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Hands of Time Tour
This scenic drive will take visitors to some interesting places a stone’s throw off the Yellowhead Highway Corridor. The proud history of Manitoba’s people is strongly reflected in the historical sites across the province. This scenic drive begins at the beautiful and progressive community of Shoal Lake. Rich in history, the first settlers homesteaded on the east side of nearby Raven Lake in 1868, and soon a community began to grow. The newly formed North West Mounted Police built a barracks here in 1877. In 1885, the railroad announced plans to lay track on the north side of the lake, and the intrepid settlers literally dragged their town five miles across the frozen lake to its present location to catch the wave of the railroad boom. The NWMP followed, and this is why there are two NWMP sites. A must-see is the fascinating Police and Pioneer Museum, the only North West Mounted Police museum in the province of Manitoba. Shoal Lake and the RM of Shoal Lake offer the Shoal Lake Cultural Heritage Village Museum. Tour a number of heritage buildings, including the century-old Elliott House and an original, completely restored school house from 1907. An extensive collection of wagons and horse-drawn equipment dating back from around 1850 – 1940 is on display to the delight and envy of horse-drawn enthusiasts. From Shoal Lake, travel north up Hwy # 21 to the village of Oakburn. You may choose to make a sidetrip to a great fishing spot. Ten km (6 miles) northeast of Oakburn on PR566 is Tokaryk Lake, teeming with brown and rainbow trout. This lake has earned a reputation as one of the best in Canada for fly-fishing. Continue west on Hwy # 45 to the friendly town of Rossburn. Tour the provincial heritage site of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Travel north from Rossburn on PR264 and follow the signs. The Rossburn Museum features a replicated Ukrainian village that includes a model church, thatched roofed homes and buildings. Display items include Ukrainian artifacts, agricultural tools, a printing press, a pioneer kitchen, a period hairdressing salon and a schoolroom. Stroll the Rossburn Subdivision Trail, the Rossburn portion of the Trans Canada Trail, created with the reclamation on an abandoned CN Railway branch line. The trail begins in Neepawa and continues to Russell, passing through the communities of Sandy Lake, Elphinstone, Oakburn, Rossburn and other communities along Hwy # 45. Visit Sts. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Catholic Churches. The original church was built in 1901, but disagreements within the parish led to the construction of a second nearby church in 1904. It remained in use until 1959 and was restored in 1978. Take a step back in time and revisit your school days at the Marconi School. From Rossburn, go approximately five km (three miles) north on PR264 to the junction of PR577, and east 16 km (10 miles) on PR577. Watch for a sign to turn left. The Marconi School was originally built in 1922, and completely restored in 1992. Return to Hwy # 45 and head south on PR264 to the Yellowhead Hwy # 16. Travel west past Solsgirth to the village of Foxwarren. There, visit the peace symbol-shaped Memory Garden to honour those killed in the U.S.A. on September 11, 2001. Continue travelling along the Yellowhead Hwy # 16 to Binscarth and tour the Binscarth and District Gordon Orr Memorial Museum and a collection of artifacts from the area. From Binscarth continue on the Yellowhead Hwy # 16 to Russell, home of “Arthur,” the bull statue. The Boulton Manor was the home of Major Charles Boulton, the founder of the town of Russell, after having led troops to Batoche during the Riel Rebellion of 1885. His former home, now a bed and breakfast, is located near the south end of Memorial Avenue. From Russell, travel north on Hwy # 83 to the Shellmouth junction to Asessippi Dam and Provincial Park, located just west along the shores of the Shell River. Retrace your steps to Inglis to visit the Inglis Elevators, a National Historic Site of Canada. The last remaining row of five standard plan grain elevators has been carefully restored. Guided tours, an interpretive centre and arts and crafts gift shop are available. Retrace your path south down Hwy # 83 through Russell to rejoin the Yellowhead Hwy # 16.
Shoal Lake Oakburn Rossburn Russell Inglis Binscarth Foxwarren
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Points of Interest