Lockport

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Lockport
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Where is Lockport?

• Lockport is located on the Red River between
  Selkirk and Winnipeg.
• Aboriginal peoples lived here because there was a
  lot of fish in the river.

Lockport
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First Nations

• Aboriginal peoples lived in Lockport long before
  it even had a name.
• They included the Assiniboine, Cree, and Sioux
  Nations.

what did they live in?

• They had two types of homes
• The first were teepee homes. They were cone
  shaped structures covered with animal hides and
  buffalo robes.
• The second were dome shaped homes using twigs,
  weaved grasses, and animal skins.

Kenosewun Plaque Illustration
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European Settlers

• In 1812 the first group of Scottish settlers came
  through Lockport on their way to Winnipeg.
• A group of English, Scottish, and Orcadian people
  eventually moved here, with their Native American
  families. They were called the Métis.
• These families cut trees along the riverbanks and
  dug limestone from the riverbed to build their
  houses.

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Community Growth

• A small school and library was built in Margaret
  (Swain) Donald Gunns home.
• They built fences and barns for their livestock,
  and a local blacksmith shop was built.
• The settlers cut hay in the marshes, and farmed
  grain and vegetables. Water and wind powered
  grist mills were also built to make flour.

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Community Growth

• St. Andrews Church was the closest place of
  worship. It was built between 1845 1849.
• It was ministered by Rev. William Cockran and his
  wife Anne.
• By 1852 this area was called Little Britain.
  Little Britain United Church was built in 1874.

Little Britain United Church
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Traveling on Water

• Before paddleboats and steam ships, everyone
  traveled in canoes and York boats.
• These boats were small enough to move over or
  around the dangerous rapids south of Lockport.
• Eventually everyone was using bigger boats, but
  these boats couldnt cross the rapids.

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Lock and Dam

• Building the St. Andrews lock and dam took almost
  10 years.
• They were officially declared open in July 1910
  by Prime Minister Sir Wilfred Laurier.
• The new lock and dam controlled the water level
  on the Red River. It raised the water enough to
  let a boat go over the rapids.
• After the dam was built this area was called
  Lockport.

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Lock and Dam

• As the crew excavated the waterbed in preparation
  for the foundation of the lock, they unearthed an
  amazing amount of mud.
• That earth was placed slightly south of the
  locks, which today makes up the small island that
  each year becomes a temporary haven for thousands
  of migrating geese.
• A spur line was built from the town of Selkirk to
  the work site, enabling the men to get machinery
  and material to the site. After the lock and dam
  was completed the spur line was removed.

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Business Growth

• The Lockport Flour Mill Company started
  operations in 1917.
• A bus service started called Bushman Boatman.
• Canadas first woman bus driver drove here.
• Her name was Mabel Davis Richmond and she drove
  people around in her Ford Model T bus between
  Lockport and Winnipeg.

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Business Growth

• Restaurants were built to help feed the hungry
  workers.
• In 1926 Mary Gunn sold a full steak dinner for 25
  cents.
• Hotels with drinking parlors and room rentals
  were built for visitors.
• In 1929 Lockport became home to the famous
  Skinners Restaurant. treat called the hotdog.
  People came from miles around to try the
  mouth-watering tasty treat called a hotdog. It
  only cost 10-cents.
• Competition followed with the famous Half Moon
  hot dog and chip shop in 1940.

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Lockport Today

• In 1958 the floodway was built.
• This was to help stop flooding in the city of
  Winnipeg.
• The floodway is 30 miles long and it pours back
  into the red river just north of Lockport.

• Today Lockport has many families, several
  restaurants, retail outlets, two churches, one
  school, a provincial park, and a museum with the
  Cree name Kenosewun, which means, There are many
  fishes.

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The End
This presentation brought to you by the St.
Clements Heritage Advisory Committee! -
preserving our communitys heritage one story at
a time - Presentation Created by Jared
Laberge Information Compiled by Donna Sutherland