History

History of Inglis, Manitoba

In the summer of 1919 the C.P.R., which came as far as Russell, started negotiations for a right of way north. After several surveys, they started building. In the fall of 1921 the grade was finished to the farm of W.N. Berrington, section 36-22-28. The rails were laid to a siding named Cracknell, six miles north of Russell where elevators had been built. The next year the rails were laid to the end of the line the village of Inglis, in 1922.

At this time there were four elevators U.U.G. – Alex McKay, Northern – Mr. Minchell, Lindsay – Sid Grant and the M.N. Patterson – Scotty Hanson. A combined Pool Hall and Barber Shop was built Andy Fusty. A station, Jim Delemar’s Livery and Dray, Smellie’s store, Buie and Tom’s Lumber Yard and Wes McIntosh’s Garage were built. A Hardware Store was built by Adolf Siefert, which was sold to Percy Green late in the fall. C.A. Crawford moved his store from Cracknell at this time Roy Breckenridge’s house was built.

The next summer A. Siefert built the Massey-Harris Implements and a hall. Early in the spring of 1923 the United Church was moved from Asessippi. A hotel was built by Angus Woods and a butcher shop by A. Werschler in the same year. Thos. McLennan built a combined Post Office and living quarters.

On October 1, 1923 a meeting was called about a school. The first trustees were T. McLennan, chairman, W.G. Bradley, sec.-treas., G. Smellie and W. L. McIntosh. On October 8, the trustees asked for permission to use the United Church as a school. On December 15, the services of Miss McLean were engaged as teacher for Inglis School District No. 2107.

A cafe was built by Fong and Lee in 1924. In 1925 there was a Curling Rink built of poles with a straw roof and a small shed for a waiting room. The next year a board fence was put up and a place for skating. This same year there were two blacksmiths, John Niels and Jack McDonald. Two fires occurred during this year at the hall and the UGG elevator.

1. G. Smellie sold out to A. Snieder. Another store was built where the Post Office inow stands. The Bank of Toronto was also built. In 1927 a new Community Hall was built by subscriptions and shares.

In 1929 the rink was moved and rebuilt – two sheets for curling and an open air skating rink. A Hockey Club was formed with Len Berrington, manager, Paul Niels, coach, Morris Shnieder, sec.-treas., C. A. Crawford, and A. Shnieder, patrons.

In the following years there were many changes. New people were moving in and two fires took stores. A picture theatre was built in 1946 by Nestor Holunga, Donnelly’s Garage was also built at this time and electrical power came to town in 1947.

In 1945 the Lutheran Trinity Church was built. This was by a congregation, mostly of Polish descent, from the south east of Inglis. In 1951 the Lutheran Bethany congregation moved their church from Freefield, five miles east of town to the present site.

In March 1952 a meeting was held in the Community Hall to start a Community Club. The first officers were J. W. McKenzie, pres., and S. M. Spidell, sec. treas. The Home and School was formed in March 1950. The first officers were – Mr. G. Baynton, pres., Mrs. H. Lorimer, sec. treas.

At a meeting in Lorimer’s Garage on February 7, 1951 the building of a new rink was discussed and a building committee was formed. Money was raised by the Men’s Curling Club and the Home and School. Work was started on the new rink on August 17, 1953. It was officially opened on December 11, 1953.

Inglis was established as a Village on January 1, 1956.The Village Committee was A. D. Ziprick, H. Lorimer, H. Liske, and J. W. McKenzie sec. treas.

On the first of May the Inglis and District Credit Union Society received their Charter of Incorporation. The ten Charter members were E. Ziprick, S. C. Jackson, H. J. Ziprick, A. Zimmer, E. Zimmer, E. Mench, P. J. Gaber, J. W. McKenzie, H. Liske, and A D Ziprick.

In the summer of 1958 the Inglis and District Chamber of Commerce opened the Asessippi Beach and the current hall was built as a Centennial project in 1967. Asessippi Beach is owned and operated privately however, the hall is operated through the Inglis and District Community Club.

Today Inglis is noted for the Inglis Elevators National Historic Site and benefits from its close proximity to the Asessippi Ski Hill and Winter Park and Asessippi Provincial Park.

How Inglis Was Named

In December of 1993, a letter was written to Mr. Earl Jackson from a Mr. Lawson S. Inglis from Winnipeg. In his letter he spoke of his grandfather – Robert James Inglis – a Scotchman from Montreal, Quebec who specialized in tailoring uniforms. One of Robert’s biggest customers was the CPR railway. He made all of the uniforms for them all around the country, as well as suits and clothing for the executives of the railway. Our town came to be named after Robert, due to the close association of his tailoring business and the CPR Railway. The letter also says that the “Inglis” family came from the lowlands of Scotland and that the name itself, simply means “English”. While most people pronounce it “Ingliss”, the correct way is “Ingles”.

Pictures of Inglis

 

 

 

 

Town Site of Asessippi

In 1883 a dam was built across the Shell River, along with a flour mill, shingle factory and saw mill forming the community of Asessippi. This was followed by the construction of a cheese factory built above the valley and brick factory along Bear Creek in the early 1890’s. In 1902 it was learned that the railway would not come through Asessippi and shortly after the village became a ghosttown.

View of old Asessippi townsite.