Elkhorn, Manitoba
Encyclopedia
Elkhorn is a village in southwestern Manitoba
, Canada
.
Incorporated on January 2, 1906, it is located approximately 105 kilometers west of Brandon
. It is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Wallace
.
arrived in 1882. In the CPR survey Elkhorn is located at mile sixty-four west of Brandon, in what was known as the Broadview subdivision. The Post Office Department appointed John McLeod, one of the district's first settlers, to be the community's first post master and the post office opened December 1, 1883. A Board of Trade was organized in April 1899 and lobbied for further settlement in the town and surrounding municipality, better infrastructure, and improvement of commerce. It was responsible for the establishment of the first fire brigade in 1901, which became the responsibility of the Village when it incorporated in 1906. In 1948 the board was reorganized and renamed the Elkhorn and District Chamber of Commerce.
The growing population continued to require more space and an even larger brick school was built in 1910. Eventually even this new school had to split its auditorium into two classrooms and create a third additional room in the basement. Only elementary school was taught in the building after a collegiate was opened in 1959. Elkhorn School District 366 was absorbed into the Fort La Bosse School Division November 10, 1971. The institution again changed appearance in 1976 when the brick school was demolished and a new elementary wing and gymnasium were added to the collegiate.
Today the school is home to approximately 170 students from Kindergarten to Grade XII.
now houses a wide variety of artifacts and documents that are integral to the history of the village, an array of early farm machinery and implements in addition to the primary collection.
The museum owes its existence to the tireless efforts of a local farmer, Isaac Clarkson. In 1946 he purchased and restored a 1909 Hupmobile
that he had been fascinated with in his youth. He continued to acquire and restore vehicles at his farm for the next several years. Abhorring the idea that the collection should be split up or leave the province Clarkson and other prominent members of the community successfully petitioned the Manitoba Government to establish a museum foundation. March 30, 1961 The Manitoba Antique Automobile Museum Foundation was established by an act of the provincial legislature. Mr. Clarkson donated his entire collection to the foundation, which at the time numbered some 65 vehicles, 40 of which had been completely restored. The estimated value of the collection in 1961 was $75,000 - $100,000. The community made plans to erect a museum building as a centennial project in October of 1964. Contractors completed the building by August of 1965 and it was opened to the public in the summer of 1966. The museum was officially opened on the national centennial, July 1, 1967.
The museum is located along the south side of the Trans-Canada Highway and serves as Elkhorn's primary tourist attraction. It is open daily from May to September.
Constituency. The constituency first elected Larry Maguire
in 1999 and he continues to serve as the incumbent. In the 2007 Manitoba General Election Elkhorn made up all of Voting Area 2 in the constituency and possessed 329 registered voters or 2.7% of the electorate.
as part of the Brandon-Souris Constituency. The current Member of Parliament
is Merv Tweed
, whom the constituents first elected in 2004. In the 2008 Federal Election the village had 318 registered voters of which 153 cast ballots. At 48.11%, voter turnout was significantly lower than the constituency and national levels of 55.96% and 58.8% respectively.
. Founded by F. Greenstreet in 1886, the Elkhorn Breeze was applauded by the Manitoba Free Press
as "a credit to that prosperous young city." In spite of such praise The Breeze had ceased publication by the end of 1887.
In 1892 the Elkhorn District Advocate began circulation as a standard print, weekly newspaper. This venture too ceased publication after only one year. A.E. Wilson, principal of the Washakada Industrial School, salvaged the paper and began printing the Elkhorn Advocate at the school only two months after the District Advocate released its final issue. Aboriginal students at the school printed the paper and learned the trade as part of the Residential School System designed to assimilate aboriginals into mainstream society. Management of the paper transferred to W.J. Thompson shortly after it began printing.
December 3, 1908 the first issue of the Elkhorn Mercury circulated in the village. The Mercury operated in competition with the Advocate until September, 1910 when the latter permanently ceased operation. Various owners and editors of the Mercury continued to print the paper weekly in Elkhorn until 1965, when it was absorbed by the Virden
Empire-Advance. This newspaper along with the Moosomin
World-Spectator
are weekly publications that now provide the majority of local media coverage for the village. Currently there are no publishing or broadcasting companies in Elkhorn.
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Incorporated on January 2, 1906, it is located approximately 105 kilometers west of Brandon
Brandon, Manitoba
Brandon is the second largest city in Manitoba, Canada, and is located in the southwestern area of the province. Brandon is the largest city in the Westman region of Manitoba. The city is located along the Assiniboine River. Spruce Woods Provincial Park and CFB Shilo are a relatively short distance...
. It is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Wallace
Wallace, Manitoba
Wallace is a rural municipality in the province of Manitoba in Western Canada. The town of Virden and the village of Elkhorn are separately administered urban communities that lie within the borders of Wallace R.M.-External links:*...
.
History
The village was first settled when the Canadian Pacific RailwayCanadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
arrived in 1882. In the CPR survey Elkhorn is located at mile sixty-four west of Brandon, in what was known as the Broadview subdivision. The Post Office Department appointed John McLeod, one of the district's first settlers, to be the community's first post master and the post office opened December 1, 1883. A Board of Trade was organized in April 1899 and lobbied for further settlement in the town and surrounding municipality, better infrastructure, and improvement of commerce. It was responsible for the establishment of the first fire brigade in 1901, which became the responsibility of the Village when it incorporated in 1906. In 1948 the board was reorganized and renamed the Elkhorn and District Chamber of Commerce.
Education
The first settlers in the district came from well established towns in Eastern Canada or Britain and quickly recognized the necessity of public education. The community opened the first school February 5, 1885 as School District 366. The population rapidly outgrew the facility and the village sold it in 1892. The building still stands as a private residence. A larger school built of field stone was completed in 1895 and all subsequent schools have been built on the same grounds.The growing population continued to require more space and an even larger brick school was built in 1910. Eventually even this new school had to split its auditorium into two classrooms and create a third additional room in the basement. Only elementary school was taught in the building after a collegiate was opened in 1959. Elkhorn School District 366 was absorbed into the Fort La Bosse School Division November 10, 1971. The institution again changed appearance in 1976 when the brick school was demolished and a new elementary wing and gymnasium were added to the collegiate.
Today the school is home to approximately 170 students from Kindergarten to Grade XII.
Manitoba Antique Automobile Museum
Established to keep an impressive private collection of antique cars in Manitoba, the Manitoba Antique Automobile MuseumManitoba Antique Automobile Museum
The Manitoba Antique Automobile Museum, located on Trans Canada Highway 1 in Elkhorn, Manitoba, has a collection of over 100 rare automobiles dating back to 1908.-Collection:...
now houses a wide variety of artifacts and documents that are integral to the history of the village, an array of early farm machinery and implements in addition to the primary collection.
The museum owes its existence to the tireless efforts of a local farmer, Isaac Clarkson. In 1946 he purchased and restored a 1909 Hupmobile
Hupmobile
The Hupmobile was an automobile built from 1909 through 1940 by the Hupp Motor Company, which was located at 345 Bellevue Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. Its first car, the Model 20, was introduced to the public at the Detroit Auto Show in February 1909...
that he had been fascinated with in his youth. He continued to acquire and restore vehicles at his farm for the next several years. Abhorring the idea that the collection should be split up or leave the province Clarkson and other prominent members of the community successfully petitioned the Manitoba Government to establish a museum foundation. March 30, 1961 The Manitoba Antique Automobile Museum Foundation was established by an act of the provincial legislature. Mr. Clarkson donated his entire collection to the foundation, which at the time numbered some 65 vehicles, 40 of which had been completely restored. The estimated value of the collection in 1961 was $75,000 - $100,000. The community made plans to erect a museum building as a centennial project in October of 1964. Contractors completed the building by August of 1965 and it was opened to the public in the summer of 1966. The museum was officially opened on the national centennial, July 1, 1967.
The museum is located along the south side of the Trans-Canada Highway and serves as Elkhorn's primary tourist attraction. It is open daily from May to September.
Government
Elkhorn is a small single-tier municipality that is governed by a mayor and 4 councillors.Provincial Representation
Elkhorn is represented in the Manitoba Legislative Assembly as part of the Arthur-VirdenArthur-Virden
Arthur-Virden is a provincial electoral division in the Canadian province of Manitoba. It was created by redistribution in 1989, combining the former constituencies of Arthur and Virden.Arthur-Virden is located in the southwestern corner of the province...
Constituency. The constituency first elected Larry Maguire
Larry Maguire
Larry Maguire is a politician and activist farmer in Manitoba, Canada. He is currently the deputy leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba in the Manitoba legislature.-Farming activist:...
in 1999 and he continues to serve as the incumbent. In the 2007 Manitoba General Election Elkhorn made up all of Voting Area 2 in the constituency and possessed 329 registered voters or 2.7% of the electorate.
| 2007 Manitoba Election Results - Arthur-Virden - Voting Area 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| Candidate | Political Party | Votes | Percentage |
Larry Maguire Larry Maguire Larry Maguire is a politician and activist farmer in Manitoba, Canada. He is currently the deputy leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba in the Manitoba legislature.-Farming activist:... |
Progressive Conservative Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba The Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba is the only right wing political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is also the official opposition party in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.-Origins and early years:... |
120 | 72.29% |
Bob Senff | New Democratic Party New Democratic Party of Manitoba The New Democratic Party of Manitoba is a social-democratic political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is the provincial wing of the federal New Democratic Party, and is a successor to the Manitoba Co-operative Commonwealth Federation... |
41 | 24.70% |
Fred Curry | Liberal Manitoba Liberal Party The Manitoba Liberal Party is a political party in Manitoba, Canada. Its roots can be traced to the late nineteenth-century, following the province's creation in 1870.-Origins and early development :... |
4 | 2.41% | |
Federal Representation
Elkhorn is represented in the Canadian ParliamentParliament of Canada
The Parliament of Canada is the federal legislative branch of Canada, seated at Parliament Hill in the national capital, Ottawa. Formally, the body consists of the Canadian monarch—represented by her governor general—the Senate, and the House of Commons, each element having its own officers and...
as part of the Brandon-Souris Constituency. The current Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
is Merv Tweed
Merv Tweed
Mervin C. Tweed, MP is a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He currently sits as the Member of Parliament for Brandon—Souris. Prior to that he was a member of the Manitoba Legislature from 1995 to 2004, representing the constituency of Turtle Mountain.Tweed was born in Medora, Manitoba, and was...
, whom the constituents first elected in 2004. In the 2008 Federal Election the village had 318 registered voters of which 153 cast ballots. At 48.11%, voter turnout was significantly lower than the constituency and national levels of 55.96% and 58.8% respectively.
| 2008 Canada Election Results - Brandon-Souris - Polling Station 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Candidate | Political Party | Votes | Percentage |
Merv Tweed Merv Tweed Mervin C. Tweed, MP is a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He currently sits as the Member of Parliament for Brandon—Souris. Prior to that he was a member of the Manitoba Legislature from 1995 to 2004, representing the constituency of Turtle Mountain.Tweed was born in Medora, Manitoba, and was... |
Conservative Conservative Party of Canada The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum... |
106 | 69.28% |
John Bouché | New Democratic Party New Democratic Party The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in... |
21 | 13.73% |
Martha Jo Willard | Liberal Liberal Party of Canada The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative... |
11 | 7.19% |
Dave Barnes | Green Green Party of Canada The Green Party of Canada is a Canadian federal political party founded in 1983 with 10,000–12,000 registered members as of October 2008. The Greens advance a broad multi-issue political platform that reflects its core values of ecological wisdom, social justice, grassroots democracy and... |
11 | 7.19% |
Lisa Gallagher | Communist Communist Party of Canada The Communist Party of Canada is a communist political party in Canada. Although is it currently a minor or small political party without representation in the Federal Parliament or in provincial legislatures, historically the Party has elected representatives in Federal Parliament, Ontario... |
3 | 1.96% |
Jerome Dondo | Christian Heritage Christian Heritage Party of Canada The Christian Heritage Party of Canada, also referred to as CHP Canada, is a federal political party that advocates that Canada be governed according to Biblical principles... |
1 | 0.65% | |
Media
The first publication in Elkhorn was a handwritten news bulletin reproduced on cyclostyleCyclostyle (copier)
The Cyclostyle duplicating process is a form of stencil copying invented by David Gestetner in London in 1890. A stencil is cut with the help of small toothed wheels on a special paper underlaid with carbon paper which serves as a printing form. Gestetner named the Cyclostyle after a drawing tool...
. Founded by F. Greenstreet in 1886, the Elkhorn Breeze was applauded by the Manitoba Free Press
Winnipeg Free Press
The Winnipeg Free Press is a daily broadsheet newspaper in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Founded in 1872, as the Manitoba Free Press, it is the oldest newspaper in western Canada. It is the newspaper with the largest readership in the province....
as "a credit to that prosperous young city." In spite of such praise The Breeze had ceased publication by the end of 1887.
In 1892 the Elkhorn District Advocate began circulation as a standard print, weekly newspaper. This venture too ceased publication after only one year. A.E. Wilson, principal of the Washakada Industrial School, salvaged the paper and began printing the Elkhorn Advocate at the school only two months after the District Advocate released its final issue. Aboriginal students at the school printed the paper and learned the trade as part of the Residential School System designed to assimilate aboriginals into mainstream society. Management of the paper transferred to W.J. Thompson shortly after it began printing.
December 3, 1908 the first issue of the Elkhorn Mercury circulated in the village. The Mercury operated in competition with the Advocate until September, 1910 when the latter permanently ceased operation. Various owners and editors of the Mercury continued to print the paper weekly in Elkhorn until 1965, when it was absorbed by the Virden
Virden, Manitoba
Virden, Manitoba is a town in southwestern Manitoba. Oil was first discovered in 1951, and Virden has since come to be known as the "Oil Capital of Manitoba"....
Empire-Advance. This newspaper along with the Moosomin
Moosomin, Saskatchewan
-Climate:-Moosomin in popular culture:* The Guess Who has a song called "Runnin' Back to Saskatoon"; it also mentions Moose Jaw and Moosomin.-Notable people from Moosomin:...
World-Spectator
World-Spectator
The World-Spectator is a weekly newspaper in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, serving the communities of Moosomin, Rocanville, Wapella, Wawota Langbank, Kelso, Welwyn, Spy Hill, Tantallon, Fleming, Fairlight and Maryfield. It also serves the Manitoba communities of St...
are weekly publications that now provide the majority of local media coverage for the village. Currently there are no publishing or broadcasting companies in Elkhorn.
Mayors of Elkhorn
| Name | In Office |
|---|---|
| William M. Cushing William M. Cushing William Mair Cushing served as the first mayor of the Village of Elkhorn after its incorporation January 2, 1906. This first mayoral election was extremely close and Cushing defeated his opponent, W.J. Thompson, by a single vote.... |
1906 - 1907 |
| Charles R. Duxbury | 1908 - 1909 |
| J.S. McLeod | 1910 - 1911 |
| H.J. Jones H.J. Jones Herbert John Jones served as the fourth mayor of the Village of Elkhorn. Born in Goderich, Ontario, Jones came west in 1888 settling at Douglas, Manitoba. He worked as a farm labourer until moving to Elkhorn in 1900 where he became buyer for the Lake of the Woods Milling Company Elevator... |
1912; 1914 - 1916; 1930 - 1935 |
| J.H. Miller J.H. Miller John Harvey Miller served as the fifth mayor of the Village of Elkhorn. He sold agricultural implements in the village and served as a councillor for the Rural Municipality of Wallace. Miller served as mayor for only one year. He died umarried.-References:... |
1913 |
| John Mooney | 1917 - 1918 |
| R.H. Brotherhood R.H. Brotherhood Rowland Henderson Brotherhood served as the seventh mayor of the Village of Elkhorn.Brotherhood arrived in Elkhorn in 1904 to assume management of the Canadian Bank of Commerce. He was the second and longest serving manager of the bank, holding the position for 23 years... |
1919 |
| Charles G. Webster | 1920 - 1921 |
| W.J. Thompson | 1922 |
| G.T. Earle | 1923 - 1924 |
| W.T. Clarke | 1925 - 1926 |
| Walter Davey Walter Davey Walter Davey served as the twelfth mayor of the village of Elkhorn, Manitoba, Canada, and as a councillor for the Rural Municipality of Wallace. Born in 1870 at Neath, Glamorganshire, Wales he was the only son of William Davey and Elizabeth Avery Chapple. He came to Canada with his parents in... |
1927 - 1929 |
| J.M. McCorkindale J.M. McCorkindale John Matheson McCorkindale served as the thirteenth Mayor of the Village of Elkhorn. He was born in 1878 on the Isle of Coll, County Argyll, Scotland. On January 17, 1912 John married Edith Bernice Harrison in Elkhorn. A tailor by trade, McCorkindale operated a shop with his wife until the... |
1936 - 1937 |
| C.W. Johnston C.W. Johnston Clarence Woods Johnston, M.C., M.D. served as the fourteenth mayor of the Village of Elkhorn.Born in Newmarket, Ontario, Johnston grew up in Morden, Manitoba and attended the University of Manitoba, graduating in 1914. He enlisted in the Canadian Army Medical Corps in 1916 and was awarded the... |
1938 - 1947 |
| John W.M. Thompson | 1948 - 1953 |
| J.W. Clarke J.W. Clarke James Wallace Clarke served as the sixteenth mayor of the Village of Elkhorn after serving many years as a councillor for both the village and the surrounding Rural Municipality of Wallace... |
1954 - 1957 |
| J. Norris | 1958 - 1964 |
| J.H. Hennan J.H. Hennan James Havelock Hennan was a veterinary surgeon and the eighteenth Mayor of the Village of Elkhorn. Born September 2, 1888 in the Rural Municipality of Stanley, Dr. Hennan married Eva Letitia Kerr October 29, 1919. The couple moved to Elkhorn in 1920 where he practised veterinary medicine for the... |
1965 - 1967 |
| Fred Simpson | 1968 - 1969 |
| John Canart | 1970 - 1971 |
| William Bartley | 1972 - 1979 |
| Ron Heritage | 1980; 1983 - 1986 |
| R. Lund | 1980 - 1983 |
| Ken Rowan | 1986 - 1995 |
| Keith Orr | 1995 - 2002 |
| Roland Gagnon | Incumbent |