When over 2,000 Doukhobors came to Winnipeg from 1898-99, they were divided into three groups because of lack of accomodation for such large numbers at any one location. One group moved to Selkirk, another to Dauphin, and the last, Brandon. Because many of the families were poor, the men had to get jobs. Many went to work making bricks in the Simpson Brickyard in Brandon.

The men that had worked in the brickyard started their own brickyards in Yorkton, Verigin and at Thunderhill. The operation at Thunderhill was established in 1903 but operated for only six years. The yard was built close to the north base of Thunderhill. Two large buildings were built to accommodate at least 25 workers that were required. These buildings included living quarters, cooking and eating space. An office building was built where the records were kept.

The building where the steam boiler and the other machinery was set up was a large L-shaped structure, built of the first bricks produced. A long shaft with belts to operate the different mixers and conveyors was included in this plant.

The clay was shoveled by hand in the pit onto a two wheeled cart, equipped with a dumping mechanism. Two men loaded the cart which was pulled by a horse driven by a third man. The clay was dumped from the cart into the mixer. A certain percentage of sand and water was thoroughly mixed in what was referred to as a "churn." The sand had to be sharp and clean. For this particular brickyard it was hauled over two miles after being taken from a small stream that ran into the Woody River.

Operators watched closely until they considered the mix correct when it was then dicharged into a mold before being tipped over onto a conveyor which took the bricks away. Men dipped each brick in dry sand which prevented it from sticking to the lath-covered trays on which they were placed.

New bricks were placed on a special wheelbarrow designed to carry the trays of bricks to the drying racks. There were around 30 racks each 40-50 feet long. Each rack had its own little roof which was about four feet on either slope from the ridge. These roofs prevented rain from destroying the soft bricks. The racks were placed close together to keep the rain from damaging the bricks by blowing in from the side. A plank walk divided the drying racks for easier walking while pushing the wheelbarrows. After natural drying for a time, depending on the weather, bricks were arranged in large cone shaped piles of about fifteen feet high. An opening was left in the side to allow wood to be placed inside for burning to bake the bricks.

Wood for brick firing had to be hauled about four miles. Highland Tamarak was the wood that created the hottest fire to produce the best tricks. Well-seasoned poplar wood could be used when the weather was warm and dry, because not as much heat would be required to bake the bricks.

The breakup of the Doukhobor community-living system seems to have caused the closing of the brick yard. Mike Rebalkin filed a claim to the property when it was thrown open to the public. Later, his brother Peter dismantled the plant and built a large grainery from the bricks. This building was hit, a few years later, by a cyclone which tore the roof off and the walls fell inward.