Morris, Manitoba
Encyclopedia
Morris is a small town of about 1700 people in the Pembina Valley region
of Manitoba
, Canada
, located about 50 km south of Winnipeg and 50 km north of Emerson
. Morris is host to the annual Manitoba Stampede & Exhibition. Highway 75
which turns in to Interstate 29
is the major highway which runs from Winnipeg to Missouri
. Morris is the only town in which Highway 75 is called Main Street. The town of Morris is mostly surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Morris
, except for a relatively small eastern border with the northwest corner of the Rural Municipality of Montcalm
, across the Red River of the North
.
, the second Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba. The town has a very long history involving floods and beaver pelt companies.
Fur traders started to settle in the Morris area in the late 18th century because of its strategic location along the Red River
. By 1801, there were two fur-trading stations at the settlement. Barges came up and down the Red River, and the Red River Ox Carts that traveled between Fort Garry
and the Pembina Settlement went right through Morris, and offered many opportunities for trade. By 1869, the ox carts began to carry settlers to the areas around the Scratching River (now the Morris River) and the population began to grow. The town was officially incorporated in 1883.
Morris lies in the middle of the Red River Valley
. The shallow valley spreads for many kilometers to the east and west, but only rises a few meters at most. The land is remarkably flat. Repeated flooding in the past has left the valley floor covered in rich river silt. The fine black soils are some of the best producing agricultural soils in the world. The Red River Valley
is part of the remnants of the prehistoric "Lake Agassiz
", which was once much larger than Lake Superior
, which is the biggest of the five Great Lakes.
ns to get into the U.S.. Morris is also served by PTH 23
, running east and west, providing access to much of southern Manitoba. Morris is also served by two railroad companies. The first is the Canadian National Railway
whose line runs north/south from Winnipeg to the Canadian/U.S. border. The second is the Southern Manitoba Railway
which runs west from Morris for 80 miles.
The Southern Manitoba Railway is currently being demolished, due to non-use.
. Much of this can be easily said by the community's location in this fertile agricultural region. The Town of Morris is a major service provider to the surrounding agricultural community.
Morris is currently in a state of growth and development, and many opportunities exist for new business. The business community provides strong support for future trade based on its prime location along the Mid-Continent Trade Corridor. Easy access to markets in Canada, the United States and Mexico, make Morris an ideal place to locate a business. Currently, businesses and manufacturers in Morris produce and supply a variety of goods to both national and international markets.
of the MMJHL having joined in 2001
Another sport, originating from Enfield, United Kingdom
, was adopted in this small town. This sport is called Koneball. Created in 2003, the sport is played by a small group of people from Morris and the surrounding Southern Manitoban area. This group formed the Manitoba Koneball Association, to eventually house all Manitoba's Koneballers and base itself in the town of Morris.
Pembina Valley Region, Manitoba
The Pembina Valley is the name given to the south-central region of the province of Manitoba, Canada. It is named for its major geographical feature - the Pembina Valley which runs through the southwestern part of the region....
of Manitoba
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...
, located about 50 km south of Winnipeg and 50 km north of Emerson
Emerson, Manitoba
Emerson is a town in south central Manitoba, Canada, with a population of 655. The town is named after writer Ralph Waldo Emerson.Emerson is located on the east bank of the Red River, just north of the border with the United States at the point where Manitoba, Minnesota, and North Dakota meet. ...
. Morris is host to the annual Manitoba Stampede & Exhibition. Highway 75
Manitoba Provincial Highway 75
Provincial Trunk Highway 75 is a main route from Winnipeg, Manitoba to the U.S. border, where it abuts U.S. Route 75 near the community of Emerson, Manitoba...
which turns in to Interstate 29
Interstate 29
Interstate 29 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern United States. I-29 runs from Kansas City, Missouri, at a junction with Interstate 35 and Interstate 70 to the Canadian border near Pembina, North Dakota, where it connects with Manitoba Highway 75 via the short Manitoba Highway 29.-Route...
is the major highway which runs from Winnipeg to Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. Morris is the only town in which Highway 75 is called Main Street. The town of Morris is mostly surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Morris
Morris, Manitoba (rural municipality)
Morris is a rural municipality in the province of Manitoba in Western Canada. It almost completely encircles the administratively separate town of Morris in its southeastern portion.-External links:*...
, except for a relatively small eastern border with the northwest corner of the Rural Municipality of Montcalm
Montcalm, Manitoba
Montcalm is a rural municipality in the province of Manitoba in Western Canada. It is located in the southern part of the province, along its border with the state of North Dakota in the United States. The 2006 Census reported a population of 1,317 persons, a decrease from the 1,400 reported in the...
, across the Red River of the North
Red River of the North
The Red River is a North American river. Originating at the confluence of the Bois de Sioux and Otter Tail rivers in the United States, it flows northward through the Red River Valley and forms the border between the U.S. states of Minnesota and North Dakota before continuing into Manitoba, Canada...
.
Community history
The town of Morris was named after Alexander MorrisAlexander Morris
Alexander Morris, PC was a Canadian politician. He served in the cabinet of Prime Minister John A. Macdonald , and was the second Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba...
, the second Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba. The town has a very long history involving floods and beaver pelt companies.
Fur traders started to settle in the Morris area in the late 18th century because of its strategic location along the Red River
Red River of the North
The Red River is a North American river. Originating at the confluence of the Bois de Sioux and Otter Tail rivers in the United States, it flows northward through the Red River Valley and forms the border between the U.S. states of Minnesota and North Dakota before continuing into Manitoba, Canada...
. By 1801, there were two fur-trading stations at the settlement. Barges came up and down the Red River, and the Red River Ox Carts that traveled between Fort Garry
Fort Garry
Fort Garry, also known as Upper Fort Garry, was a Hudson's Bay Company trading post at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers in what is now downtown Winnipeg. It was established in 1822 on or near the site of the North West Company's Fort Gibraltar. Fort Garry was named after Nicholas...
and the Pembina Settlement went right through Morris, and offered many opportunities for trade. By 1869, the ox carts began to carry settlers to the areas around the Scratching River (now the Morris River) and the population began to grow. The town was officially incorporated in 1883.
Morris lies in the middle of the Red River Valley
Red River Valley
The Red River Valley is a region in central North America that is drained by the Red River of the North. It is significant in the geography of North Dakota, Minnesota, and Manitoba for its relatively fertile lands and the population centers of Fargo, Moorhead, Grand Forks, and Winnipeg...
. The shallow valley spreads for many kilometers to the east and west, but only rises a few meters at most. The land is remarkably flat. Repeated flooding in the past has left the valley floor covered in rich river silt. The fine black soils are some of the best producing agricultural soils in the world. The Red River Valley
Red River Valley
The Red River Valley is a region in central North America that is drained by the Red River of the North. It is significant in the geography of North Dakota, Minnesota, and Manitoba for its relatively fertile lands and the population centers of Fargo, Moorhead, Grand Forks, and Winnipeg...
is part of the remnants of the prehistoric "Lake Agassiz
Lake Agassiz
Lake Agassiz was an immense glacial lake located in the center of North America. Fed by glacial runoff at the end of the last glacial period, its area was larger than all of the modern Great Lakes combined, and it held more water than contained by all lakes in the world today.-Conception:First...
", which was once much larger than Lake Superior
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
, which is the biggest of the five Great Lakes.
Location and transportation
The location of Morris is along PTH 75, which is the main route for ManitobaManitoba
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...
ns to get into the U.S.. Morris is also served by PTH 23
Manitoba Highway 23
Provincial Trunk Highway 23 is a provincial highway in the Canadian province of Manitoba. It runs from PTH 59 in La Rochelle to PTH 21 just south of Hartney.-Travel Route:...
, running east and west, providing access to much of southern Manitoba. Morris is also served by two railroad companies. The first is the Canadian National Railway
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
whose line runs north/south from Winnipeg to the Canadian/U.S. border. The second is the Southern Manitoba Railway
Southern Manitoba Railway
Southern Manitoba Railway was incorporated in July 1999 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The railway is 80 miles long and provides transportation for the movement of grain and grain products. SMNR interchanges traffic with the Canadian National Railway at Morris, Manitoba.As of the fall of 2007,...
which runs west from Morris for 80 miles.
The Southern Manitoba Railway is currently being demolished, due to non-use.
Economy
The economy of Morris is based on agricultureAgriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
. Much of this can be easily said by the community's location in this fertile agricultural region. The Town of Morris is a major service provider to the surrounding agricultural community.
Morris is currently in a state of growth and development, and many opportunities exist for new business. The business community provides strong support for future trade based on its prime location along the Mid-Continent Trade Corridor. Easy access to markets in Canada, the United States and Mexico, make Morris an ideal place to locate a business. Currently, businesses and manufacturers in Morris produce and supply a variety of goods to both national and international markets.
Climate
Sports
Morris is the home of the Pembina Valley TwistersPembina Valley Twisters
The Pembina Valley Twisters are a Canadian junior ice hockey team currently based in Morris, Manitoba, Canada. They are part of the Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League .-History:...
of the MMJHL having joined in 2001
| Team | Founded | League | Arena | Championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pembina Valley Twisters Pembina Valley Twisters The Pembina Valley Twisters are a Canadian junior ice hockey team currently based in Morris, Manitoba, Canada. They are part of the Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League .-History:... |
2001 | MMJHL | Morris Rec. Complex | 1 |
Another sport, originating from Enfield, United Kingdom
London Borough of Enfield
The London Borough of Enfield is the most northerly London borough and forms part of Outer London. It borders the London Boroughs of Barnet, Haringey and Waltham Forest...
, was adopted in this small town. This sport is called Koneball. Created in 2003, the sport is played by a small group of people from Morris and the surrounding Southern Manitoban area. This group formed the Manitoba Koneball Association, to eventually house all Manitoba's Koneballers and base itself in the town of Morris.
| Group | Founded | League | Arena | Championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manitoba Koneball Association | 2010 | MKA League | MKA HQ | TBA Summer 2011 |