Finding Heritage Information
Part of our C/D MHAC mandate is to identify local heritage resources so they can be preserved and made accessible to the public. The heritage resources of a community include its more visible assets, such as buildings, artifacts, plaques or commemorative sites. The intangible resources—the memories, traditions or knowledge of past generations—though less noticeable, are an equally valuable part of our heritage. These are captured in family histories and life stories, photo collections, letters, documents, music and memories of the past.
Local Sources of Information
The RM of Dufferin does not have a formal archive, however, three local sources are recommended, each of which has knowledgeable and helpful staff or members available to assist with heritage research: Dufferin Historical Museum, Boyne Regional Library, and the Carman/Dufferin Municipal Heritage Advisory Committee (C/D MHAC).
Dufferin Historical Museum. The Museum is the main resource in the RM for preservation and conservation of heritage materials. It features a wide range of artifacts and displays, catalogued materials and files. The museum is also re-developing a website and also a database project so that the contents of the museum will become more accessible and searchable.
Location: Carman, Manitoba, Corner Hwy #1245 and Kelly Hand Drive It is located in King’s Park at the corner of Kelly Hand Drive and Hwy 245. GPS coordinates: 49° 30.178 N 098° 00.621 WHours: Dufferin Historical Museum is open in the summer months (June, July, August)
Tues–Sat 10:00–5:00 pm
Sunday 1:00–5:00 pmTel.: 204-745-3597
E-mail: [email protected]
Boyne Regional Library. The library, formerly the post office and now a designated municipal heritage site, carries an assortment of reference material of value to the heritage researcher, including the local Dufferin history, family histories, maps and other useful background material.
Photographs of designated Municipal Heritage sites are displayed. Access to inter-library loans and wifi. For more information, see the Library website: boyneregionallibrary.com
You may also want to visit the page CDMHAC has created documenting all the great activities of the Boyne Regional Library.
Address: Box 788, 15-1st. Street SW, Carman, MB R0J 0J0
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 204-745-3504Carman/Dufferin Municipal Heritage Advisory Committee (C/D MHAC). C/D MHAC has a small collection of resource material, largely relating to its work as an advisory committee. This includes background information on designated heritage sites, local communities, businesses, schools, churches, post offices, cemeteries and people. They also hold a small number of pamphlets, books and brochures.
Files are housed in the basement of the Memorial Hall. These files are not open to the public, however C/D MHAC makes relevant material available by providing copies of reports, digitized newspapers and other items to both the Dufferin Historical Museum and the Boyne Regional Library.
This website is the primary online source for local heritage information. In the Local Heritage section of the website, you will find information about our Municipal Heritage Sites, Monuments Cairns & Signs, Schools, Churches, Cemeteries, Special Places, Homesteads & Early Farms, People and Family Stories, and lots of vintage photos throughout along with links to a wide range of other online sources.
To help you locate information about the various small communities in the RM of Dufferin, C/D MHAC is compiling a series of Heritage Resource Inventories. These inventories list resources specific to each community along with sources of information. Inventories are now on this website for the following communities:
- Graysville
- Northwest Dufferin (Hyde Park/Emberly/Kenneth School Districts)
- Roseisle
- Stephenfield
Printed Source Material
Brochures
C/D MHAC has prepared two heritage tour brochures featuring heritage sites in the Town of Carman and the RM of Dufferin.
The Carman Dufferin Cemeteries brochure provides a map showing locations of nine Carman/Dufferin cemeteries along with a link to the full Carman-Dufferin Cemeteries: A Guide to the History, Location, Art and Craft of Local Cemeteries
Free copies of the brochures are available at the Memorial Hall, Museum, and at several businesses in Carman and other nearby communities.
Books
The following list includes titles and local and/or online locations where you can access the major histories of this area.
The History of the RM of Dufferin in Manitoba 1880–1980, published by the Council of the RM, is the most comprehensive resource available on the history of the municipality. This 816 page book covers the early history of Town of Carman and the RM of Dufferin, including its many small communities, institutions, businesses and services, as well as a wealth of local stories and family histories. Now out-of-print but available online through the University of Manitoba’s Digital Library. Hard copies are available for reference use through Boyne Regional Library or Dufferin Historical Museum.
Dufferin and Carman, written in 1923 by early resident Thomas Kernighan, was reprinted by the Dufferin Historical Museum in 2006 under the name of “The Brightest Jewel as seen through the eyes of Thomas Kernighan”. Copies available for sale: Dufferin Historical Museum – cost $15.00.
School Bells and Honey Pails, published in 2012 by the Dufferin Historical Museum, documents the history of rural schools in the RM of Dufferin. Photographs of schools. Available for sale: Dufferin Historical Museum; cost $10.00
Peeking Through the Knothole, by Alma Barkman, printed by artbookbindery in 2006, recounts stories of growing up near Roseisle.Ribbons, Races and Rides, published by The Dufferin Agricultural Society (1979) traces the history of the Society, including accounts of local fairs.
Trails of the Pioneers (1956) by George H. Hambley, available on the University of Manitoba Digital Library website.
Carman Larger Pastoral Charge, a collection of area church histories, available on the University of Manitoba Digital Library.
Eighty Years of Life and Laughter by Lloyd Kitching (2009), a collection of entertaining tales of early life in Manitoba.
Up to Now, a story of Dufferin and Carman,published by D.W. Friesen & Sons Ltd. (1967) for the Carman Centennial Book Committee. Available for reference use: Boyne Regional Library, Carman Historical Museum and the University of Manitoba Digital Library.
All in a Row: The Klassens of Homewood by Katherine Martens, published by the Mennonite Literary Society (1988) & printed by Friesen Printers, Altona.
Memorable Stories Carman and Area – Celebrating Canada’s 150th published in 2017 by Dufferin Historical Museum, printed by Toews Printing & Office Supply, Carman, MB. A collection of 150 memories of the town. For sale at the Museum.
Roseisle – Volume 1: The Early Years – As Seen Through the Photographs of John Beatty Coleman. Pictorial history of the community between 1900–16 compiled by Ina Bramadat. Printed by Toews Printing & Office Supply, Carman MB
Reports
A Review of the Heritage Resources of Boyne Planning District, a study by Karen Nicholson, Historic Resources Branch, November 1984, provides a comprehensive overview of the district, its geography, patterns of settlement , economic development, and potential heritage resources in the area.
A Guide to Funerary Art in Manitoba, written by architectural historian David Butterfield, is a ‘must-read’ for visitors to local cemeteries. It provides a concise and fascinating insight into the changing styles, materials, craftsmanship and, in particular, the symbolism behind the designs found on gravemarkers found in Manitoba cemeteries.
Carman-Dufferin Cemeteries: A Guide to the History, Location, Art and Craft of Local Cemeteries Our local guide applies the information and insights from the Guide to Funerary Art in Manitoba to Carman/Dufferin cemeteries. Drawing upon the knowledge of local monument makers, we have added information on changing technology and the craftsmanship that went into producing the markers. See also our Carman Dufferin Cemeteries brochure listed above.
Leary Brick Works. The Leary Brick Works is the last semi-intact remnant of some 200 brick plants that once operated in Manitoba. Based on extensive research, architectural historian David Butterfield completed a study of the Leary brick plant in 2018. The full report is here.
Newspapers
C/D MHAC financially supported a project to make the following local newspapers available online through the Pembina Manitou Archive. (check for available issues) Copies also are available on disk through the Boyne Regional Library and Dufferin Historical Museum.
The Carman Weekly Standard (1890–1916). Now online through Pembina Manitou Archives; copies on disk also are held by the C/D MHAC, Boyne Regional Library and Dufferin Historical Museum.
The Dufferin Leader (1898–1976); renamed The Valley Leader (1976–present).Digitized copies up to 2018 are available at the Boyne Regional Library.
Teaching Heritage
Learning about local heritage is a time-tested activity with many positive outcomes, not the least of which is the development of local pride and a feeling of identity and rootedness in the community.
Equally importantly, studying local heritage nourishes curiosity about broader historical questions, and provides students with the opportunity to develop the tools of historical inquiry using resources that are close to home. The following resources will assist in this valuable and rewarding activity:
Learning about local heritage is a time-tested activity with many positive outcomes, not the least of which is the development of local pride and a feeling of identity and rootedness in the community.
Equally importantly, studying local heritage nourishes curiosity about broader historical questions, and provides students with the opportunity to develop the tools of historical inquiry using resources that are close to home. The following resources will assist in this valuable and rewarding activity:
Teacher’s Guides and Resources
Many communities have a surprising amount of primary source material available for studying a wide range of topics.
Many resources are available to help educators and others use source materials to good effect. Participation in heritage fairs or the recording of family histories are two common projects, but there are other possibilities.
- Manitoba Department of Education, Social Studies page. Here you will find the Social Studies curriculum for Manitoba students, and also links to various resources. Visit Websites to Support the New Curriculum to be taken to a list of themes with supporting web resources.
- THEN/HiER is a Canadian organization dedicated to improving history teaching and learning at all levels. Its website provides a range of useful information, including an extensive list of links to Sites of Interest in History Education, which provides a wealth of information on many topics.
- The Historica Dominion Institute is dedicated to the nurturing of Canadian identity and citizenship through the study of history. In addition to links to online resources, the Historica website seeks to advise about methodologies for teaching Canadian history, including how to use primary source materials, on its Benchmarks of Historical Thinking page.
- Montréal’s McCord Museum provides Eduweb, a site dedicated to making historical research a part of the classroom experience. It suggests activities, includes links to web resources, and provides examples of students’ work for reference.
- A Manitoba organization dedicated to the Red River, Rivers West, provides materials on the natural and cultural heritage of the Red River, designed to work within the Manitoba curriculum for grades 4–6.
- Veterans Affairs Canada provides information for research on Canada’s war history.
- Historic Resources Branch’s Heritage Fair Exhibit Guide.
Municipal Heritage Resource Guide
Produced by the Province of Manitoba, the Municipal Heritage Resource Guide provides key information and documents intended to help communities identify and protect their heritage resources in the public interest. Although intended particularly for local governments, much of this information will also be of interest to individuals interested in heritage.
Municipal Heritage Resource Guide (518 KB pdf)
Heritage Matters Benchmarks
The Heritage Matters Benchmarks worksheet, produced by the Historic Resources Branch of Manitoba Culture, Heritage and Tourism, is a checklist of best practices for heritage management that can help organizations and communities understand their strengths, identify weaknesses, and develop useful partnerships. While originally designed for community-wide organizations, it can also provide useful ideas for groups working on specific projects.
Heritage Matters Benchmarks Worksheet
Commemorating Historic Resources
The intangible qualities and claims that define a community’s past are often not readily evident to members of the community or to visitors, but may be made accessible through interpretation and commemoration.
The lives of notable individuals and the events and activities that shaped the course of history are, however, essential aspects of our heritage, and necessary for any place to help define its identity. It is important that individuals and groups undertaking this kind of work do so with the highest standards possible, and with the kind of up-to-date approaches that define heritage activity in the 21st century.
The following entries, designed both for groups and individuals interested in this endeavour, provide information and guidance about a range of approaches that will ensure that Gimli’s history and heritage claims continue to play a vital role in the community’s identity.
- Definitions
- Historical Research
- Brief Introduction to Manitoba’s History (pdf 32 KB)
- Manitoba History Timeline (pdf 58 KB)
- Historical Research (pdf 67 KB)
- What makes a person, event or theme historically significant? (pdf 69 KB)
- Writing an Effective Plaque Inscription (pdf 118 KB)
- Financial Support