All items that I have found for this blog are taken from " Memory Opens the Door" History as told by Pioneers of The Central. West-Interlake Area. And the Manitoba Historical Society Archives Website.
The Rural Municipality (RM) of Eriksdale began in 1904 when Swedish pioneer, Jonas Erikson built a cabin in the area north of present-day Eriksdale. Originally wanting to name it Erikson, but with the name already taken by another town in Manitoba decided to name it Eriksdale The RM was established in 1918 and was situated between Lake Manitoba and Lake Winnipeg. Its economy was based on fishing, grain, cattle, and increasingly tourism.
The Calf Club of 1926: The calf club members lined up on Main Street in front of the old Livery Barn, Alec Smiths Lumber Yard, and Bills Confectionery. They lined up with their calves, that day Fred Andrews won the championship at the Fair.
The RM of Eriksdale: The municipality was organized in 1918. The members of council at the time were- William Goodridge, William Weatherburn, Robert Harley and George Monkman.
The elected council of the RM administered the municipal affairs of the area, including administration of public schools, provision of public health care and management of public works projects such as road maintenance. The communities in the RM included Eriksdale, Deerhorn, and Mulvihill.
The story of the Elizabeth M. Crowe Memorial Hospital: . The Elizabeth M. Crowe Memorial Hospital (also known as Eriksdale Hospital) was located in Eriksdale, Manitoba. It was opened in May 1926 by The Woman's Missionary Society (WMS) of The United Church of Canada, with a large donation from the Ladies Society of Westminster Church, Winnipeg. When it first opened it had seven beds, though enlarged from time to time with a new wing being added to the hospital in 1958. In 1961 the Government approved the building of a new 17-bed hospital, financed by the WMS, the community, and federal and provincial grants. The old hospital site was converted into a staff parking lot. The hospital is still in operation today.
1959-1966 Leah (Rogers) Archibald.
November 9, 1962 construction on the grove site for the new hospital began. Weather was favourable until November 29, 1962, when there was heavy snowfall causing the construction crew to erect a plastic covering and work continued inside that covering. By the end of January 1963, the covering was removed and the staff at the hospital saw the framework of the building take shape. By May 1963, the plastering and stuccoing was completed. September 12, 1963, opening day. There were some 500 guests touring the building and the grounds surrounding. September 30, 1963 was officially move in day, the bed capacity for the new hospital was still only 17 beds, often overcrowded with as many patients as 3 in the corridor and day room.
Eriksdale Schools: These schools we one room school houses, with not enough qualified teachers to work in them. The teachers were mostly young men and women with only high school education and a 6 month teacher training course. The shortage of teachers and other problems finally brought about the closure of rural one roomed schools and by September 1968 all children were attending graded schools in the towns of the area.
The Eriksdale School District was organized in August 1911 and it operated a school in Eriksdale in what is now the Municipality of West Interlake. The original built was replaced in 1917 and, in 1929, a third classroom for high school students was added to the existing two rooms. In 1958, a new six-classroom building replaced the old structure, which was dismantled with the lumber used to construct a teacherage.
The Eriksdale Collegiate was built in 1961 and the six-room building was used for elementary classes. An addition was made to the collegiate in March 1976.
The school became part of the Lakeshore School Division in 1967.
The Deer Hill District was established formally in April 1915 and a one-room schoolhouse operated at the northwest corner of NW-23-22-5W in what would become the Municipality of West Interlake. Classes were taught locally until the building suffered a fire around April 1939. For a time, students were transported by van to Eriksdale School, until the former Shamrock School was brought to the site. In the early 1940s, this building was also destroyed by fire after which local students were bused to Eriksdale.
Between 1953 to 1955, the district’s catchment area was divided between Nyland School District No. 1525, Eastland School District No. 1658, Eriksdale School District No. 1571, and Woodlea School District No. 1589 (Birch Lake School), with the process completed by November 1955.
The Nord School District was established formally in March 1909 and a one-room schoolhouse operated at NE16-22-6W, on land donated by J. O. Nord for whom the school was named, in what is now the Municipality of West Interlake. In 1967, the district was dissolved and its catchment area became part of the Lakeshore School Division. The former school building burned in 1978. Its concrete foundation remains at the site along with a commemorative sign.
The Clydebank School District was organized formally in November 1911 and a school was operating by the next year, in a building constructed on the northwest quarter of 32-21-6 west of the Principal Meridian, in what is now the Municipality of West Interlake, on land donated by a Mr. Forsyth. The name commemorates a town in Scotland.
The school closed in June 1968 when the district joined the Lakeshore School Division. The building is no longer present at the site but a rock monument, erected on 10 July 1993 by the Clydebank Ladies’ Club for their 75th anniversary, commemorates it.
The Hartfield School District was established in December 1909 and a one-room schoolhouse operated at SE1-22-6W in what is now the Municipality of West Interlake. The school closed in 1967 and the district was dissolved. Its catchment area became part of the Lakeshore School Division. The former school building was sold to a local resident. Only the concrete foundation remained at the time of a 2014 site visit.
The Eastland School District was organized formally in March 1913 and a one-room schoolhouse operated at NW4-22-4W in what is now the Municipality of West Interlake. The school closed in 1961 and the district was dissolved in 1967. Its catchment area became part of the Lakeshore School Division.
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