Bradwardine Beginnings (2)

Related Collection: Remembering CFB Rivers

From various sources

The townsite of Bradwardine sprang up with the arrival of the C.P.R branch line from Brandon in 1902. Prior to the arrival of the rail line the well-populated region centred around local schools and post offices, with the community of Tarbolton being the most identifiable centre with both a church and a school on 21-11-22. St. Matthew’s Anglican Church had been erected on SE 20-12-22 about three kilometers northeast of the current village of Bradwardine, in 1901 near where Ancrum school had been opened in 1882.

Early settlers, many of them from Scotland, but also from England and Ireland, were here before the railway reached Brandon and it wasn’t an easy trip. During the spring they could come by way of the Assiniboine River, debarking from the steamers at Hall’s Landing, a few kilometers north of where Hall’s Bridge sits today. There was a Mission near that spot that offered shelter and some help to arrivals. In other season arrivals trekked from Winnipeg on foot or in ox carts. Upon arrival they could consider themselves lucky in that there were enough trees on the many ravines and creek bottoms to provide logs for building – those who chose the more southern locations had to make do with sod huts.

Soon after the first train arrived the village had the full range of pioneer era services arranged in a modest grid of streets along the railway line, the most vital of which would be the elevator constructed in 1903 by the Ogilvie Company. Two other elevators followed with the Pool Elevator, built in 1927, standing alone today. Bradwardine School was built in 1905. A Presbyterian Church was soon open in the village to serve that denomination. Limber yard, blacksmith shop and a hotel soon were in business.

A private bank was opened by a Mr. Dickson and it was later taken over by the Bank of Hamilton. The vault still marks the spot, just south of the elevator.

Sometime around 1910 a fire destroyed much of the main business district, and although the town continued to grow the commercial sector never really recovered from that setback.