Austin Remembers Its Colorful Early Days and Growth
A historical sketch of Austin recounts the 1887 Presbyterian church founding, early settlers like A Pickering and J Waters, and the town’s role in Central Manitoba. It notes the railway pusher at Austin, early hotels, shops, doctors, and fraternal halls, plus a 1939 fire and rebuilding drive that cemented Austin as a regional trading center for 75 years.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Austin
Farquhar McRae
Portage la Prairie
Manitoba College
Mr. Jarvis
A. Pickering
J Waters
W. D. Duncan
James Hay
Robert Leckie
S. Johnson
F. Anderson
Foresters
Masons
IOOF
LOL
Maccabees
Austin Co-Operative Elevator Association’s 20 Years In Austin
The Austin Co-Operative Elevator Association has operated in the village for two decades. Since 1940 Manitoba Pool Elevators bought their Austin elevator, expanding capacity from 20 000 to 84 000 bushels across two elevators and an annex after additions and a later annex removal for a curling rink. The 1951 build raised total capacity to 50 000 bushels per facility. The first president was Wm A Alton and key leaders include Duncan A Campbell, George R Hay, Thomas G Lowe, and J Harvey Robinson with Robert Wallace as first secretary. Alex Beresford became agent in 1947. The association has moved over 4 000 000 bushels and paid or will pay 125 000 in dividends to 488 members over 20 years, with about 200 active members now.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Austin
Wm. Speed
Walter Duncan
D. Broadfoot
Alex Kemp
George Dunbar
Wm. Wheeler
Wm. Jones
Herb Thompson
George Camsell
Speed
Masonic Lodge
Austin Co-Operative Elevator Association
Manitoba Pool
Western Canada Grain
Austin Co-Operative
Wm. A. Alton
Duncan A. Campbell
Portage 1A
Robert Wallace
Russell Hay
Ken Hay
Charles Campbell
Alex Beresford
Also Mentioned on This Page
Sidney
Joe Jones
Maudie Goodrum
Maggie Robertson
Aggie Robertson
Maggie Cuthbert
Edith Bryce
Gertie Cuthbert
Sarah Wallace
Lucy Jones
Emma Cleveland
Margaret Wallace
Ethel Sparling
Sara Harding
Les Sparling
Irene Jones
Carrie Madill
John Robertson
Ned Jones
Frank Sparling
Fred Cleveland
Everet Cleveland
Norman Harding
Jack Cuthbert
Jim Cuthbert
Chas. Robertson
Cleveland
Wilson Harding
Molly Sparling
Lina Cleveland
Goodrum
A. Baird
Austin and Community
Austin Co-operative Eletion
Austin Co-operative Elevators Assoc
Manitoba
Harvey Robinson
Hamilton Gilmour
George Harkess
Roy Snaith
Geo. Bull
Russell Leckie
Albert North
Hidden Valley Lake
Touris
Hidden Valley
Mr. and Mrs
Kel Baxter
James and Helen Radcliffe
This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!