History


The Museum, originally known as “Squire Hall”, was built in 1910. Commissioned by Fred Sowden, son of the town’s founder, Squire Sowden, it was designed by local architect, Carter Brindle. The building features an etched glass entrance leading to an ornate wooden staircase. As you walk through, you will notice the unique stained glass windows, pressed tin ceilings and original woodwork. Its balconies offer magnificent views of the Souris River, and you will experience the rich culture and history of our community. The Museum is designated as one of Canada’s most important heritage properties.

Additional History Information

The Museum contains wealth of information about the area and the articles in the museum. If you are interested in further information or research, there are a number of resources available, both physical and on-line. Following is a list of some of these:

Glenwood & Souris Regional Library  Included in the many types of books in their lending library a section for Souris and area history.
Brandon University Library  Located in Brandon, the University Library offers online services here.

Daly House Museum   This Brandon museum is also housed in a historic building. You can search their collections here. They offer research services that can be found here.
Manitoba Archives  The Manitoba Archives are housed in Winnipeg, their online services can be found here.
Manitoba Information Archival Network  Hosted at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, this service accesses the Manitoba Archives and additional information from sources outside the Manitoba Archives. 
Some scanned Images from publications with specific information on the area history from the University of Manitoba's collection.