(Late 1700s) The log foundations of a fur trading post were discovered at this site in 1937. This was one of two posts that were located on the south side of the Souris River as opposed to the north.
(1810 – 1828) There were two fur trading posts on the Souris River run by the American Fur Trading Company. The exact location of the other one is unknown.
(1898 – 1961) Argue was known as "Trackend" for a year as it was the most westerly station on the Winnipeg-Carmen-Hartney Branch of the Canadian National Railway until 1900 when the line continued to Hartney and Virden.
The Forestry Reserve game wardens chose to turn their heads the other direction when it came to the fishing practices of the Metis living around Metigoshe Lake.
(1793) The Dakota were opposed to the fur trade in the Souris basin and wanted the Assiniboine to stop trading with the fur traders. During a battle held in this approximate location, the Dakota wiped out an entire Assiniboine village.
(1880) Dodd's Store (operated by Mr. Kingdon in 1885) was the first store on the site of what would become the community of Adelpha. The store was a stopping place along the Boundary Commission Trail.
A small plot of land is set aside where the rail bed of the Great Northern Railway crosses the present-day No. 3 Highway. This was the location of the Fairburn train station.
(1908) The first permanent Métis settler in the Turtle Mountain area was Louis McLeod who settled within a mile from the US-Canadian border. This was the beginning of the Metigoshe Métis Community.
(1879) Two brothers, Oliver and Herb Smith, were the first permanent homesteaders in the south-west, before the section, township and range system of surveying the land was implemented.
(1824 – 1861) Cuthbert Grant established this fort on the Souris River on behalf of the HBC to keep illegal operations from diverting business away from the company.
(1802-1805) The Hudson Bay Company operated a winter fur trading post south of Whitewater Lake for a few years. It was not a success and was soon abandoned.
(1880 – 1886) Homesteaders in southwestern Manitoba had to first make their way to the Old Deloraine Land Titles Office, managed by George Newcomb, to register land claims.
(10,000 BC - Present) The unique environment provided by the Lauder Sandhills attracted bison, which appealed to the early peoples who came to camp and live there.
This protected prairie hilltop above the Boissevain reservoir is often covered with prairie flowers. It is a peaceful spot to observer the surrounding wildlife.
(1780) Spurred on by the Dakota, the Mandans waged several battles against the Assiniboine. This was closely following the dissolution of an alliance between the Mandan and the Assiniboine.
(1893) Mr. Duncan McArthur supplied coal from this mine to a local market for a few years. In the 1930s it was re-opened before being permanently closed.
(1850) A bison hunt took place between Whitewater Lake and the Chain Lakes. It involved 1000 Red River Carts. Cutting up the carcasses after the hunt took eight days.
(After 1830) The Chain Lakes provided a convenient stopping place for Red River Métis Bison hunters moving between Turtle Mountain, Whitewater and the Lauder Sandhills.
(1882 – 1988) George Morton bought this sawmill from Mr. Bolton. It sat on the shore of Lake Max until a forest fire destroyed much of the available timber. It continued operations to the north.
Newcomb's Hollow is a pretty spot where a small interpretive centre for the Old Deloraine Land Titles Office has been built with a replica of the old Office.
(1885) George Morton established a store and stopping place at this location. The store was moved to the present site of Boissevain where it became the town's first building.
(1880) The early Dominion Government placed four shelters at this spot for the convenience of travellers. It became a regular stopping place for settlers heading west.
(1801 – 1870s) A replica of a Red River Cart sits in the Deloraine Park. The Red River Cart was specifically designed to suit the fur trade. Its squeaky wheels carved deep trails into the prairie landscape of the 1800s.
Skull Swamp is an example of the ingenuity possessed by post glacial societies in their bison hunting techniques and how they used the existing landscape to their advantage.
(1845, 1848 – 1855) For the latter years of its operation, this fur trading post was operated by the HBC's Antoine Desjarlais. The exact location of the post is unknown, though it may have replaced Lena House on the slope of Turtle Mountain.
(1898 - ) The general store is all that remains of this community which grew around the train station on the Winnipeg-Carmen-Hartney Branch of the Canadian National Railway.
The Manitoba Department of Natural Resources, Turtle Mountain Conservation District and Ducks Unlimited Canada jointly developed a wildlife viewing facility adjacent to the newly completed Ducks Unlimited project at Whitewater Lake.
(1795) The X.Y. Company was made up of disgruntled North West Co. Workers. This post was managed by Mr. Peter Grant and operated in opposition to the nearby N.W. Co. Ash Fort.
The site of an old trading post. Artifacts such as musket balls, trading beads, broken dishware, a rusty knife and some native artifacts were turned up here as a result of cultivation.
Durward St, Pierson. Five full service sites, 30 amp, water and sewer hookup. $20.00 per night. For monthly rates call number below.
PHONE: 204-634-2231
EMAIL: rmedw@inethome.ca
A small bed and breakfast outside of Hartney within walking distance of the Souris River. Firepit, Guest Garden, etc.
PHONE: 204-858-2226
EMAIL: littlepatchofheavenbb@yahoo.ca
VISIT: http://www.bedandbreakfast.mb.ca/listing.php?id=littlepatch
Located next to the pool and playground in Hartney.
PHONE: In summer: 204-858-2167. Otherwise: 204-858-2429.
EMAIL: hartney@mts.net
VISIT: http://www.hartney.ca/default.asp?fxoid=FXMenu,3&ID=10&sub_ID=213&sub2_ID=135
Located in the small ghost town of Lauder, this coffeeshop is housed in the community’s old two room schoolhouse. Open sometimes 7 days a week, call for hours. 200 Lorne Ave, Lauder.
PHONE: 204-858-2244
(1914 – 1961) Wassewa became the name of a train station on the Canadian National Railway, located nearby the Wassewa stopping place established by George Morton.
The Sawmill serves a simple lunch, coffeehouse beverages and treats. Used book store, handmade items, pool table. Open late.
PHONE: 204-534-2232
EMAIL: sawmill@prairiepartners.ca
VISIT: http://www.prairiepartners.ca/sawmill/default.html
Settle into the cozy straw bale guesthouse or more rustic pond house for a relaxed Turtle Mountain getaway.
Phone: 1-204-534-2303
Email: roomtogrow@xplornet.com
Visit: http://www.roomtogrow.info
Located inside the beautiful Peace Garden on the Canada / US border. Cafe, Souvenir shop and interpretive centre nearby.
Phone: 1-204-534-2510
Visit: http://www.peacegarden.com/camping.htm
“Romance by the Railroad Park,” South Railway St – Local farmers and craftspeople gather here every Friday from June 1st to September 30th. Lunch is served by a different community group every week. 11am - 1pm
A small blacksmith shop, perhaps 10’ by 10’ was opened by Archie Hunter who came from Ontario in 1890. He moved his business into Lauder when the railway was built.
(1890 - 1892) Lime Kiln. Not much is known about this site, other than that it existed. It is unknown whether it produced lime for local markets or for export.
(1892 – 1895) A raft made of trees and timbers served as a ferry across the Souris R. in the early days of settlement. It was operated by a pulley system and usually only in the spring when waters were high.
Cabins and suites available for rent on the shore of Lake Metigoshe. Store, restaurant and gas station.
PHONE: 204-747-3919
VISIT: http://www.turtlemountainresort.ca/
A vacation property nestled in the Turtle Mountains near Lake Metigoshe. The building used to be the CPR station at Lyleton.
PHONE: 204-748-3681
VISIT: http://www.lizzielakestation.com/
A collection of pioneer-era displays that fill six heritage buildings.
OPEN: Jul-Aug and by appointment.
ADMISSION: Adult-$4 Students-$2 Preschool-Free
PHONE: 204-673-2503, 204-673-2557
VISIT: http://www.waskada.ca/pages/Museum.htm
(1808-1828) The American Fur Company traded on the Souris River until their operations were shut down by Cuthbert Grant. The exact location of this fort is unknown.
(1898 – 1961) The CNR was built as far as Argue in 1898. Argue was known as “Trackend” while the future course of the line was debated. Delegations from Deloraine, Waskada, Melita and Hartney lobbied for the route to go to their respective towns.
(1905-1976) The CPR built west of Lauder as far as Broomhill then continued to Tilston the following summer. A flood in the spring of 1976 took out the bridge at Bernice along with some of the track, which brought an end to the use of this Branch.
(Pre 1600 - 1885) The Boundary Commission Trail was the first “highway” to the west, carrying First Nations to and fro, Métis on buffalo hunts and finally Europeans looking for rich farmland.
(1907-1976) The CPR from Lauder continued to Tilston in 1907. A flood in the spring of 1976 took out the bridge at Bernice along with some of the track, which brought an end to the use of this Branch.
The Mandan Trail was a primary artery of travel and trade between the Assiniboine River Forts and the Missouri River where the Mandan First Nations lived.
(Pre 1790 - 1886) The Yellow Quill Trail began as a trade route used by First Nations but served as a convenient avenue of travel for pioneering Europeans as well.
(1882 – 1883) George Morton launched a cheese-making project west of Whitewater Lake. He may have been successful if he hadn't overlooked a couple key factors . . .
(1908) Louis McLeod, Billy Gooselin and Elzear Racine came up from Belcourt and settled in the Turtle Mountain bush. These three quarter sections were the first homesteads that were the beginning of the Metigoshe Metis Community.
(1877 – 1913) Dakota Chief H'Damani convinced the government to grant him and his band a square mile of land on the slopes of Turtle Mountain – the smallest First Nation's Reserve in Canada.
