Ross House Museum

We also visited the Ross House Museum, the first post office in Western Canada. William and Jemima Ross constructed the Ross House in 1852 as their home, but after the Council of Assiniboia appointed William the official postmaster, he converted his abode into the post office. The post office/house grew in popularity and became a vital point to send and receive mail in Winnipeg. The mail traveled from Winnipeg to Pembina, North Dakota and then continued to the desired address. FUN FACT: The postal rate between Pembina and Winnipeg was only one penny! Though the Ross House was originally located near the shores of the Red River, it was moved to the Point Douglas Heritage Park in order to preserve its history. We enjoyed our time at this quaint residence and were able to learn how Winnipeg became a key mailing checkpoint.

The Ross House

A monument dedicated to the Ukrainian settlers

Inside the Ross House

The history of the Ross House

Lower Fort Garry

Today, we visited Lower Fort Garry, located a bit outside the city on the Red River. The fort was built in 1830 by the Hudson Bay Company and was intended to be the company post as well as an administrative center for fur trade. After a flood destroyed the original fort, it was moved to its current location on higher ground further down the river. However, many traders opted not to do business at this fort because it was not located in the city and would require more travel. This fort is one of the finest collections of early stone buildings in Western Canada and is North America's only restored stone fort from the fur trade era. Walking through all of the different buildings, we were able to see the blacksmith shop, guest cottage, master house, sale shop, men's house, and warehouse and meet interpreters of the past to tell us more about that specific building and the jobs of the people in it. We enjoyed being able to walk around these beautifully historic grounds as well as learn more about the history of fur trade in Manitoba. 

The guest cottage

The blacksmith's shop 

The men's house kitchen 

The saleshop

The warehouse

Master apartment 

Interpreter showing us the main office  

University of Manitoba

Next, we were given a tour of the University of Manitoba by Dr. Cholakis, a graduate professor and gum surgeon at the university. Because the University has multiple campuses, we checked out the downtown science and medical campus because it includes many new facilities and is quickly becoming one of Canada’s leading graduate medical programs due to its proximity to the hospital. Students are able to take classes and work in the clinic as an actual doctor, giving them experience in the medical field. The university clinic offers dental surgeries at a lower price than private firms, so it’s a great deal for the students and citizens alike. The University has recently built a new cancer research center, which again gives medical students a chance to work in this field and suggest research ideas related to finding a cure for cancer. Apart from the hands-on dental/medical facilities, we visited the library, the recreational facility, the hospital, and the cafeteria. The University of Manitoba was an impressive educational institution that we enjoyed touring.

Hands-on dental training stations  

Medical lab

Dental clinic 

A display showing dentistry equipment many years ago

The library

The medical building atrium 

Hospital attached to the university 

A lecture hall  

Saint Boniface

Today, we began the day by visiting Saint Boniface, a French community in downtown Winnipeg. First, we explored the Saint Boniface Museum, which is the oldest building in Winnipeg. Originally the Grey Nuns' convent, it now serves as a historic museum about the area. Then, we went to the Saint Boniface Cathedral, considered the mother church of Western Canada. Throughout the years, the church has been rebuilt six times. The first was built in 1818 and the most recent in 1971 after a fire. FUN FACT: The saint, Boniface, is know as the patron saint of Germany and is credited with the creation of the Christmas tree. After that, we toured the University of Saint Boniface, the only french speaking university in Canada besides Quebec. It was founded in 1818 by father Provencher, making it the oldest college in Western Canada. The building had a very traditional feel due to the old architecture, yet the facilities were very modern. Lastly, we visited the Centre Culturel Franco-Manitobain, which is an art gallery, history center, and community center. We were lucky enough to see an exhibit titled Ondulations by Hélène Brunet Neumann. Her art was a combination of a picture and a sculpture, in which she glued threads to canvas to create three-dimensional works of art. Saint Boniface is an intriguing area combinging the culture of both Winnipeg and France.

Saint Boniface Cathedral 

Inside the cathedral 

The Saint Boniface Museum

University of Saint Bonfiace 

One of Hélène Brunet Neumann's works

Centre Culturel Franco-Manitobain

Saint Boniface City Hall