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Visit the Souris Railway Museum...
Bradwardine is community that moved to become a town.
It actually had quite long history by the time the railway arrived. John Parr opened a store and became the first postmaster at "Bradwardine" in 1884. A Methodist Church and Cemetery had also been established. Parr's original "Bradwardine" Post Office closed and relocated several kilometres to the east to the where the new village was created.
That was about all the moving that had to happen.
The original village plan consisted of four blocks and included a school site.
The Forester's Hall was moved from its Ancrum location to Bradwardine shortly after 1902. It doubled as a school, then as a residence during WWII, and finally as a hall for the Canadian Legion.
Soon after the first train arrived, the village had the full range of pioneer era services arranged along the railway line, the most vital of which would be the elevator constructed in 1903 by the Ogilvie Company. Two other elevators followed with the Pool Elevator, built in 1927, standing alone today. Bradwardine School was built in 1905. A Presbyterian Church was built to serve that denomination. A lumberyard, blacksmith shop and a hotel soon were in business.
A private bank was opened by a Mr. Dickson and it was later taken over by the Bank of Hamilton. The vault still marks the spot, just south of the elevator.
Sometime around 1910 a fire destroyed much of the main business district, and although the town continued to grow, the commercial sector never really recovered from that setback.
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Riverdale Heritage Website...
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