Stay tuned for more on this beauty. Built in the early 1900’s in what was a small French settlement.
EVERYTHING CHANGES
So since hockey has started I have had limited time to take photos and go on house hunting excursions. I’m going through withdrawal.
So I scan while I walk the dog for things to take photos of, I’m desperate.
RIVERSIDE SCHOOL
Remember the little boy that rushed to the school to sit with the teachers until dismissal? Well this is the school.
Built in 1883 on the SW corner of his parents property for $843.00. They collected a further $10.00 for benches as well as a heating stove for $9.00, 22 lengths of pipe for $0.18 cents each, a broom for $0.35, a box of chalk for $0.30 and desks for $8.50 each.
Church services were held in the church starting in 1884 until 1915.
As the nearby village grew, it was decided that the Riverside School should be moved to its current location in 1902. In 1904 a storm prevented the children from getting home that evening and they were stormed stayed until noon the following day.
Changes to the school happened over time and in the summer of 1912 metallic shingles were put on the roof. The inside walls were changed from tin to wallboard and wainscoting in 1936. In 1951 electricity was installed. An oil burning furnace was added in 1953.
The last teacher employed was Aggie Jean Martin in 1956 where she was paid approximately $215 per month. The school, like many other small, one room schools in small communities were the centre of activity where they would hold dances, card parties or box socials. The school closed in 1956.
OLD KNOB
Love these old door knobs.
BLUE MOON
No words, just sharing.
PRAIRIE SUNSET, October 2018
This past Thursday is got up to 24 here in Southwestern, Manitoba. It was a beautiful day and of course the sunset didn’t disappoint.
LONG RIVER
I know I’ve mentioned the Long River many times before, for many reasons. First off, it runs along behind my house and it runs through many farm yards through this Municipality.
Well with the lack of rain this summer it got very low and began to stink, bad. Then we got rain and snow and so it began to turn green. So green that it reminds me of a Shamrock Shake from McDonald’s. Its disgusting. I stood out on the highway and played with my settings to try and capture the actual color of the water. I gave up and maybe I’ll go back because it really is a sight to see.
The Long River flows right into Killarney Lake! Yuck.
OUT and ABOUT
This Spring when my mission to find and shoot as many abandoned properties around me began I traveled to and from work searching for barns and rooftops. Here is one I spotted from the highway on my way to work.
BISCUITS & BASEBALL
On the way to a property Reg asked me to take a turn to “check something out”. Off we went down a muddy, not maintained, gravel, not lets call it mud, road to a barn we could see in the distance. I’m sure I’ve seen this before but when I didn’t see a house, I didn’t make note of the property. Its a good thing we had the Jeep cause it was muddy. Well all the mud was worth this stop.
The house was gone and all that was left was the stone foundation, the fridge, freezer, a couple pieces of furniture and many, many knick-knacks. I found several kettles that day.
In a metal/glass pile away from the house I even found what was left of an old gravy boat. I found it fitting, considering it was Thanksgiving weekend.
Mr. D. C’s father was born in Perthshire, Scotland in 1856. They moved to Ontario in 1876. D was born in 1877 and helped his father farm the original homestead purchased upon their arrival in Manitoba. In 1926 he married E and they lived on his father’s land for 4 years. Then in 1930 he purchased this particular piece of land and started building the barn and the other buildings. D was a member of the Oddfellows Lodge. He was interested in the education of his children and served as a school trustee for the nearby school district.
A, D & E’s youngest son remained on his father’s farm after his retirement. He had helped his father farm the land his entire life, even while going to school. As a youngster is played with the local fastball team as well as the local Linament League.
One of the neatest things about all the exploring I’ve been able to do is when I get home and look over my pictures and then start researching the family only to find that I actually have a photograph that helps solidify the facts that I am reading and researching, like these baseballs.
There were many outbuildings on the property and some old equipment. And just my luck, an old wooden door knob – I love old door knobs and latches.
I loved this little old building tucked away in the trees.
And of course, this old cart.
A was the second generation to farm this land. I am told that this original home that stood on that old stone foundation was moved to town when Mrs. left the farm and was put up near our town school.
FINALLY, INDIGENOUS SUMMER
Today was beautiful, to bad I didn’t get a chance to enjoy it.
THE LONG HAUL
I am told that this home was hauled 40 km to its resting place by a 40 horse team wherein 3 ravines had to be crossed. While I did not get this confirmed in writing, I will say that the information comes from a reliable source and a fellow abandoned home seeker in the area.
The home has been designated a heritage site by the RM that it is in and is now home to several bee hives.
The family of this homesteader originated from Ireland and settled in Ontario. The homesteader, Mr. B was born in 1899 on a nearby farm. He was the eldest of 11 children. He was the first baby baptist in the nearby church. At a young age he left school to help his sickly father farm and his sisters fondly remember him taking care of them and ensuring they had skates and knew how to skate, took them to dances and traveled back and forth with them to and from their boarding schools to ensure they came home on the weekends.
In 1918 he tried to enlist in the Army, under-aged. His mother sent his birth certificate to headquarters before he could be sent overseas. He trained as a barber for the military.
In 1942 after farming with his father, working in Alberta and farming with his new wife’s brothers he purchased the land that this home stands on. At the same time he purchased his very first shorthorn heifer and this began a long career of breeding and showing them. He was described as a good herdsman who loved his animals. He was a hard working man who did many things to earn money.
Mr. & Mrs. B also had sheep, chicken’s, turkey’s, ducks and geese. They also had a bountiful garden and many berry bushes which they sold to others. They were active in their community.
They were well loved in their community and fondly remembered by their children.
I have passed this home many times over the years and appreciate it a whole lot more given the knowledge of its history.
I was also told that the home was vandalized, virtually over night, many years ago, leaving a large hole on the exterior. What a shame that someone would/could do this to something that 1. doesn’t belong to them and 2. that holds many memories to many.
PEEK-A-BOO
Thought I’d revisit this place to see what it looks like without the leaves.
STANLEY & STELLA
The Assiniboine Park Zoo in Winnipeg is the home of Stanley & Stella, two Stellar’s Sea Eagles. A large bird of prey originally described in 1811. A large eagle with dark brown plumage & white wings which feasts mainly on fish and water birds. It is on average the heaviest eagle on earth weighing in at 11 to 20 lbs.
GERBERA’S
This Spring I received the cutest little arrangement of flowers from a friend. I wasn’t expecting them and was pleasantly surprised at her kindness.
I wanted to remember them for years to come and took them outside for a photo shoot.
Thank you VK for the beautiful flowers.
NO WORDS, JUST MOSS & WOOD
PAYING RESPECTS
I found another grave site of a family whose home we photographed over the summer. In this home was a couple of old photos? Him? Son? Grandchild?
LONG RIVER
The Long River runs out behind my house and into Killarney Lake. The Long River runs through many of the rural properties in the RM. I swear it’s one of the wind-est rivers ever.
It is always home to plenty of ducks, geese, herons and of course rodents.
This summer the boys tried to fish for carp in it and with the draught we experienced it was shallow. A couple weeks ago while walking Bauer it stunk something horrid. Now we are getting tons of rain.
Well now it’s a beautiful shade of green/blue!!
FALL
SHORT WALK TO SCHOOL
Mr. W was born in Cornwall, England in 1854. He came to Canada and settled in Ontario. He found love and married his missus. In 1881 they came to Manitoba and settled on this property. The first home built there was a log home and then in 1896 this home was built.
In 1883 a school was built on the SW corner of his property. It was moved in 1902, 2 miles North. Mr. W also owned the local Canadian Elevator in 1913 but it burnt down in 1917. It was valued at $7,000 but he did not carry insurance.
His youngest son A, born in 1896 loved having the school close to home and at 5 years of age he would go to the school at 3:00 p.m. and sit with the teachers until school was dismissed.
A married M in 1921 and lived on the farm. M raised 50 ducks, geese and chickens every year. She kept them in the coop during the day in incubators and at night time she moved them into the house until the warmer weather arrived. There was evidence of one or two buildings that could have been chicken coops.
The raised 3 children on this farm, too.
A & M’s only son, E born in 1938, started to farm with his Dad in 1953. He married W and they had two children of their own. They purchased the farm from E’s parents in 1966.
We found so many outbuildings and different machinery on this land. I especially loved this old wheel the the tree it was resting upon which claimed it.
E & W had one son whom still farms the land but lives nearby. It was K & H that granted me permission to photograph the property and have asked me for copies of the photos that I take for her Mother-in-law as a keepsake. I hope that the photos I have taken can do justice to the memories they must have of this farm.
TAG ALONG
Sometimes the kids gets dragged along on an exploration. So I try to make it a photo shoot. Usually the girl goes along with it but on this day she was having no part of it. Likely for the benefit of her friend!
CRUMBLING MEMORIES 