Neubergthal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Neubergthal
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Unincorporated rural community
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Cemetery and housebarns in Neubergthal
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 Neubergthal
Location in Manitoba
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| Country |  Canada |
| Province |  Manitoba |
| Region | Pembina Valley |
| Census Division | No. 3 |
| Rural Municipality | Municipality of Rhineland |
| Established | 1876 |
| Official name: Neubergthal Street Village | |
| Designated: | 1989 |
Neubergthal is a special rural community in Manitoba, Canada. It's not a city or town with its own government, but a unique place known as a National Historic Site of Canada. This means it's a very important historical spot in Canada!
The community was started in 1876 by Mennonite families. These families came from a place called the Bergthal Colony in Russia. They designed their village with long, narrow farms. Neubergthal is famous for its old Mennonite housebarns, which are buildings where families lived and kept their animals under one roof.
The History of Neubergthal
Neubergthal was founded in 1876. It was settled by Mennonite families who spoke a language called Plautdietsch. These families had a long history. Their ancestors came from places like Friesland and Flanders in the 1500s.
Later, they lived in Prussia and then in the Russian Empire. People sometimes called them "Russian Mennonites," but they were actually of Dutch background. In the 1870s, some of these Mennonites felt unhappy. They didn't like that they were losing their special rights, like not having to join the army.
So, they decided to move to Manitoba, Canada. The first settlers arrived in 1874. Then, in 1876, some moved to a new area to find good farmland. They started the village of Neubergthal. Families often moved together, which is why many of the first families had similar last names.
Like other Mennonite villages, Neubergthal was a "Strassendorf," or street village. This means houses were built along a main street. Villagers lived and farmed together. They built traditional Mennonite housebarns, and many of these unique buildings are still standing today.
Neubergthal's Historic Buildings
Neubergthal is not just a National Historic Site of Canada. It also has many important local historic sites. These include the Herdsman's House, the H.F. Hamm House, and the Friesen Interpretive Centre.
The Neubergthal Heritage Foundation helps take care of these historic places. This group is a nonprofit organization. They work to preserve the village's history.
In 2017, the foundation received a special grant. This money helped them restore the old Klippenstein housebarn. The restoration work was planned to finish in March 2018.
Neubergthal in the News
Neubergthal has been in the news for some interesting stories. For example, opera singers Terry Mierau and Monique Scholte moved there. They decided to become farmers in the community.
The village and nearby farmers were also featured in a documentary. It was called From Seed To Seed by Katharina Stieffenhofer. The film also included research from the University of Manitoba.
Neubergthal even inspired a book! Author Andrew Unger wrote a novel in 2020 called Once Removed. The fictional village of Altfeld in his book was inspired by Neubergthal.
