Mannville in Minburn County, Alberta — Canada’s Prairie Region (North America)
Old Mannville
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 13, 2022
1. Old Mannville Marker
Old Mannville was a cluster of commercial and residential buildings constructed on land originally homesteaded by Dan McLean. In anticipation of the arrival of the Canadian Northern Railway, J.B. Burch built a store here in 1904, along the railway's right of way. In the expectation that his homestead would be chosen as a railway townsite, McLean built a post office to go along with Burch's store.
Soon other entrepreneurs set up businesses in the community, and at its peak Old Mannville boasted two general stores, a drug store, a hotel and a livery stable. In the summer of 1905, however, this local boom went bust. The railway chose another townsite a few kilometres to the east and Old Mannville was abandoned.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1904.
Location. 53° 20.067′ N, 111° 10.53′ W. Marker is in Mannville, Alberta, in Minburn County. Marker is on 47 Street (Provincial Highway 881) just north of 47 Avenue, on the right when traveling south. Marker is located at the Mannville Crossroads Museum. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4704 47 Street, Mannville AB T0B 2W0, Canada. Touch for directions.
Also see . . .
1. Village of Mannville History.
In(Submitted on September 20, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)1903, the railroad survey came through and traffic abruptly swung from the Battleford trail to the line of stakes that was destined to become the Canadian Northern Railway. The buffalo had been gone for 20 years and the prairie wool, following the extremely wet years of 1902-03, was over a foot high and as thick as it could grow. The tall grass gave rise to many disastrous prairie fires and many settlers were wiped out before becoming established.
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this page onlineThe hamlet of Old Mannville, never having been surveyed, was a squatter’s town. Although the railway survey had been completed in 1903, the townsites were not surveyed until 1905. Application was made for a school and a charter was granted. The school, however, never was built at Mannville. When it was eventually built it was located 2 miles farther west and was called “Birch Creek”.
2. Mannville, Alberta.
The settlement was named for Sir Donald Mann, vice-president of the Canadian Northern Railway.(Submitted on September 20, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Courtesy Laverne Gordon
2. Marker detail: Andrew and Sorina Boe family, ca. 1912
Andrew was the first Norwegian settler in the Mannville area arriving ca. 1898. Backrow (L-R) Alma Scott, Ida Shaw, Carrie Burch, Ralph Boe. Front Row (L-R) Andrew Boe, Lillian Boe, Sorina Boe.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 13, 2022
3. Crossroads Museum
Credits. This page was last revised on September 20, 2022. It was originally submitted on September 20, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 227 times since then and 77 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 20, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
