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Morden Heritage
Pioneers
Building a Community
Morden Mansions
People
Business
Schools
Entertainmnet
The Railroad
Experimental Farm
Health Care
Recreation
Pioneers
The First People
As the waters of Lake Agassiz receded, the Mound Builders moved into the area, living by hunting and agriculture. Centuries later, the Cree, Assiniboine, and Chippewa tribes replaced the Mound Builders and were in this area when the first white explorers and traders arrived from the east and Hudson Bay.
The Explorers
In 1738, Laverendrye and his party left Fort la Reine (Portage la Prairie) on their way south to the Missouri River. It is believed that they were the first white men to travel through southern Manitoba. In 1802, Alexander Henry the Younger, a partner in the Northwest Trading Company, built a trading post in this area called Pinancewaywinning. The establishment of the fur trade brought Métis settlers who lived in the valleys west of Morden for decades.
The Pioneers
In 1874-76, when the early pioneers were taking up homesteads, they settled along creeks to ensure a plentiful supply of water and wood. As a result, they did not get the best land from an agricultural point of view. Later arrivals benefited by being forced out to the open prairie, where the rich fertile land helped some settlers prosper and even become wealthy.
Alvey and Frances Morden left Walkerton, Ontario, in 1874 with their children—Wilmot, Frank, Albert, David, and Elizabeth—heading west to file claims on government land in Manitoba. Alvey, a United Empire Loyalist, was so ardent a Canadian that he refused to travel through the United States, instead taking the more difficult all-Canadian Dawson route.
At Fort Garry, Alvey met an old friend who recommended an area six days journey to the southwest, where there were few settlers. Alvey, Frank, and Wilmot explored the land, returned to the fort to file claims, and became some of the first settlers in the area. It is believed that the only other settler nearby was George Cram, who homesteaded one mile north of the Mordens.
A.P. Stevenson and Early Agriculture
In 1875, Alexander P. Stevenson established his farm about eight miles northwest of the Mordens. He planted a small garden and began transplanting native fruits and imported seedlings. By 1900, Stevenson was testing nearly 100 varieties of apples and several other fruits. His success in fruit growing, combined with the region’s rich soil and longer growing season, prompted the Dominion Department of Agriculture to establish an Experimental Farm in Morden in 1916.
Adam Nelson and Nelsonville
In 1877, Adam Nelson and his family established their homestead near A.P. Stevenson’s farm. Nelson’s sons encouraged him to build a grist mill and sawmill on nearby Silver Creek, and soon a village sprang up. Nelsonville’s population reached 1,000, with a town hall, school, churches, stores, and banks. When Nelson was incorporated in 1882, hopes were high that the Manitoba Colonization Railway would build a station there, which would have further boosted the prosperous community.
Mountain City
By the late 1870s, Mountain City had been established five miles southwest of the Morden’s property by F.T. Bradley, a Customs collector at Emerson. The town sat on the main overland trail between Emerson and the Turtle Mountains, and many settlers heading to Manitou, Crystal City, and Deloraine followed this trail. Mountain City had a population of around 300 and included stores, a school, a sawmill, a flour mill, and two hotels.
Early Spiritual Life
The spiritual needs of early settlers were well-served by missionaries. One of the earliest and best-known missionaries was Hugh J. Borthwick, whose “parish” covered about 3,200 square miles.
The Arrival of the Railway
In the summer of 1881, the Pembina Branch of the Canadian Pacific Railway was built to within three miles east of the Morden properties, at a stopping spot called Stevenville by the CPR. Because a steady water supply for locomotives was available from Cheval Creek (Dead Horse Creek), the railway chose to build a water tower and station on Alvey Morden’s property, calling it Cheval Creek Station. Later, the station and the town became known as Morden.
The Growth of Morden
Once it became clear that the townsite would remain in Morden, Alvey Morden donated fifteen acres of land for Hillside Cemetery, a mill site to J.H. Fraser, and a hotel site on Railway Street. With the establishment of Morden as a railway stop, the community began to grow rapidly. When the residents of Nelson and Mountain City realized that they would have no railway connection, they started relocating to Morden. In 1884 and 1885, it was common to see buildings on sledges and skids being towed to the railway line. Brick buildings were dismantled, and the bricks were sold to build farmhouses. Houses, businesses, schools, and churches were moved in sections and reassembled in Morden.
The Morden Newspaper
J. Galbraith launched the Nelson Mountaineer in 1879, which was likely the earliest weekly newspaper printed entirely in rural Manitoba. When Nelson residents moved to Morden, the Mountaineer was relocated as well. Without missing a single issue, the first Morden edition was published on October 11, 1884, under the new name Morden Manitoba News.
Morden’s Significance by 1885
By 1885, Morden was considered an important trading post for the surrounding 50-mile area.
Building a Community
The Beginnings of Morden
The history of Morden as a community dates back to 1882 when the Canadian Pacific Railway laid track across land owned by the Alvey Baker Morden family and built Cheval Creek Station and a water tower. Later, the station and town were named after Alvey Morden.
Once the community was established as a stopping point for the railway, a village began to grow. By 1884, residents of Nelson and Mountain City started moving houses, schools, churches, and commercial buildings to Morden, which quickly took on the physical attributes of a settled community. By 1885, Morden was considered an important trading post for 50 miles around.
Incorporation and Growth
Morden was incorporated as a village on May 1, 1895, with Mr. H.P. Hansen elected as the first mayor. By 1903, Morden’s population of 1,500 achieved status as a town. That same year, the Court House was built, and the town’s first high school was organized. These events marked a transition from simple pioneer life to a more complex modern existence.
As a pioneer community, Morden reached its peak, but the allure of the Golden West began to draw many people away. Several pioneer families left for the Northwest Territories, which later became Saskatchewan and Alberta. By 1914, Morden’s population had declined to about 1,100. The town only recovered its losses after World War I.
Early Infrastructure and Businesses
The Bell Telephone office that opened in Morden in 1890 was one of the first in rural Manitoba. By 1903, there were 118 phones connected to this exchange, and by 1906, the office initiated 24-hour service.
When Morden was first laid out, North Railway Street was designated as the principal business street. Most stores, along with the railway station, were located there. As the commercial centre of a flourishing agricultural district, Morden businesses offered all the goods and services that farming families needed, including general stores, hardware stores, implement dealers, a hotel, and even a bowling alley and pool hall. By the turn of the 20th century, the community’s rapid commercial growth caused businesses to spread onto Stephen Street, which had originally been intended as an elite residential area.
Morden’s Streets and Early Development
The northern boundary of the village was called Thornhill Avenue, named after a village to the west. The street between Alvey Morden’s property and that of his sons was called Mountain Avenue after Mountain City. The boundary between Wilmot and Franklin Morden’s properties became Nelson Street.
Health Services
Dr. B. J. McConnell was Morden’s first medical practitioner. He joined the practice of Drs. R and D.H. Wilson in Nelson, and when Nelson’s community moved to Morden, Dr. McConnell did as well. Morden’s first hospital, the Free Masons Hospital, was built in 1893. It was Manitoba’s fourth hospital, after those in Winnipeg, St. Boniface, and Brandon. Funded by donations from various Freemason Lodges, it was the only hospital in southern Manitoba for about thirty years.
The Court House and Judicial District
In 1904, following the formation of the Southern Judicial District, Morden became the County Seat, and the Court House was built.
Agricultural Development and the Morden Experimental Farm
Morden’s rich soil and longer growing season (eight to ten more frost-free days than other parts of Manitoba), combined with A.P. Stevenson’s successful orchard near Nelsonville, prompted the Canadian Department of Agriculture to establish the Morden Experimental Farm in 1916. The farm was tasked with specializing in horticultural research to benefit Western Canada. Land at the eastern end of Morden, owned by Mr. J. Gibb, was chosen for its proximity to the railway and town.
Under the direction of the first Superintendent, S.A. Bjornson, 25,000 apple seedlings were planted, and a Hampshire sheep flock, bee colonies, and apple and plum orchards were established. Soon, the orchards expanded to include spruce trees, strawberries, and other small fruits. Field beans, corn, and chickens were also introduced.
Under Superintendent W.R. Leslie (1921-1956), the farm gained international recognition. Tobacco, cereal grains, Sudan grass, soybeans, field corn, raspberries, perennial flowers, ornamentals, Percheron mares, and Ayrshire cattle were introduced. The arboretum, started by Mr. Leslie, now holds over 1,200 varieties of trees and contains the basic genetic material for tree development in Western Canada.
The Morden Board of Trade
Even before Morden was incorporated as a village, local businessmen organized the Morden Board of Trade. Incorporated on March 27, 1890, it was the third Board of Trade in Manitoba, after those in Selkirk and Winnipeg. The organization promoted activities that brought change and progress to the community.
Post-World War II Growth
After the Second World War, there was a resurgence of interest in the area, and Morden’s population grew. New ideas, economic stability, and renewed hope helped bring prosperity and encouraged further development in the town.
Morden Mansions
The Dominion Post Office was built between 1913 and 1915 by the Brown Construction Company of Winnipeg. It is a sturdy block of brick with a mansard roof pierced with dormers. A tall corner clock tower was a familiar feature on many post offices and the one created for Morden is a fine example.
Morden has one of Manitoba’s finest collections of late nineteenth and early twentieth-century architecture. The variety of building types, notable architectural styles, interesting building materials and details all combine to make Morden a textbook example of the trends that defined how many Manitoba communities developed. The town’s exquisite Queen Anne-style houses – of wood and more impressively those of stone, with their romantic towers, dainty details, and lively colours – have become Morden’s heritage trademark. However, the community also has fine examples of other residential styles from the turn of the century, such as Italianate, Second Empire, and Gothic Revival.
Major buildings of brick and stone, including the Court House, Post Office and Land Titles Building are reminders of Morden’s early success in promoting itself. The community’s main commercial thoroughfare, Stephen Street, is crowned with a host of important masonry buildings, many in the Romanesque Revival style that was defined by the use of interesting details in brick.
Glossary
- Queen Anne Revival: Extravagantly picturesque, structures often feature turrets, towers with spires, decorative chimneys, steep gabled roofs and verandahs. Smaller details will include pendants, finials, posts and spindles.
- Gothic Revival: Mainly identified by the pointed arch, buttresses, spires, pinnacles and towers.
- Second Empire: Takes its name from the French Second Empire, the reign of Napoleon III (1852-1890). The style is distinguished by the mansard roof, dormer windows and decorative detailing such as quoins.
- Romanesque Revival: Used primarily in church and commercial buildings and distinguished by arches and brick walls with a rustic look and decorative patterns. Buildings with gabled roofs often featured dormers.
- Italianate: Roofs were flat or had a shallow pitch with broad eaves supported by ornate brackets. The top of the windows and doors were arched. Common details were quoins, columns and balustrades.
- 254 Stephen Street – Arlington Hotel – No longer standing
This is a good example of a grand hotel in a smaller community, designed in the 1890s Romanesque Revival Style. Note the arches, banding and corbel tables. Construction began in 1898 and was completed in October 1901. - 275 Stephen Street
In 1910, Albert Ferguson built his blacksmith shop of formed concrete blocks. A popular technique at the time, it gave the appearance of stone for less cost. Construction crews came through a town offering their services. Different forms made it possible for the fronts of each building to differ. - 290 Stephen Street
Constructed in 1889, as a drug store for F. W. Duncalfe, this is an example of Romanesque Style. Originally the entrance would have been angled to the street. Note the rounded arches and the details in the brick. On the side of the building, note the “Diaper” Style pattern in the bricks near the roofline. - 339 Stephen Street
A most impressive entrance with an ornate date stone combined with Romanesque arches and a rare polished granite pillar invites the customer inside. It was completed in 1902, for Mr. C.F. Heckels, by masons Bryden and Richardson. A second storey was removed in the early 1940s. - 351 Stephen Street
Built circa 1896 for Mr. H Meikle, the main floor housed Meikle’s general store and the Bank of Hamilton. A community hall was on the second floor. This is a utilitarian building with classic details added. Note the cornices. - 501 Stephen Street
This Gothic Revival-style church is the oldest non-residential building in Morden. Believed to have been moved from Nelson, it was erected on its present site in 1885 by a Presbyterian congregation. - 522 Stephen Street
This cottage-style, fieldstone house was built circa 1895 by Stanley Hall, a Scottish stone mason from Kamloops, B.C. for William Hall, a local baker. - 572 Stephen Street
This elegant Queen Anne-style house was built in 1902 for lawyer J.H. Black. It has an unusual date stone, a unique 3 window dormer and a charming oval parlour. The wrap-around porch highlights a chateau-like design. - 577 Stephen Street *
This commanding Queen Anne-style house was built in 1899 for Dr. B.J. McConnell, Morden’s first medical practitioner and MLA for Pembina from 1907-1910. The stonework was carried out by Bryden & Richardson of Morden. Originally a verandah with a second-story wrap-around balcony adorned the exterior. - 586 Stephen Street
This house was built in 1898 for Benjamin Porter, a grain merchant. Note the hipped gable roof and a lovely porch.
- 619 Stephen Street
Built-in 1895, this modest, well-preserved Queen Anne-style frame house has a fascinating design. It is distinguished by the moulded window surrounds, turned verandah posts, a broad cornice, a bay window and an unusually small, half-round window on the east side. The home was built for Walter Haley, a banker and broker. - 645 Thornhill Street *
Henry McElroy contracted local mason W. H. Belcher to build this house in 1895. The utilitarian design is reminiscent of a style common in England and Scotland during the late 1800s. A wood frame addition incorporates the same roof line and window treatment of the original fieldstone portion. - 215 12th Street – No longer standing *
Built-in 1928, Maple Leaf School is an example of the bungalow schools developed in Manitoba after WW I. The building has an attractive, art deco styling. - 163 11th Street
This beautiful example of a simple Queen Anne-style home was built for Frank and Nettie Cowie in 1911. The interior features a curved bannister, doors between the dining room and parlour, corner block woodwork and high baseboards. - 145 11th Street
This elegant Second Empire French-style house features a mansard roof, gable-roofed dormers and “quoins” which are the large blocks at the corners of the house. Note the decorative band of fish scale shingles on the roof. This house was built c. 1900 by A.P. Braun, a hardware merchant. - 168 10th Street
This well-maintained Queen Anne-style house was built in 1895 for Archibald Hobkerk, a clerk at the Land Titles Office. The ironwork at the peak, called a “Widow Walk Cresting”, provides a crowning touch. - 455 Thornhill Street
Interesting roof lines and windows characterize this large residence which is an example of a “Four Square” style house. This home was originally built for auctioneer S. Pickel in 1904. - 140 Nelson Street
This lovely Side Hall-style house was moved from Nelsonville in 1889. The foundation is made of large stones. - 180 Nelson Street *
This striking Queen Anne-style home is one of the finest in Manitoba. It was built in 1894 for David Stodders, a pioneer grain merchant. The house is a virtual textbook example of Queen Anne style with its striking tower, iron cresting, detailed woodwork, variety of materials and picturesque roofline. The brick for the house was manufactured locally at the MacGregor brickyard. - 301 Wardrop Street
Construction of the Morden Court House, completed in 1904, confirmed the community’s significance in the province. Built of local granite boulders, the stones were free for the taking and are said to have been used as a cost-cutting measure. The structure is neoclassical in design with 18th-century Georgian origins. Architectural details include projecting stones or quoins, a well-proportioned cornice and a semicircular pediment over the three central bays. - 180 8th Street
William Bell, a carpenter, built this wood frame house, in Nelson in the early 1880s. It was moved to Morden shortly after it was built. This Second Empire French style house has several notable features including a gambrel roof and Italianate brackets and window frames. - 167 8th Street
The plan of this 1903 house is a standard one, but the front façade is distinguished by two projecting bays, beautifully ornamented with an elaborate cornice, brackets, moulded framing and a variety of surfaces. The section on the left is in the Gothic Revival Style yet the right side is a fabulously animated façade in the Italianate Style. - 164 8th Street
This is an exquisite example of the Gothic Revival style with the peeked dormer over the door, the pointed window in the dormer, the pinnacle at the top of the dormer, moulded eaves and the decorative window surrounds. It was built in 1888 for southern Manitoba’s first Presbyterian missionary and school inspector, Reverend Hugh J. Borthwick. - 151 6th Street
This cottage-style home was built circa 1900 for Robert Livingston, a retired farmer. - 142 6th Street
Built circa 1905, this structure is composed of two houses that were joined together. The style on the left is Gothic Revival – the steep peak identifies this style which was common in Southern Ontario. The style on the right is Modest Italianate, which was popular in Ontario in the 1890s and is characterized by the bay window and the tall narrow windows that are grouped together.
* Designated as a heritage site by the City of Morden
People
Benjamin James McConnell was Morden’s first medical practitioner. He was the Provincial Coroner for ten years, was president of the Manitoba College of Physicians and Surgeons and served as a member of the Manitoba Legislative Assembly representing Pembina constituency from 1907 to 1914. By 1905, he was the longest practising physician in southern Manitoba.
Born in Nelson, John Evans Adamson (1884 – 1961) was the first Manitoba-born lawyer to be elevated to the Court of King’s Bench. After filling the post for nearly 26 years, he was appointed a justice of the Manitoba Court of Appeal on January 31, 1948. On January 13, 1955, he was appointed chief justice of Manitoba and of the Appeal Court – again the first Manitoba to fill the post.
Corbet Locke was a prominent lawyer in Nelson and then in Morden. In 1909, Premier Roblin appointed Justice Locke to head a Royal Commission on Workmen’s Compensation. The Locke Report recommended that the government pass legislation governing compensation to workers for accidental injury, which led to The Workmen’s Compensation Act of 1910.
Charles Holland Locke (1887 – 1980) was born in Morden and was the son of Corbet Locke. After completing his studies at the Morden Public Schools, he began his legal apprenticeship in a local law firm. On June 3, 1947, he was appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada where he served for 15 years. He was made a Companion of the Order of Canada in 1971.
At age 17, David Alexander Stewart moved with his parents to Morden, where he briefly taught school. After completing a degree at the Manitoba Medical College, Dr. Stewart was instrumental in the establishment of the Manitoba Sanatorium near Ninette, serving as its Medical Superintendent from 1910 to 1937. His accomplishments included an increased emphasis on public education, travelling TB clinics in 1926, the opening of the Central TB Clinic in Winnipeg in 1930 and special TB training placements for medical students
The land on which the community of Winkler grew was originally owned by a Mennonite farmer, Mr. Isaac Wiens. When a railway siding was planned for his land in 1892, Wiens was in a quandary since he did not want to lend his name to the townsite. Valentine Winkler of Morden owned a quarter-section, one-half mile to the northeast, which he traded with Mr. Wiens to their mutual benefit. After acquiring his new property, Mr. Winkler had it surveyed into lots for a village site. When the C.P.R. established a station, it was named “Winkler”. Valentine Winkler represented the R.M. of Stanley in the Manitoba legislature from 1892-1930, serving as Minister of Agriculture for five years.
Howard Winkler (1891 – 1970) was born at Morden, the son of Valentine Winkler. He was elected as a Liberal Member of Parliament in 1935 and served until 1953. Howard Winkler is remembered in Morden for his persistence in securing funding to enlarge the Morden dam, making it a reality with the completion of the spillway and dam in 1945. It was an example of his dedication to Morden and the surrounding area which he carried throughout his life.
William Doern (1902-200?) received his formal education in Morden schools. After WW I, he set up an auto repair shop in Morden, specializing in high-voltage ignition problems. He was forced to give up the shop in 1924 when he was diagnosed with tuberculosis. Under the care of Dr. David Stewart at the Manitoba Sanatorium, Mr. Doern took an active part in the work of the radiology department. His training in high-tension electricity provided him with a good foundation on which to build his career in the fledgling field. His skill and innovative approaches to radiography were quickly recognized and he was asked to become the chief radiologist at the Winnipeg General Hospital.
Morden born John Alexander MacAuley (1895 – 1978) obtained a law degree from the University of Manitoba in 1918 while serving in the Canadian Medical Corps. From 1959 to 1965, he was the chairman of the Board of Governors of the League of Red Cross Societies and was chairman when the Red Cross received the 1963 Nobel Peace Prize.
Ruth Winkler (1909 – 2005) (nee Doern) was born in Morden. She attended the University of Toronto in the mid-1930s, graduating from Social Work. In 1949, she was sent to Newfoundland to help set up veterans’ services and for that work was named one of twelve Winnipeg Women of the Year in 1950. She was active in the establishment of the University of Manitoba’s School of Social Work. In 1952, she went to Japan and Korea as head of a Red Cross Society team that arranged hospital and recreational services in Japan and Korea for Canadian troops in the Korean War.
Henry Heard Marshall D.Sc., P.Ag. (1916-1994) is a member of the Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame. Henry Marshall joined the Morden Research Station staff in the mid-1930s. His research with the native prairie rose, Rosa Arkansana, was the stepping stone to later improved cultivars such as Cuthbert Grant, Morden Cardinette and Morden Centennial. Particularly in roses, the Parkland series has been the single most important advance in quality and hardiness for the prairie region.
One of “the big three” writers of American science fiction grew up in Morden. A. E. van Vogt was the author of more than 50 science-fiction novels. Born in Edenburg, Manitoba in 1912, the author spent his teenage years in Morden, where his father practised law. The van Vogt family resided at 577 Stephen Street, the stone mansion originally built by Dr. J.B. McConnell. A. E. van Vogt later described it as a “large stone castle…the largest and most unusual house in town.”
Business
At the turn of the 20th century, Morden had a population of around 1,500 people. Acting as the commercial centre for a flourishing agricultural district, Morden businesses provided all the goods and services that a farming family might need. Most of the stores, as well as the railway station, were on North Railway Street. However, the rapid growth of the community’s commercial district caused businesses to overflow into Stephen Street, which had originally been intended as an elite residential area.
The following information has been adapted from an article by Mr Adolph Dack, titled I Remember Morden in 1902. It was printed in Morden’s 80th Anniversary and Reunion souvenir booklet (1962).
North Railway Street
Starting at North Railway and 5th Streets were the large Elliot & Cowie wooden pump works. Moving west, there was Neuman’s blacksmith shop, Baldwin’s carpenter shop, Bieber’s Boarding House (a fifteen-room temperance hotel), and a general store.
Across 6th Street was Rabinovitch’s General Store. Next to that was an implement warehouse, the large Maxwell bowling alley and a five-table pool room. West of that was the Hudson’s Bay department store, which also had a licence to sell hard liquor and wine. Next to the Bay was the large double-sized Ashdown Hardware Store, run by George Ashdown, brother of Jimmie Ashdown, founder of Ashdown Hardware Co. in Winnipeg, the largest hardware store in Western Canada.
Across 7th Street was the Manitoba Hotel. Next to that was a large men’s clothing store, later run by Jake Korman. West one door was Jacob Heiman’s large Wholesale and Retail Liquor Store, followed by Studer’s General Store, the very large Tobias Department Store with eight employees, and then Scott’s Furniture Store.
Across the street was the large Massey Harris implement warehouse, Blowey’s Furniture Store, and the Morden Pump Works, which made hundreds of iron force pumps sold all over Manitoba. West of that was the Jewish Synagogue, which served more than 100 people living in Morden, Winkler, and Plum Coulee.
Across Nelson Street, west of the synagogue, was a whole block of steam engines, both portable and traction. These were used as power for grain separators (threshing machines). After the threshing season each year, the engines were overhauled, repaired, and readied for the next autumn.
On the south side of North Railway, walking east from 9th Street were the Farmers Elevator, the International Elevator, the Ogilvie Steam Elevator, and Lake of the Woods. Then came the Northern Elevator, the large Winnipeg Elevator, two large flax warehouses, and lastly, near the stockyards, the steam-operated Home Elevator.
Stephen Street
On Stephen Street, starting at 8th Street, was the Land Titles Office, followed by Meikle’s Department Store. Just west was a millinery shop. Across 8th Street heading east was the Bank of Hamilton, Brown’s Hardware Store, Smith’s Book Store, the Retail (Department) Store, Acheson’s, Andrew’s Jewellery Shop, and then the 20-room Queen’s Hotel and Bar.
Across 7th Street was the Union Bank (later the Royal Bank), Ruddell’s Harness Shop, Duncan’s Blacksmith, Mackay’s Woodworkers, Kennedy’s Liquor Wholesale, and then the large Thompson’s Hardware and Implements. In this large warehouse, the Manitoba 18th Mounted Rifles are drilled weekly at night.
East, across 6th Street, was Monarch Lumber and the Stewart and Lane Lumber Yards. At the extreme east of Stephen Street (near the present entrance to the Research Station) was the North Railway Street Morden Feedmill. From the east end of Stephen Street in 1902, it was all prairie right up to 5th Street.
South Side of Stephen Street
On the south side of Stephen Street from 5th Street West, there was the residence and office of Dr Nagel, a veterinarian, at the corner (now Garden City Chrysler), followed by the residences of David Rabinovitch and J.C. Dack. Next was the Mounted Police barracks, made of oak logs. At the corner was the large Kennedy Livery Stable, holding about 60 stalls. The east portion was kept by Jack Kennedy for his dozen racehorses, some of which, like “Queenie”, one of the best in Manitoba, was worth over $1,000.
Across 6th Street was a vacant lot – there was no building where the Arlington now stands, as it was built in 1903-04. West of this was McSherry’s butcher shop, Potter’s implement warehouse, Taylor’s bakery, the Chinese laundry, C.C. Milne’s Singer Sewing Machine Shop, Lloyd’s Furniture Store, and Hobb’s Drug Store.
On the corner, across 7th Street, was Blair’s Grocery Store, McLaren’s Drug Store, Ball’s Meat Market, Bertram’s Shoe Store, McCannel’s Confectionery, Freeborn’s Grocery, Snowden’s Butcher Shop, Wilson’s Drug Store, and Clubine’s Livery Store.
Across the street (where the old post office is now) was Hall’s Fruit and Confectionery, Haley and Sutton’s Bank, the office of the Morden Empire, Morden Town Hall and Police, McKenzie’s Shoe Shop, the offices of the Morden Chronicle, Spencer’s Millinery, and Morden Woodworks. Behind this was the telephone office.
To the west, across Nelson Street, was the second school in Morden, used in 1902 as the Morden Salvation Army Chapel. From here westwards was a residential area.
Schools
In July 1931, the Town of Morden held a Re-union of Old Timers and Ex-Students. In the souvenir programme, Mr W.J. Cram, who served the Maple Leaf School District for forty years, provided a history of the district. The following is an abridged version of his article.
Formation of the Maple Leaf School District
South Dufferin Council formed the Maple Leaf School District, the 83rd organised in the province of Manitoba, in February 1881. At a ratepayers’ meeting the following month, trustees were elected: Arra DeLong as chairman, and W.F. Morden as secretary-treasurer and trustee. Under their leadership, a school site was chosen on what was called the John Ewan Quarter – a piece of land just south of the old golf course (south Mountain Street). After seeding that spring, every farmer of the district hauled his one or two logs, followed by an old-fashioned building bee. The school opened in June, with Colin McCorquodale as the teacher for three terms, followed by Grace Conner for a term. During these early years, Reverend H.J. Borthwick was not only the pioneer missionary in southern Manitoba but also the school inspector.
The Growth of the Community
With the rapid growth of the community in the early to mid-1880s, a graded school became necessary. In 1886, a two-storey, four-room wooden school building was moved from the Town of Nelson to 5th Street in Morden. The interior was remodelled and ready for school opening on 1 September. The first principal of Maple Leaf Intermediate School was Mr Ogilvie, and the school taught Grades 1 to 8. During this expansion, a two-room school was located on the southwest corner of Nelson and Stephen Streets and was used to accommodate overflow classes. The log school south of Morden was now deserted and moved into Morden for use as a courthouse and jail.
New School Construction and Expansion
In January 1893, W.J. Cram took charge of the Morden school. Due to the influx of residents, the old Nelson school soon became overcrowded. The School Board saw the need for a much larger school and purchased property on Thornhill Street between 10th and 11th Streets. Judge Corbet Locke is credited with securing the three-acre lot for the new school – the largest school site in the province at that time.
Construction began in 1893 on a solid six-room stone school. The school was built using local labour and materials at a cost of $16,000 and was considered one of the better school buildings in the province at that time. Granite boulders from a nearby quarry were split and shaped by local masons. Even the blackboards were manufactured locally by mixing soot and plaster. The school opened in September 1894 and served Morden until it was demolished in 1954.
Transition to a High School
In 1903, Maple Leaf School was elevated to the status of a high school with the establishment of Grades 9, 10, and 11. The Collegiate Department began in 1910, offering mathematics, science, languages, and a commercial course. In 1929, Grade 12 was added to the curriculum.
The immediate result of the new and larger space was an expanded curriculum and a desire by many students to continue their education at university. It has been stated that Morden, during those years, provided more doctors, teachers, and lawyers than any other school of its size in Manitoba.
Modernisation and Further Growth
By 1927, the School Board faced a serious problem. The old Nelson school had been condemned, and a new public school had to be built. The decision was to build a modern six-room school adjoining the High School, to house Grades 1 to 6.
The school built in 1928 (today known as Maple Leaf Elementary School) is an excellent example of the bungalow schools developed in Manitoba after World War I. Around the turn of the twentieth century, schools in urban areas were typically two- or three-storey brick buildings, heavy with Victorian decoration. Concerns about evacuating children from these schools in fire emergencies eventually led to the creation of one-storey designs. This design proved to be much safer, friendlier, and more in keeping with education theories of the day. Low and scaled to the size of a child, Maple Leaf School is also attractive, with decorative brick bands and slight crenellations that give the building a playful look.
Post-War Expansion
Morden’s population remained stable during the Depression and war years, but with post-war prosperity, the development of water and sewer systems, and an influx of industry, Morden began to grow. In 1953, the School Board arranged for the construction of a ten-room school on the north side of Wardrop between 3rd and 5th Streets. The school also contained a library, auditorium, laboratory, and commercial room. An addition of eight more classrooms was made in 1958 (today known as École Morden Middle School). In 1964, a new Collegiate was built on the same grounds on the east side of 5th Street, and this was enlarged by the addition of a new wing in 1974.
In 1973, the Oak Haven School was built just west of the Maple Leaf School, facing 12th Street, to provide education to mentally handicapped students. These classes were incorporated into the regular school system when Maple Leaf School was expanded in 1980. The building is now occupied by the Western School Division offices.
Recent Developments
The most recent addition to Morden’s school facilities is École Discovery Trails, built in 2024 on the west side of the community.
Note: Maple Leaf School, at Thornhill and 11th Street, retains its original function on a site that has been continuously occupied by a school since 1894. It is the oldest school building in Morden and was designated as a Municipal Heritage site on 13 September 1988.
Entertainmnet
Mordenites have enjoyed up-to-date entertainment facilities since the early 1900s.
From Some Notes about the History of the Area Around Morden in the 19th Century by Howard Winkler
Victoria Hall and Early Entertainment
With the erection of Victoria Hall in 1898 (or more properly, the reconstruction of the Garrett Machine Works), travelling stock companies and entertainers came to Morden regularly. Some notable performers included the Jubilee Singers, Jimmy Fax and troupe, and J.W. Bengough, the cartoonist. In other words, Morden had “arrived.” Then, just at the turn of the century, Morden saw its first movie in Victoria Theatre, “The Great Train Robbery.”
Victoria Hall, located on the corner of 6th and Stephen Streets, opposite the Arlington Hotel, hosted a wide range of events—from horticultural exhibitions to plays and dances. It was a large dance and concert hall above T.T. Thompson Co. Ltd., which was a hardware and farm implements store (later Buchholz Machine Shop) on the north side of Stephen Street, across from the Arlington Hotel. Until it was destroyed by fire in 1938, it was the centre for community activities, including concerts, dances, graduations, and more. In the very early years, important announcements affecting the Town were made from the balcony.
The Balcony and Torchlight Parades
On top of the Thompson Hardware store was the large, 500-seat Victoria Hall. Below it, a balcony jutted out over Stephen Street. Here, the mayor of Morden and the elected member of Parliament would deliver speeches following their election, just before the torchlight parade that always followed.
Local Theatre: Morden Dramatic Society
Local residents formed the Morden Dramatic Society, and on May 24, 1907, they performed “A Crazy Idea.”
The Chautauqua of 1919
Morden hosted a Chautauqua during the summer of 1919. The Chautauqua consisted of travelling troupes of entertainers who brought residents a taste of culture. There were lectures, readings, singing, drama, and various other acts.
Morden’s Chautauqua took place between September 28 and October 2, 1919. Many events were held in tents set up in Morden Park. Reservations for the entire programme cost 50¢ and single performances were 25¢. A Chautauqua poster proclaimed, “Save money by buying a season ticket. Note the prices and see the savings you make by buying a season ticket.”
Events at Victoria Hall and the Starland Theatre
Evening and afternoon events were also held in Victoria Hall. The Starland Theatre, located at 321 Stephen Street, was owned and operated by Jake Kendall and was showing movies as early as 1914.
The Kenmor Theatre
Jake’s son Ernie took over the business in 1938 and, in 1951, began construction of the Kenmor, an “up-to-date” theatre. He intended to host live theatre at the new facility.
Ernest W. Kendall (Jr.) took over the business following his father’s death and completed the Kenmor in 1952, operating it as a movie theatre. An article in the Morden Times in 1952 stated, “Film entertainment for Mordenites is now found in one of the finest theatres in rural Manitoba – the Kenmor Theatre.”
The Kenmor was used as a movie theatre until 2000. Since then, more live entertainment has been staged at the venue. With the historical charm of the building combined with natural acoustics, the Kenmor has stood the test of time.
The Kenmor’s Use for Live Performances
Over the past few years, the Kenmor has become a popular venue for performances by the High School Drama Club, WTM’s performances of the Grand Old Opry, the Back Forty’s 60s show, and plays by the Poor Theatre Company. Finally, the Kenmor has been used for live performances, as Ernie Kendall first envisioned.
First Indoor Skating Rink
The first indoor skating rink in town was in place by 1900. It was located on South Railway, across the tracks from the C.P.R. station.
The Railroad
The following story on the coming of the railroad is taken from an article by Howard Winkler that he pieced together from old newspaper stories. Between the lines, one can imagine the poignant story and strenuous efforts of the pioneer residents of Nelson to bring the railway to their town.
The incorporated town of Nelson sought and obtained a charter for a railroad which was assented to by an Act of the Manitoba Legislature on June 3, 1884. The preamble of the Act says “Whereas the construction of a railway from the town of Nelson, in the Province of Manitoba, to connect with the Pembina Mountain Branch of the Canadian Pacific Railway, a station on the said branch, would be of great advantage to the said town and to the adjacent municipalities of Dufferin and Carlton; and whereas a petition has been presented that the said town may be empowered to construct a line of railway as aforesaid and it is desirable to grant the prayer of such petition.”
The Act went on to say that Nelson was empowered to construct, equip and operate this proposed line and to raise $60,000 for that purpose. Obviously, the Town expected to lease the railway to the C.P.R. after its construction.
Lying along the general line of the Pembina Mountain Branch of the C.P.R. were half a dozen or more villages (Nelson being the only incorporated town) which the railway, when constructed in the early 1880s completely bypassed. Going westward, the line was surveyed between Mountain City on the colonization trail and Nelson, much to their disappointment.
After the plans of the C.P.R. were definite, Nelson Mayor Thomas Duncan and solicitor Corbet Locke journeyed to Grand Forks to interview J.J. Hill of the Great Northern who was contemplating an invasion of Manitoba. When that failed, an attempt was made to form a new railroad connecting Nelson with Carman. It also failed to materialize. The field remained open to the C.P.R. which finished its line two miles past the hamlet of Darlingford (Darlington) to about a mile from Manitoba City (Manitou) in 1881. At the end of 1881, Manitoba City and Darlingford moved to the railway. Nelson and Mountain City maintained their positions, with the hope of getting railway connections. By 1885, when all hope of getting a railroad to Nelson was lost, a systematic evacuation began.
In her early recollections of Morden, Hannah McLain Curtis said that on the day she was born in 1882, the Canadian Pacific Railway laid steel past her father’s farmhouse. This site (4-3-5W) is now occupied by the Government of Canada Experimental Station. From this place, the railway ran westward through Wilmot Morden’s homestead. After that it veered slightly to the north, crossed Franklin Morden’s homestead, then struck northwesterly through a farm owned by their father, Alvey Baker Morden. It then crossed Cheval Creek and climbed gently over the escarpment.
Creeks from which water could be drawn to power steam locomotives were not plentiful in the Red River Valley. The crossing at Cheval Creek was therefore a place of some importance to the railroad. On the south side of the track the company put up a water tank and on the north side a station. The station was not much to behold; it was nothing more than a boxcar fitted out as an office, waiting room and freight shed. But in spite of its humble bearing, it carried its name – Cheval – with pride.
For the first year of its existence, the site that was to become Morden was known as Cheval and the little station near the creek sold tickets which were marked that way. So the only local point of departure for passengers bound for Winnipeg or other places was Cheval. The settlers got their mail, however, not at the station but at the Minnewashta Post Office, James Conner’s farmhouse in SE6-3-5W, where postal transactions were carried on until August 31, 1884.
Whether Alvey Morden entered into a town site agreement with the Canadian Pacific Railway at the outset cannot be ascertained, but from the available evidence it would appear that he did. My own earliest recollections which go back to the mid-nineties are of a community shaped like a boot at the west end of Morden. It resembled a boot at the end of a long leg – the leg being the mile-long principal portion of the town of Morden.
In 1883, when it became apparent that the prospect of having a railroad connection between Nelsonville and Morden was slight, the Canadian Pacific Railway came out boldly in favour of developing a large town site at Morden. They therefore engaged with Wilmot and Franklin Morden to open all their property north of the tracks for this purpose. A new station called Morden was erected on the very site where the present station stands. (Note: Morden’s rail station was moved from North Railway and 6th Streets to the Pembina Thresherman’s Museum in 1972.)
It is interesting to note that in September 1881, a train leaving Winnipeg at 7:30 a.m. arrived at Gretna six hours and twenty-five minutes later – if it arrived on time. Morden appeared on the timetable for the first time in 1885. The train from Winnipeg arrived here at 6:15 p.m. Morden and Rosenfeld were dining stations.
Morden was now a large retail centre, (as size went in the young province). The school geographies of 1897 listed it as the fourth largest centre in the province. It would lose that distinction, never to regain it, but the base for a substantial community had been laid in the original settlers at Cheval and in those who later moved in from Nelsonville and Mountain City.
Experimental Farm
In 1886, the Central Experimental Farm in Ottawa and four other farms across the country were established by the Canada Department of Agriculture to serve the farming community and assist the Canadian agricultural industry in its early development. The Morden Experimental Farm was established in 1916 to specialize in horticultural research to benefit western Canada.
The rich soil, longer growing season and A.P. Stevenson’s successful demonstration of fruit growing on his homestead near Nelsonville all contributed to the establishment of the Farm at Morden. Land owned by Mr J. Gibb on the eastern end of Morden was chosen for its proximity to the railway and town.
Initially, the work of the Farm was designed to demonstrate to prairie farmers and farming communities how to improve their living conditions, what varieties and crops were suited to the area and which animals gave the greatest return. Over the years, the Morden Experimental Farm became a major centre for both crop and ornamental plant breeding in western Canada.
In 1916, under the direction of Superintendent S. A. Bjarnason, 25,000 apple seedlings were planted and a Hampshire sheep flock was started. Bee colonies and apple and plum orchards were started in 1917 and several buildings were constructed.
In 1918, Superintendent E. M. Straight took over when Bjarnason left to continue his career in California. The range of programs continued to grow. Orchards were enlarged to include spruce trees, strawberries and other small fruits. Field beans, corn and chickens were added to the operation.
W. R. Leslie served as Superintendent from 1921 to 1956. During that period the farm became an internationally respected institution. More professionals were hired for breeding and agronomy trials and the Farm became a source of advice on crop varieties, treatment of pests and animal and field husbandry. Tobacco, cereal grains, sudangrass, soybeans, field corn, raspberries, perennial flowers and ornamentals were all introduced. The Farm distributed registered grain, produced foundation seed for vegetables, maintained a Percheron breeding program and sold purebred Ayreshires to start superior herds. “Mantet”, the Farm’s first new apple variety, was released in 1929. The arboretum started by Superintendent Leslie has over 1200 varieties of trees and holds all the basic genetic material of trees developed in Western Canada.
In the 1940’s, a number of hardy non-repeat blooming roses were released as part of the “Prairie” series. These were further developed to produce the repeat blooming ‘Prairie Youth’ (1948), one of the first continuous blooming Shrub roses that are hardy in the plains region of Canada without winter protection.
Through the 1940s and 50s, the Farm continued to expand,
conolidate and specialize. The Co-operative Fruit Breeding Project provided thousands of apple seedlings for trials in various parts of the Prairies. The Food Processing Lab was built and vegetable breeding increased, as did specialized work with cereals, corn, soybeans, sunflowers and flax. More research went into herbaceous and woody ornamentals and the physiological and genetic aspects of crops.
In the early 1960s, work with poultry and bees was discontinued and the Percheron and Ayreshire herds were disbanded and shipped to
?ther farms and _sttions. From that time, the Morden facility grew into a more soph1st1cated research station. Its staff gained national
and international recognition through their research and publications.
The Morden rose breeding program came into its own under the direction of Dr. Henry Marshall. His research with the native prairie rose, Rosa Arkansana, was the stepping stone to later improved cultivars such as Cuthbert Grant, Morden Cardinette and Morden Centennial. Marshall’s “Parkland” series has been the single most important advance in quality and hardiness of roses for the prairie region.
The first of the “Parkland” rose series was ‘Assiniboine’, introduced in 1962. It was a deep pink semi-double repeat blooming shrub originating from a cross between the Floribunda ‘Donald Prior’ and the native prairie rose, R. arkansana. ‘Assiniboine’ is susceptible to rust and so it rarely grown in gardens any more. However, it was a significant step in the development of a hardy ever-blooming, dwarf shrub rose. The Parkland series includes the sturdy Winnipeg Parks, Hope for Humanity (bred especially for the Canadian Red Cross), Morden Snow Beauty and Morden Sunrise.
Scientists at the Morden facility – now known as the Morden Research Station – have been responsible for the development of 00 varieties of trees, grains and oilseeds and many varieties of fruits, vegetables and ornamentals suited to Prairie conditions, such as the Mantet and Goodlands apples, the Starfire and Manitoba tomatoes and the Morden shrub roses. The Almey Rosybloom Crabapple, chosen by the Canadian Nurserymen’s Association as Canada’s Centennial tree, was developed at the Morden Research Station in 1945. The Manitoba Centennial tree (1970) was the Kelsey Crabapple, developed by Dr. W Cummings at the Morden Research Station.
Sources: Ethel Freeman, “AbriefhistoryofCanadian Hardy Roses” Morden Centennial Committee, Morden. Morden Centennial Souvenir Booklet and Program
Health Care
Dr Benjamin James McConnell: Morden’s First Doctor
In 1881, Benjamin James McConnell graduated from Queen’s College Medical Faculty in Kingston, Ontario, and moved west to Nelsonville. There he found that brothers Drs. R. and D. Wilson had established a practice. When the Nelson townsite moved to Morden, Dr. McConnell moved with it in about 1885, becoming Morden’s first doctor. The Wilson brothers moved on to British Columbia.
Construction of the Freemasons Hospital
Undoubtedly one of the most important events in the history of Morden Masonic Lodge No.13 was the construction of the Freemasons Hospital, the first hospital in Morden. The cornerstone was laid on July 1, 1892, with the official opening of the 22-bed hospital on March 10, 1893. It was Manitoba’s fourth hospital, preceded only by general hospitals in Winnipeg, St. Boniface, and Brandon.
Incorporated by a special Act of the Manitoba Legislature, the hospital cost approximately $14,000. Funds were raised by the Freemasons in Morden and other lodges throughout the province. The building was fitted with electric lights, speaking tubes, and all modern improvements.
Community Support and Governance
Throughout its history, the hospital was generously supported by area residents. A subscription could be purchased for $10 by persons wishing to become members of the Board of Directors, and this allowed them a vote. If the Town Council or any rural municipality made a donation of $500 during any one year, they were given the privilege of appointing a Director, or an additional director if they made a further donation of $500.
As soon as the hospital was opened, the ladies of the Town and district organized the Hospital Aid Society.
The Hospital’s First Medical Staff
Dr. McConnell, together with Drs. Shanks and Boyle were part of the hospital’s first medical staff. In addition, there was a staff of trained nurses and a matron. A nurse’s training program was established at the hospital soon after it opened. The matron, Miss Holland, received $35.00 per month for being responsible for the training, along with her other duties. With the Nurse’s Training School, came a need for a residence, which was built by the Board in 1898.
Doctor Competition and Expansion of Medical Practice
During the late 1890s and early 1900s, Morden was expanding rapidly and proved quite attractive to doctors. In 1901, there were eight doctors practicing in Morden. However, this proved too competitive, and the doctors began to leave within two years. By 1912, Dr. McConnell was the longest-serving doctor in town, joined by Dr. C. E. Everson and Dr. P.H. Miller. Dr. McConnell moved to Winnipeg around 1919 to take up duties as provincial coroner.
Dr. A.F. Menzies and Early Medical Facilities
Dr. A.F. Menzies moved to Morden in 1920 to set up a practice. He rented a room in a house on Stephen Street, located just west of the Land Titles Offices. In 1924, he bought the house and demolished it to build a new office, which had a waiting room, two examining rooms, a toilet, and a laboratory. The lab had a microscope for white blood cell counts and equipment for other tests such as smears for identifying bacteria, blood sugars, and hemoglobin.
Changes in Morden’s Medical Practice
After the death of Dr Everson in 1942, Dr Menzies was the only practising physician in Morden. His responsibilities, coupled with difficulties in obtaining nursing instructors, led to the closure of the Freemasons Hospital Registered Nurse’s Training program. In 1943, Dr. Colert moved to Morden, and in 1950, Dr. J. C. Menzies joined his father in the medical practice.
Construction of the Morden District General Hospital
By the late 1940s, the need for a more efficient hospital had been recognized. With the passage of The Health Services Act by the Manitoba Legislature in 1945, new hospitals could be financed through municipal debentures. This was seen as an opportunity to secure a new hospital and nurse’s residence in Morden. A new hospital district—Morden Hospital District No. 21—was formed, and the new Morden District General Hospital was officially opened on July 3, 1952. Proceeds from debentures and government grants were sufficient for construction, while funds for equipment were raised through donations.
Transition of the Freemasons Hospital to Tabor Home
The Freemasons Hospital became redundant with the opening of the new hospital. The building was purchased by a group led by Rev. Frank H. Friesen of the Morden Mennonite Brethren Church and converted into a 32-bed personal care home called Tabor Home, which officially opened on October 12, 1952. An expanded 60-bed personal care home was opened in 1969, and the old hospital was eventually demolished.
Growth of Medical Practices in the 1950s and 60s
When Dr A.F. Menzies died in 1958, Dr Jim Menzies practised alone for one year before being joined by Dr C.J. Unruh. The doctors soon found their office on Stephen Street too small. At the same time, Dr. Fred Ollinik, a dentist, and optometrist Dr. Stan Jenkins also needed more space. The three practitioners decided to build a Medical Centre on 2nd Street, across from the hospital, which opened on January 19, 1963. The centre was designed to accommodate four medical doctors, two dentists, and one optometrist.
Source
“The History of the Development of Doctors Medical Facilities in Morden,” as told by Dr. Jim Menzies
Recreation
Early Settlers and the Origins of Sports
For early settlers, participation in sports and games provided relief from monotony and an opportunity to meet with friends and neighbours. Many of the sports we play today can be traced back to those times.
From the Indigenous peoples, settlers acquired the games of “baggataway,” the forerunner of lacrosse, and “hurley,” which evolved into hockey. When the British arrived in the West, they brought traditional games like cricket, track-and-field events, horse racing, and fox-hunting. Scottish settlers introduced the games of golf and curling.
Lacrosse, Cricket, and Hockey
By 1890, Morden had a lacrosse team that played against teams from Souris, Manitou, and Roland. Around the same time, there was also a cricket club, but cricket gradually lost popularity to the lawn tennis club. Tennis enjoyed great popularity for many years, with southern Manitoba’s tennis finals often held on Morden’s outstanding shale courts. Hockey became a popular winter sport, with a club being organized by 1898. Girls’ hockey was played as early as 1922.
The Morden Turf Association
The Morden Turf Association was formed around 1890. Twenty acres of land were purchased and developed into a race track with grandstands. In the early 1960s, the grandstand was demolished, and the race track was levelled to create baseball diamonds. In 1976, the recreation centre was built on the site.
Baseball and the Morden Whiz-Bangs
A baseball club was organized as early as 1885, and the sport has maintained its popularity in the community to this day. The Morden Whiz-Bangs, one of the best girls’ softball teams in Manitoba, was formed in the late 1940s by high school students from Maple Leaf School. Despite their small-town origins and relative inexperience, the team achieved significant success. Between 1948 and 1950, they won 61 of 82 games and a number of tournament titles. In May 2005, the Morden Whiz-Bangs of 1948-1950 were inducted into the Manitoba Softball Hall of Fame.
Curling
Morden organized its first curling club in 1887. In December 1888, along with six other clubs in the province, the Morden club sought affiliation with the Royal Caledonia Curling Club of Scotland. This organization later became known as the Manitoba Curling Association in 1908-09.
In 1889, the Morden Curling and Athletic Association purchased land from the C.P.R. on South Railway, east of 9th Street, and built a three-sheet curling rink used for both curling and skating. However, a tornado in 1911 demolished the rink, and a new curling rink was built the following year between 9th and 10th Streets. The rink opened with a bonspiel, with fees set at $1.00 for gentlemen and 50¢ for ladies—by then, women were well-represented in the game.
“Grudge matches” kept interest in the sport high. It was not uncommon for a blacksmith or lawyer to challenge a doctor or baker to a good-natured game. One such match occurred when Jess Wright, a dealer for Maxwell cars, challenged Joseph Gillent to a game for two sacks of flour. These matches not only entertained the pioneer town but also helped break down social barriers and foster the open, friendly character of Western Canadian communities.
Even during the Great Depression, curling in Morden flourished. The club expanded in 1933 with the addition of a club room and the development of a farmers’ club, a ladies’ club, and a school schedule for boys and girls.
Expansion of Curling Facilities
By 1954, the number of curlers in Morden had grown significantly, reflecting the town’s growth after World War II. It became clear that a new, larger rink was needed. Construction on a new facility on 2nd Street began in 1958, and the curling schedule commenced in 1959.
Golf in Morden
Early Mordenites took their game of golf quite seriously. A six-hole sand greens golf course was developed around the same time the community was established. This original course was located one mile south of town, on the east side of Mountain Street, where Huron Windows now stands.
In 1960, a new nine-hole golf course was laid out in the scenic valley west of town, one mile west of the old course. It was one of the few grass-green golf courses in rural Manitoba at the time. On July 14, 1989, an expanded eighteen-hole course was officially opened. The new course incorporated the previous nine-hole layout and relocated the clubhouse to the north end of the course, just off PTH 3.
Sources
Morden Centennial Committee, Morden
Paul A. Sigurdson, Morden’s Century of Curling 1888-1988
Paul Sigurdson, The Remarkable Whiz-Bangs
