dance for me
tonight.
Robert
W. Service
 I
am the Yellowhead
Great cities have grown up along my treasured
path. Rudyard Kipling, world famous poet and
adventurer was enthralled by the west's endless
horizons and forecast its great promise when he
wrote, "The prairie is high veldt, plus hope,
activity and reward. Winnipeg is the door to it
... a great city in a great plain." Call it
Chicago North, Canada's Crossroads, or simply
"The Peg," Manitoba's capital is home to over 50
ethnic groups, all of which take part in
Folklorama, Manitoba's Mardis Gras. Winnipeg is
also the largest center of French culture
outside Quebec. Check your map; see how
Winnipeg's
streets converge like the spokes of a giant
bicycle wheel. Three historic rivers, the Red,
Assiniboine and Seine, merge here at a place
called The Forks. Not long ago, trains shunted
back and forth, and river craft dumped their
cargo at this downtown site. Today it's the "in
place" -- an oasis of greenery, scenery and
people watching, with shops, sidewalk cafes, and
a delightful river front promenade. To many
first nations people, The Forks is where their
ancestors hunted, fished and camped for
centuries. The Forks National Historic Site
preserves that 6,000 year legacy with
interpretive programs, displays, sculptures,
festivals and special
events.
 Children
of all ages the world over relate to Winnipeg
thanks to A.A. Milne's Winnie the Pooh,
immortalized on screen by Walt Disney Studios.
Cultural gems such as the Royal Winnipeg Ballet
have also made Winnipeg world famous, as Agnes
De Mille commented in 1963. "The citizens of
Winnipeg support the company because it is fine
and because the citizens are neither surfeited
or corrupted. They take joy in beautiful
things..."
Lower
Fort Garry National Historic Site:
North America's oldest stone fur trading post
stands as a lone sentinel on the Red River.
Launch-point for York Boat brigades, off to
Hudson's Bay, Mackenzie or Athabaska Country,
and Red River carts bound for Minnesota, it was
a bastion of Empire. Plan to stay awhile; fresh
bread's baking in the stone oven at Governor
Simpson's Big House. Dinner's on, and a magic
lantern show is about to tell the fort's unique
story.
Portage
La Prairie
It's a short, pleasant drive to Portage La
Prairie from Winnipeg. Here, muscles of steel
were needed to tote one's canoe overland. Today,
Portage is a major food processing center,
amidst some of the world's richest farmland.
Lake Manitoba's beaches bring fond memories to
those who spent their days in service here and
at two royal Canadian Air force bases, one of
which is alive and thriving as a training and
technical center. Located
within the heart of the richest agricultural
belt in the Province, the economy is driven by a
vibrant and progressive agricultural community.
In addition, we look to ongoing diversification
of the economy.
The City of Portage la
Prairie, in 1999-2000 launched a brand new
holiday event. The Manitoba Hydro Power Smart
Island of Lights presented by A - Channel is an
impressive drive-through light show that has
attracted attention not only in the City, but
throughout the entire region. The goal of the
light show was to create excitement, attract
tourists, and bring the Christmas season alive
like never before! It is a Manitoba First. What
a success story...
On February 9, 2002, the
Manitoba Hydro Power Smart Island of Lights once
again gained National Recognition by winning the
Communities In Bloom Winter Lights Award! "Year
3 of Island of Lights Records Best Year
Ever!"
The
Yellowhead Trans Canada Highway (16) is a short
distance from Lake Manitoba and the Big Grass
Marshlands to the north and the Sprucewoods
Provincial Park and Forest to the south, when it
reaches the centres of Gladstone and
Neepawa.
Gladstone
Close to the
geographic centre of North America,
Gladstone, is a key agricultural centre
and with expansion of McCain's and Maple Leaf
Foods, it has great promise as a food processing
centre. First settled in 1872, the area was
originally known as Palestine. It was named
after British Prime Minister. Gladstone is one
of the oldest towns in Manitoba and is located
at the third crossing of the Whitemud River. The
Town is named after the Right Honorable W.E.,
Gladstone, Prime Minister of Great Britain. At
the entrance to the town is a cairn which reads:
"This cairn marks third crossing of the Whitemud
river on the pioneer trail Ft. Garry to
Edmonton. first settlement July 1871 known as
Palestine. Incorporated as town of Gladstone in
1882. Fording of river 400 yards North North
West". Gladstone has now become a prime
retirement community and has a beautiful park,
golf course, campground and museum. They also
boast "Manitoba's Largest gift shop" Clarke's of
Gladstone. This shop is incredible and has
unique gifts, porcelain dolls, candles, and fine
china. They have a varied customer list from all
over the world. the golf course The rolling
green of the course dotted with trees was a
beautiful setting for dinner.
Neepawa
Neepawa, which means "plenty" or "abundance" in
Cree is a delightful community that owes its
origin the the railway. Stepping into the past,
its many heritage buildings can be viewed by
taking an organized walking tour. It was a major
airfare base and NATO training centre during the
second world war. Best selling author Margaret
Lawrence, who wrote "The Stone Angels," grew up
in Neepawa and the town became the setting for
several of her works. Each summer, the Lily
Festival draws many visitors to the
area.
Minnedosa
Voted Manitoba's most beautiful town, Minnedosa
is the gateway to Riding Mountain National Park,
an "island of the prairies", where buffalo roam
and 500 species of wildlife thrive. Remember
when we were kids, wolves used to whistle --
right? Well you can take wolf howling lessons
here, but the Plains Indians' relationship with
the buffalo is the top item on the agenda.
Bathers can enjoy Clear Lake's sandy beach;
those afoot and on horseback, can rove the
meadows, aspen groves and evergreen forests on a
network of trails. Minnedosa
was a stopping place for the Red River carts on
the trail to Edmonton (the Carlton Trail) and
was originally called Tanner's Crossing after
John Tanner, a Metis with one arm, who first
settled in the area and opened a store and post
office. In 1880 the name was changed to the
Sioux Indian words minne (water) and duza (rapid
water) and is a tributary of the Assiniboine.
Minnedosa is known as Manitoba's Valley
Paradise. Tucked into the rolling green hillside
with a beautiful lake to the east, it truly is a
little bit of paradise. There are a number of
heritage type homes in town and I was surprised
to see a number of stone block houses, which I
have only seen in Ontario previously. There is
something for everyone here from fishing to
historical sites and for kids of all ages who
just want to have fun! They even have a Bison
Park.
Shoal Lake
In 1878 Shoal Lake was on the western boundary
of Manitoba and the newly formed North West
Mounted Police realized that the narrows here
provided a very strategic location for a post to
check traffic coming and going from the
territories. In 1877 a barracks was built as the
headquarters and shortly thereafter a settlement
sprang up. However, in 1885 the settlers moved
north 5 miles to the current townsite. So that
is why there are two NWMP sites located here.
The one in the photo that looks across the water
was the original site and the log cabin is the
second location.
Shoal Lake and the RM of
Shoal Lake have some great plans for an historic
museum that will be similar to the Ukrainian
Cultural Heritage Village near Edmonton, Alberta
or the Heritage Village Museum in Vanderhoof,
British Columbia. It will have a number of
heritage buildings, including the Elliott House
which is over 100 years old, and a school house
from 1907. It will also house an extensive
collection of wagons and horse drawn equipment
dating back from around 1850 - 1940. The
foundations are being laid. As Don and Ken talk
about what is to be their enthusiasm and
excitement are contagious and I will look
forward to seeing this dream become a reality by
spring of 2003.
Russell
Russell was earlier known as Shell River and
it is thought that the town was named for
General Lord Alexander George Russell, commander
of the forces in Canada from 1883-1888. Boulton
Manor which was the home of Major Charles
Boulton, founder of the Town of Russell. He
brought troops to Batoche during the Northwest
Rebellion of 1885. The Boulton Manor is now a
bed and breakfast and with a days notice you can
have tea and a tour.
Continued:
Saskatchewan
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