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Settlers, Rails & Trails facts for kids
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| Former name | Argyle Prairie Museum |
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| Location | Argyle, Manitoba, Canada |
| Type | Historic Regional Museum |
| Accreditation | Association of Manitoba Museums |
| Collections | Canadian Flag Collection, Veterans of Brant-Argyle, Brant-Argyle United Church, Brant-Argyle School 100th |
| Collection size | 1,500 artifacts, 1,100 flags, 10,000 digital files in archives |
Settlers, Rails & Trails Inc. is a special museum in Argyle, Manitoba. It's run by the community and doesn't aim to make a profit. This museum shows off local history, old railway items, and farming tools. It's also where you can find the amazing Canadian Flag Collection. Argyle is a small place about 28 kilometers northwest of Winnipeg.
Contents
The Museum's Story
How It All Started
The museum began in 1991 as a school project. It was first called the "Argyle Prairie Museum." Back then, it showed old items and local history in the basement of the Brant-Argyle School. This school is actually a provincial historical site!
In 1993, the museum grew bigger. It added the Ekhart railway station. Soon after, a general store and a blacksmith building were also included. The museum was open to visitors in the summer. It was also open during Argyle’s Homecoming 2000 celebrations.
Becoming Settlers, Rails & Trails
Over time, keeping the museum running was a lot of work. So, it kept collecting items but showed less of them. In February 2010, some people from the Argyle area decided to help. They wanted to run the museum as a community project.
In November 2010, the museum got a new name: Settlers, Rails & Trails. It also became a non-profit organization. This meant it was officially recognized by the Manitoba Government.
The museum joined the Canadian Heritage Information Network in March 2014. This allowed it to show virtual displays online. You can find these displays on the Canadian Virtual Museum website.
Growing the Heritage Park
In 2019, the museum bought 12 acres of land. They started building a heritage park there. As of 2024, the park has three old buildings that have been fixed up. These include a house, a livery (where horses were kept), and a railway station.
The park also has roads and an old railbed. Besides antique equipment, the park has a big lawn. There are 8 royal trees, planted for Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III. Plus, there are 80 other trees and shrubs. About one acre of the park is tallgrass prairie. In 2023, electricity and water were added to the site.
What's Happening Today
Museum Locations
The museum now has two main places. One is the 12-acre heritage park. The other is an exhibition center. This center is in the lower level of the Argyle Community Centre. It's open all year round. The museum plans to build a permanent display building at the park by 2029.
Exhibitions and Displays
Since 2014, the museum has used the space in the Argyle Community Centre. They have ongoing exhibitions for everyone to see. The displays change over time. Some past exhibits included:
- Veterans of the Brant-Argyle Region
- Brant-Argyle School 100th Anniversary
- Canadian Flag Collection
- Brant-Argyle United Church
- Farming in the Brant Argyle region
- Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Exhibition
- The Manitoba Brick and Block Collection
In 2021, the museum started a new idea. It was called the Art and Culture Exhibition. This celebrated local artists. It was the first time an art gallery was set up in Argyle to show local talent.
As the museum gets bigger, it keeps collecting old items. It also offers research help and educational tours to visitors.
Off-Site Programs
The museum also puts on exhibits and programs outside of Argyle. The Canadian Flag Collection has been shown at the Manitoba Legislative Building seven times. It has also been seen in Winnipeg's Millennium Library. And it was displayed at the Princess Auto company headquarters in Winnipeg.
A history book called We Will Remember Them - History of Veterans of Brant-Argyle Region came out in summer 2016. A play called Voices of War was written just for the museum. It toured in fall 2015. It had shows in places like Domain, Stonewall, Selkirk, Teulon, and Argyle. A DVD of the play was made and released in fall 2016. This was around Remembrance Day. The uniforms and items from the play are now on display in the museum's main gallery.
Settlers, Rails & Trails holds events every year for National Flag of Canada Day on February 15. The museum also creates exhibits for local schools. It has made two displays in the Manitoba Legislature's main hall. In 2016, the museum created an exhibit about the historic flags of Manitoba. This was for the provincial flag's 50th anniversary.
The Museum's Collections
Local History and Artifacts
The museum has over 4,000 items in its collection. These items cover many topics. They include local history, farming, education, religion, business, and railway exhibits.
The museum is also home to the Canadian Flag Collection. This collection has over 1,800 flags and items. They represent Canada's history, businesses, sports, regions, and special events. The Manitoba Brick & Block Collection has over 700 bricks, tools, and photos.
The Veterans of the Brant-Argyle Region exhibit honors 173 veterans from the area. It shows items from the Fenian raids (1860s) to Afghanistan. These include photos, medals, uniforms, and other artifacts.
In 2015, the museum wrote and produced a live play called Voices of War. Now, a DVD and a history book tell the story of this play.
The Canadian Flag Collection
The Canadian Flag Collection at Settlers, Rails & Trails is a group of old and new flags. They show different parts of Canadian heritage and culture. There are separate displays for Canadian history, businesses, sports, regions, and special events.
Settlers, Rails & Trails has the second largest museum collection of flags in Canada. As of February 2021, the collection has over 1,750 flags. Because of this flag collection, the museum is considered a regional museum. It shows flags and items from all over the country.
The Canadian Flag Collection has been talked about by CBC Radio and newspapers. These include the Winnipeg Free Press, Stonewall Tribune, and Teulon Times. It has also been featured in Flagscan, a journal about flags.
Manitoba Brick and Block Collection
In 2017, some old masonry bricks were moved to the Argyle museum. Over the past few years, this special collection has grown. It now includes many samples of bricks from all over Manitoba. Raw samples of clay and shale have also been added.
The museum wants to collect two samples of every brick ever made. There were almost 200 historic brick-making sites across the province. The museum has also collected brick samples from important old buildings in Manitoba.
In the next few years, the museum will build a special building for the Manitoba Brick and Block Collection. This building will be on the museum's property.