Walking back in the door after about 15 minutes we were greeted by enthusiastic dogs and a second look at the dreaded list! The decision was made we would go to the Mennonite Heritage Museum in Steinbach a mere hour away. The site was fabulous, it was like taking a step back in time as we wandered through the site, enjoyed the sunshine and local delicacies.
Our tour today took us through a pictorial history first and then we got to go out and wander the replicated village. There were Semlin homes that provided temporary refuge for the families when they first arrived in Canada. It was very "Little House on the Prairie" in appearance and the living space was very small.
We enjoyed a tour of the village church
As you entered the old general store there was a price list of all the items that the local general store carried
And the shelves were still well stocked
The Blatz Carriage was an expensive item costing approximately $500. It was not easily afforded
The printer place where local newspapers were published
The Blacksmith shop was well kitted out and owned (with approval) by a non-Mennonite person who was given permission to operate it in the community
A re-purposed wheelbarrow, look closely and you can see the wheel under the beautiful array of flowers
Local Artisans had lovely wares for sale at the General Store, I only bought the freshly ground flour that was made right on site at the mill which was much further along and after we had stopped to enjoy a traditional lunch at the eatery.
Inside the mill the grinder was just finished for the day
Where the ground flour is stored until bagged
The view looking out over the prairies from the second deck of the mill
Looking up at the paddles of the mill
Then on for a look at the old antique cars
This old buggy reminded us of the buggy in Murdock Mysteries
Lunch, I had dug in before remembering that I should take a picture! Perogies filled with cheese, farmer sausage, coleslaw, homemade bread and veggie soup finished with a rhubarb dessert. This is apparently a traditional lunch!
After eating our fill we meandered along the walk way and enjoyed this picturesque mural that stood in front of a refurbished locomotive
We meandered along to the public school (which was one room) the writing on the chalk board was not an unfamiliar sight as examples of how to form letters were are the top
Just look at the writing...I felt like it was grade three all over again!
And I loved this poem!!
The Vegetable Garden
The Summer Kitchen
Another Mill, much smaller than the one at the end of the village
The Outdoor oven
The Pantry
The Kitchen
One of the many views
Thatched Roof was quite impressive
Shutters on the Mennonite Church
The church inside
This rooster was strutting his stuff!
Wagons were scattered around the grounds
The Private school offered teacher accommodations, below is the kitchen which is really a multi-purpose room for laundry and ironing etc. This was attached directly to the school with a corridor separating the class room from the accommodations
The bedroom/Office of the teacher accommodations
The Class room, again one room boy and girls were separated on opposite sides of the room and entered the school by separate doors
And the final piece...a piece of the Berlin Wall.
Traditional quilting was also taking place as three local ladies worked on a quilt that dates back to the 1930's. They had no idea where it had come from or its story as it just got dropped off without an explanation or note.
This particular quilt was called Grandmothers Flower garden
The quilters hard at work, everything on this quilt is done by hand...there are a lot of little pieces!
One of the ladies made this wall hanging, repurposing antique lace
This sampler hung on the door, another beautiful piece of work
