All too often, local or regional histories never get written. There is not too much doubt but that there are people who remember what happened and when, but it is seldom that anyone takes the time to research the rumors and then put the facts down on paper,

Roy Brown was appointed by the Brandon Chamber of Commerce to a special portfolio this fall, charged with coming up with the type of history that could help in the celebration of Grand Valley Days as part of the Centennial year program.

Captain Large and his paddlewheel boat sailed across Mr. Brown's horizon quite early in the research project, and the story was traced back to the little shop at Coulter, where the boat was first built.

Portions of the boat were rescued from more than half a cen¬tury of silt on the bank of the Assiniboine, just before freeze-up last fall. Much more of the boat remains to be found when spring returns.

But until then, and regardless of any future success in once more restoring the Empress of Ireland - Assiniboine Queen to a life on the rolling waves, the story of Captain Large and his boat is now in your hands.

We would like to extend appreciation here to Christie's School Supplies, a pioneer Brandon and western Manitoba firm, who under¬wrote the initial costs of publishing this story.

History isn't just something that happened hundreds of years ago, miles away.  Manitoba is filled with interesting tales of yesterday.  We hope you enjoy this one.