Wawanesa: A Prairie Heritage

When the railroad passed by Milford, it was necessary for a new site to be created in the area in order to support a grain elevator and other services for farmers. Treesbank was founded in 1892, a year after the first elevator was built at the site. The first business in Treesbank was a store owned by J. W. Errat, the former postmaster of Milford. Other businesses followed, including a lumber yard and a farm implement dealership.

The Village of Treesbank in 1909

The last major influx of population to the Treesbank area occurred in 1966. A number of Mennonite families moved into the area from eastern Manitoba. Their children attended school in Wawanesa and the congregation bought the Treesbank school and converted it into a church. Today this is the only remaining church in Treesbank.

Mennonite Church

Treesbank was serviced by a ferry boat for many years. The community is virtually surrounded by water as it is situated near the confluence of the Souris and Assiniboine rivers. The ferry provided a way for those on the other side of the river to get to town as well as a link to places such as Douglas and Spruce Woods. The ferry remained in operation until the early 1990's when a bridge was built just a few kilometres away. The Treesbank ferry was one of the last ferries of its kind in Manitoba.

Harold Vane with Treesbank's last bag of mail.

The residents of Treesbank participated in all kinds of sports. In the summer baseball tournaments and golfing were quite popular. The Criddle family had a golf course on their land to the north of Treesbank and there was also a four hole golf course at the picnic grounds. The Criddles and the Vanes had tennis courts that received significant traffic over the years. Today the most celebrated event in Treesbank is the “Treesbank Picnic”. This event involves a baseball tournament, games, and races.

In the winter, skating and curling were popular activities. The skating rink was built early in Treesbank's history. When the old dance hall, the “Farough House”, was replaced by a new hall in 1922, a section of the new building was used as a warming house for skaters. Curling came later in 1948 and several bonspiels were put on every year.

Treesbank experienced the same decline in population and services that most small communities in the area faced. The stores and businesses were forced to close down and the school shut its doors in the late '60s. Treesbank's population is very small now, but the church and the new community hall built in 1985 are still well used by people in the surrounding area.

Treesbank War Shrine

The History | The Gallery | People | Mutual Insurance | The Community
Neighbouring Communities | The Museum | About Us | Home








When the railroad passed by Milford, it was necessary for a new site to be created in the area in order to support a grain elevator and other services for farmers. Treesbank was founded in 1892, a year after the first elevator was built at the site. The first business in Treesbank was a store owned by J. W. Errat, the former postmaster of Milford. Other businesses followed, including a lumber yard and a farm implement dealership.







The Village of Treesbank in 1909

				The last major influx of population to the Treesbank area occurred in 1966. A number of Mennonite families moved into the area from eastern Manitoba. Their children attended school in Wawanesa and the congregation bought the Treesbank school and converted it into a church. Today this is the only remaining church in Treesbank.

Mennonite Church
		Treesbank was serviced by a ferry boat for many years. The community is virtually surrounded by water as it is situated near the confluence of the Souris and Assiniboine rivers. The ferry provided a way for those on the other side of the river to get to town as well as a link to places such as Douglas and Spruce Woods. The ferry remained in operation until the early 1990's when a bridge was built just a few kilometres away. The Treesbank ferry was one of the last ferries of its kind in Manitoba.
Harold Vane with Treesbank's last bag of mail.

The residents of Treesbank participated in all kinds of sports. In the summer baseball tournaments and golfing were quite popular. The Criddle family had a golf course on their land to the north of Treesbank and there was also a four hole golf course at the picnic grounds. The Criddles and the Vanes had tennis courts that received significant traffic over the years. Today the most celebrated event in Treesbank is the “Treesbank Picnic”. This event involves a baseball tournament, games, and races. In the winter, skating and curling were popular activities. The skating rink was built early in Treesbank's history. When the old dance hall, the “Farough House”, was replaced by a new hall in 1922, a section of the new building was used as a warming house for skaters. Curling came later in 1948 and several bonspiels were put on every year. Treesbank experienced the same decline in population and services that most small communities in the area faced. The stores and businesses were forced to close down and the school shut its doors in the late '60s. Treesbank's population is very small now, but the church and the new community hall built in 1985 are still well used by people in the surrounding area.

			Treesbank War Shrine

	The History \| The Gallery \| People \| Mutual Insurance \| The Community Neighbouring Communities \| The Museum \| About Us \| Home