Fort La Reine Museum
Pioneer Village and Tourist Bureau
The Portage Tourist Bureau at Fort la Reine Museum also has a website.
Visit and find information on accomodations in Portage and links to events calendars for the Portage and Central Plains Region. The Portage Tourist Bureau site can be found at www.portagetouristbureau.ca
The Fort La Reine Museum is pleased to a part of the celebrations involved with the Manitoba Homecoming 2010. Check out the Manitoba Homecoming Website at www.manitobahomecoming2010.com
Museum Sponsors
Our Story
Starting with the early fur traders and their first contact with the native peoples, through the first settlers living in square cut log homes, through the early stick built houses, to the comparatively modern homes constructed after World War I, and to a Pioneer Village that served as their commerical centre, the Museum offers fine examples of them all. The homes and buildings are designed not only to show the artifacts, but also to illustrate the lifestyle of those who have gone before. Browsing through the homes and the many displays in each will allow you to begin to appreciate the hardships and joys our grandparents and great-grandparents experienced in settling the Canadian Prairies.
BUT, there is more to the Fort la Reine Museum! Portage la Prairie did not, and has not, stopped growing and developing, and the museum seeks to give everyone their due. On the east side of the property, there is the Allis-Chalmers Museum, which is the largest indoor display of Allis-Chalmers equipment in the world. Farming became mechanized, and this company was an important supplier to the area farmers. (The Manitoba Agricultural Museum also has a huge display of all types of farm equipment and is located only 45 minutes west, in Austin.) There are even some Allis-Chlamers replicas and toys on display.
Walking to the west side of the museum, one encounters the beautiful Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which was brought here from Arbakka, in south eastern Manitoba, to illustrate the diversity of those who settled in the Portage la Prairie area. The Church is located adjacent to the Southport Building #12, which houses an excellent Military Museum, showing uniforms and artifacts from the Boer War to our present Peacekeeping era. There is a special section for "Those Who Fell", and for veterans of Portage la Prairie generally, including 128 videotaped interviews, which may be viewed. Just Ask! Also at the south end of this structure is the Manitoba Softball Hall of Fame. This, of course, commemorates the many achievements of many from all parts of the province.
Last, but certainly not least, along the southwest side of the museum, facing the parking lot, are some railcars. The most important one is in the centre. It is the actual railcar William Van Horne used when constructing the Canadian Pacific Railway west of Winnipeg in the early 1880's. Right beside the Van Horne car is Car #21, the Superintendent's car. When the railway was completed, it became necessary to have someplace in which the business of operating the railway could be carried on. Only 22 Superintendant's Cars were ever built, of which only two have survived.