Mennonite Heritage Village, how they lived.

                                                                         

The Mennonites arrived in Manitoba from The Ukraine in 1874 this would have been their first home - a sod house - Semlins as they called them to get them through the first winter, they were probably quite cosy in the winter, with the snow built up around them for extra protection, but come the spring thaw and then the rains, well doesn't bear thinking about.

Moving on a few years, The Hochfeld House built in 1877 a variation of the Red River Frame, longer oak beams, I wonder if the vertical beams were there from the start or added later to stop the walls from bowing. The photo above is the front of the house facing the street, lovely finished corners. The photo below the back of the house facing the fields,  nobody can see that part. This house was occupied until 1984.

                                                                                           

The Waldheim House built in 1876, same method and again external uprights.

 Outside bread oven from the 1890s, this is out side the Chortitz House built in 1892, by this time they were building conventional wood frame houses with clapboard cladding.  In the background you can see the Waldheim House and barn.

We are now into the 20th. century, School House from 1910 up until the end of the first war the Mennonites educated the children themselves, after the war they had to comply with Manitoba education rules and follow the provincial curriculum .  The school above is Mennonite, the schoolmistress lived on the right of the door, the class room to the left, boys entered the door you see, girls from the other side.  When I went to school in rural England they had the same system, we evan had separate playgrounds.

1919 Provincial School, no separate doors here.

1929 Lichtenau Church, built by the second wave of Mennonites from the Ukraine in the 20s. Used until 1989.

Main Street.

The first store in Steinbach 1885 run by Mr. Reimer, his list and prices.

This is his office corner in the store, look at those day books.

This lady is called Granma Kramer, a monument to the women of the community.  

The hose in the background is The Hochfeld House.