Settlers, Rails & Trails

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Settlers, Rails & Trails is a community run, non-profit museum located in Argyle, Manitoba. It exhibits local history, railway and agricultural artifacts and historical information, and it is also home to the Canadian Flag Collection. Argyle is part of the Rural Municipality of Rockwood, and is located approximate 10 km northwest of the town of Stonewall.

File:Ekhart Railway Station in Settlers, Rails & Trails Inc. (Museum).jpg
Ekhart Railway Station in Settlers, Rails & Trails Museum

History

Began in 1991 as a school project under the name Argyle Prairie Museum, the museum exhibited artifacts and local history in the basement of the Brant-Argyle School. The school is a provincial (Manitoba) historical site. In 1993, the museum was expanded to include the Ekhart railway station, and soon afterward a general store and blacksmith building. The museum was open to the public in the summer months and during Argyle’s Homecoming 2000 celebrations. Due to ongoing maintenance and operational demands, the museum continued collecting artifacts, but reduced its exhibition space and tours.

In February 2010, a group of motivated citizens from the Argyle area began exploring options for operating the museum as a community entity. In November 2010, the museum changed its name to Settlers, Rails & Trails while incorporating as a non-profit organization with the Manitoba Government.

In May 2013, SR&T registered with the Canadian Revenue Agency to become an official Canadian Charity.

SR&T became a member of Canadian Heritage Information Network (CHIN) in March 2014 and host virtual displays at the Canadian Virtual Museum website.

Present Day

Settlers, Rails & Trails continues to plan for future expansion of the museum’s operations. There are plans to acquire land in the Argyle townsite area and develop the museum. A three-season museum pavilion building and exterior village exhibits are planned for the next few years.

Museum’s Collection

Local Artifacts & History

There are over 1,300 artifacts in the museum’s collection in categories ranging from local history, agriculture, education, religion, business and railway exhibits. The museum continues to use the Ekhart railway station to house the Canadian railway artifacts and the general store building to display the items popular during the 1920s to 1970s. A blacksmith shop houses the agricultural artifacts as well as those familiar to the local smithy. Outside exhibits include a stretch of 60 lb rail containing four small pieces of rolling stock known as jiggers.

Canadian Flag Collection

The famous Canadian Flag Collection is also displayed at Settlers, Rails & Trails. It is a gathering of flags, old and new, that represent truly Canadian components of heritage and culture. Five galleries compose the collection;

  • Canadian Historical
  • Corporate Canada
  • Canadian Sport (Teams & sport events)
  • Regions of Canada (towns, cities, municipalities, provinces)
  • Flags of Special Occasions (commemorative, anniversary, events)

Settlers, Rails & Trails has the 2nd largest collection of flags in Canada, with over 925 in the exhibit, the largest in Canada being at the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Ottawa.

The CFC has been covered by CBC Radio, the Winnipeg Free Press and multiple times by the Stonewall Tribune and Stonewall Argus/Teulon Times. It has even been featured in Flagscan, the journal of the Canadian Flag Association.

External links

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