Did You Know?


- The Grand Trunk Pacific trestle bridge was one of the longest of its kind in Western  Canada when it was completed in 1908. After several upgrades and modifications it remains an impressive  sight.

- The Roseville Misson Hall, built in 1884 was shared by four faiths, each taking turns.

- Tarbolton United Church was built as Tarbolton Presbyterian in 1888 and is the oldest church still in use in the region.

- The region's first Post Office was Lothair, near Bradwardine, opened in 1882 in the home of Zachary Bailey.

- Daly Union School was the first school to be established in the region in 1884 on NW 32-11-22.

- North American Lumber, now a nation-wide chain, was established in Rivers in 1906.

- R.S. McKenzie established his General Store in 1907.

- Wareham Brothers Butcher Shop, built in 1915 is still standing as part of Lee’s Restaurant.

- The Korman Block, built in 1908, is now home to the Honey House

- Ancrum Anglican Church, built in 1901, is now part of the English Museum.

- All that  remains of Bradwardine’s Hamilton Bank, built in 1918, is its vault.

- The dam built in 1901 for Manitoba’s first hydroelectric generating station created a lake in the Little Saskatchewan River - valley south of Kirkham’s Bridge.

- In 1898, John Howie of Bradwardine led a cattle drive to the Yukon gold fields. 

- Rivers is named after Sir Charles Rivers-Wilson – President of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway.

- The first railway passenger service to Rivers arrived on Sept. 21, 1908.

- Grand Trunk Pacific President Charles M. Hays died on the RMS Titanic, April, 14, 1912.
 
-    The first scheduled passenger train arrived in Rivers over the Grand Trunk Pacific Rail line on September 24, 1908. It left Winnipeg and contained two passenger coaches and a half dozen freight cars. It became a tri weekly service from both directions with an all-night stopover in Rivers.

-    The RM of Daly and Rivers Town Council held a joint inauguration meeting on November 8, 1908

-    On December 1, 1908 a telephone connection was made with the outside world. The telephone was located in the J.A. Grummet & Co. store located on Second Avenue

-    The three elevators in Wheatland did a thriving business in the 1907-08 season by handling 150,000 bushels of grain.

-    In 1923 His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales didn’t reach Rivers railway depot by train but rather, walked the ties for a mile with a solitary escort.

-    In 1924, the Prince of Wales stepped off a special train at Rivers Station.

-    In 1926 His Excellency Lord Baron Byng of Vimy, accompanied by Lady Byng visited with Rivers School children on the station platform. He gave them a half day break from school.

-    In 1929 The Rivers Ukrainian Society purchased the old Victoria House/Four Star Theatre on Second Avenue

-    Pete Luchuk and John Sasko were in charge of  Ukrainian Bazaar on October 24th and some of the prizes were a seven jeweled railroad watch for $7., a hammock for $7.,a ton of coal for $10.50 and 100 lbs. of sugar for $7.

-    In 1906-1907 the Bradwardine Hockey team played for the Stanley Cup.