Fort Garry Historical Society facts for kids
| Established | 1971 |
|---|---|
| Dissolved | 2016 |
| Location | St. Norbert and Fort Garry in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada |
| Type | non-profit historical society |
| Key holdings | Henderson House |
| Collections | Historic homes |
| Public transit access | 162 Richamond Express - St. Norbert 91 St. Norbert |
The Fort Garry Historical Society was a group that worked to protect old buildings and important historical places in Winnipeg, Canada. It was a non-profit organization, which means it didn't try to make money. Instead, it used its funds to help its cause. The Society started in 1971 and officially closed down in 2017.
It was created around the time Manitoba celebrated 100 years of joining Canada. Its main goal was to save and share the history of places in St. Norbert and Fort Garry, two areas in Winnipeg. The Society was connected to several important groups. These included the Canadian Museums Association (CMA), the Canadian Heritage Information Network (CHIN), and the Virtual Museum of Canada.
After the Society closed, its members decided to use their remaining money for a good cause. They gave $5,000 each to three local schools: Vincent Massey Collegiate, Fort Richmond Collegiate, and St. Norbert Collegiate. This money was used to create scholarships for students. These scholarships help students who want to study Canadian history, especially the history of Fort Garry and St. Norbert. The schools were able to decide how to choose the students for these awards.
Historic Places in the Park
One of the main places the Fort Garry Historical Society helped protect is the St. Norbert Provincial Park. This park is about 17 acres (6.9 hectares) in size. It has 14 special signs that tell the story of the community's history and how it grew.
These signs create a self-guided tour. You can follow them along the La Salle River and the Red River. The tour ends where the two rivers meet, near the floodway bridge and gates.
Historic Homes in the Park
The Society was also in charge of saving at least three old houses. These houses are the Maison Bohémier House, Maison Turenne House, and Maison Delorme House. The Turenne and Bohémier homes have been fully fixed up. They are now like museums where you can see how people lived in the late 1800s.
These houses are also known as the Fort Garry Historical Society Museum. They are usually open for visitors during the summer months.
The house that belonged to Pierre Delorme is also in the park. Pierre Delorme was an important Métis leader and politician. His house has not yet been restored.
Another old house in the park is the Henderson House. It was built in 1854 and was originally located far away in North Kildonan. In 1979, it was moved to the park, right next to the Delorme House. The Henderson House has not been restored either. However, the North East Winnipeg Historical Society hopes to fix it up and move it back to North Kildonan someday.
External links
- Fort Garry Historical Society - Town of Fort Garry site
- St. Norbert Provincial Park - Manitoba Conservation Department
