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Local History

Town of Russell Manitoba

SourceArchives of Manitoba (Russell MB:Town)

Name Town of Russell
Dates of Existence 1913 – Present
Function The Town of Russell was responsible for the levying of municipal taxes and the collection of school and municipal taxes. Municipal governments use this revenue to administer the municipal affairs of the community, including administration of public schools, provision of public health care and management of public works projects such as road maintenance.
Administrative History

The Town of Russell is located approximately 15 km from the Saskatchewan border and 340 km northwest of Winnipeg. The townsite for Russell was first surveyed in 1881 and it was named in honour of Surveyor-General Lindsay Russell. It was incorporated as a village on 4 June 1907 and became the Town of Russell on 11 March 1913.

Agriculture is a staple of the community which is annually celebrated with Manitoba’s Beef and Barley Festival every October. In 2011 the Town of Russell had a population of 1611.

In accordance with The Municipal Amalgamations Act (2013), the Town of Russell amalgamated with the Village of Binscarth and the Rural Municipality of Russell on 1 January 2015 to form the new Rural Municipality of Russell-Binscarth.

Legislative Authority The Municipal Act (1890)

 


Dr. Barnardo Training Farm – Russell Manitoba
Barnardo home photo 09/21 Barnardo Home (1888)
Image Source: Archives of Manitoba, Russell – Schools – Barnardo Homehttp://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/sites/barnardofarm.shtml

British Home Children in Canada Website

https://canadianbritishhomechildren.weebly.com/


Russell War Memorial – Memorial Ave. North – Russell Manitoba

A monument in Russell, in the Municipality of Russell-Binscarth, was unveiled at a ceremony on 22 June 1922. It commemorates military personnel from Russell, Benito, Binscarth, RM of Russell, RM of Boulton, RM of Silver Creek, and RM of Shellmouth killed during the First World War. Plaques commemorating Second World War dead were added on 11 November 1980 as a result of a donation by the Ladies Auxiliary of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 159.

In 1999, the head of the soldier atop the memorial was removed by vandals. It was later recovered and reattached. The monument was refurbished in 2000 as a project of the 677 Russell Royal Canadian Air Cadets and funded by a Millennium grant from the Department of National Defence. Additional donations were provided by the Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 159, Pelly Trail Metis Federation, Town of Russell, and several persons.  – Historic Sites of Manitoba: Russell War Memorial (Memorial Avenue North, RussellMunicipality of Russell-Binscarth) – Image Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Gordon Orr Memorial Museum – 152 2nd Ave. Binscarth

This museum at Binscarth, in the Municipality of Russell-Binscarth, occupies the former North American Lumber and Supply Company building, a municipally-designated historic site. The business, established in 1889 by A. S. Crerar and Robert Wittaker, was sold in 1915 to Frank McPherson who later sold it to the North American firm. It closed in 1974. The building was later operated as a community museum by Gordon Orr, displaying a collection of native artifacts, and various domestic and industrial machines. It is one of few museums with a skull of an extinct bison. Now operated by the local government, the museum is open Mondays to Fridays during the summer, closed on weekends. – Historic Sites of Manitoba: Gordon Orr Memorial Museum – Image source: Gordon Goldsborough

 

Inglis Elevators
Inglis Logo Inglis Grain Elevators National Historic Site is the last remaining row of standard country grain elevators. Five elevators still stand intact beside an abandoned rail line in sharp contrast to the demolition of thousands of elevators experienced in numerous prairie towns.