MHM Wawanesa History - Wawanesa MB - Manitoba Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

This cairn, erected in 2000, commemorates noteworthy Wawanesa citizens and lists noteworthy events in the life of the town.

A bust of Alonzo F. Kempton 1863 - 1939 is on the left side.
A bust of Nellie L. McClung 1873 - 1951 is on the right side.

Marker Name: Wawanesa Agency: Villiage of Wawanesa Languages: English Location: 7th Street and Crescent Avenue Wawanesa Marker Text: ** Center Granite Slab** Wawanesa inc. 1909 The cliffs that cradle our community were carved by glacial melt water during the last ice age. Aboriginal peoples hunted buffalo and camped at Sipiweske, renamed Wawanesa in 1890. 1793-1821 Hudson Bay, North West & XY fur trading forts operated nearby. 1879 First settlers spent the winter in a cave dug in the riverbank 1880 Wawanesa settlers arrived to claim 1889 J.J. Story built the first store 1890 The arrival of the first railroad 1900 St Paul's Anglican Church built 1902 Present race track established 1909 Village of Wawanesa incorporated 1929 Hydro Service to Village 1951 Wawanesa & District Hospital Memorial 1961 Present School built, additions 1975 Recreation Center opened 1970 100 year flood 1980 Swimming pool opened in 1981 Village Office & Fire Hall Built 1989 New Hall during centennial 1998 United Church built 2000 New Health Center opened ** Granite slab on left ** The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company inc. 1896 Alonzo Fowler Kempton, founder & leader of company for 25 years, was a brash, energetic entrepreneur and visionary. 1896 Hazards of pioneer threshing led A.F.Kempton and Charles Kerr to found a mutual insurance company. Operating above a local drugstore, 20 local farmers invested $20.00 each. First year profit - $5.96 1901 First Head Office Building constructed - Cost $1605.45 (Now Sipiweske Museum) 1930 New office built - Canada's largest farmers mutual 1961 Life Insurance Company started. From small town roots to a Canada Wide household name. Wawanesa now sold all lines of insurance 1975 Bold expansion into the United States (San Diego, California) 2000 One of the 10 largest insurers in Canada. Two billion in assets, one million policies, 1,600 employees & 1,300 brokers. Wawanesa remains dedicated to providing service, stability & trust. ** Granite slab on right ** Nellie L. McClung 1873 - 1951 "People must know the past to understand the present and to face the future." Nellie Mooney came with her pioneering family to homestead near Millford in 1880. She attended and taught at Northfield School. She married Wesley McClung at the Wawanesa Presbyterian Church in 1896. McClung's struggle against unjust laws, liquor, and anything that brought poverty and disgrace to women and children earned recognition as one of Canada's heroes of the 20th century. 1908 - Best-selling author of "Sowing Seeds in Danny" and 16 other books 1916 - Instrumental in Manitoba being the first province in Canada to give women the right to vote. 1929 - One of "The Famous Five" who worked to have women recognized as persons 1936 - 1st woman appointed to Board of Governors of the C.B.C. Website: [Web Link] Link to HistoricPlaces.ca or mhs.mb.ca: [Web Link]

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Date Logged Log User Rating   09/26/2011 PeterNoG visited it