March West: RCMP Trek Reenacted

by Elmer Heinrichs and Linda Ens

The first Mennonites who came to settle in the designated West Reserve of Manitoba's Red River Valley disembarked from the International at Fort Dufferin, just north of the bustling twin towns of West Lynne, and Emerson across the Red River.

Dufferin, never an actual fort, but situated on a high point, was bought and used by the International Boundaries Commission in 1872, and two years later became the staging ground for a "march west" by the North West Mounted Police.

0ne hundred and fifty riders, Mounties and civilians, left Fort Dufferin on Saturday May 8 this spring on the RCMP March West, a re-enactment of the first journey by the North West Mounted Police. Riders and wagons travelled 28 kilometres, often in sunshine,and breaking at Halbstadt for lunch. They reached the first night's stop in Gretna by 5 p.m.

To friendly waves from 1,000 people who gathered for the sendoff and hundreds more who watched along the route, riders and wagons set off travelling along the historic Post Road "the Mennonite highway", used for safe travel and commerce during the 1880s and even later.

During the first week, March West participants rode through the former Mennonite reserve and points west. The travellers arrived at the south end of Reinland at 3 p.m. on May 10, where they were met by a crowd of onlookers. After a delay, the Border Valley Elementary school band played four numbers, and the riders were officially welcomed to Reinland. The riders then rode in a red-coated parade through Reinland to the campsite at the west end of the village.

The riders were given some time to tend to their horses and settle in before supper. After a meal of baked beans, potatoes, and a barbeque, the village of Reinland presented a programme featuring presentations, the Dry River Boys, a Mother's Day meditation by Reinland EMMC pastor Darrell Dyck, and a presentation on local history. In spite of cool and wet weather, the riders and Reinlanders enjoyed learning about the past and each other.

The March West riders departed for Winkler at 10:30 on Monday morning, then visited Morden, and finally drove on beyond the former West Reserve to Manitou, Crystal City, Cartwright, and other "points west".

HP Readers Respond

To the photo of the sewing class (HP, December, 1998, p.1): "I can identify a number of the persons in the group. Standing in the back (l-r) are Agnes Wiebe, Lowe Farm, and Wanda Schwartz, Kleefeld, and in the middle row are (second from the left) Hedy Fast, Chortitz, and (second from the right) Helen Schmidt, of Lowe Farm. In the front row I can identify only the instructor, Olga Guenther, second from the left. I think the photo comes from the late 1940s but can't be sure." From Erna Fast Enns and Jackie Anderson, Winnipeg, MB.

To the "Old Newspapers" article on the Houston S.D. situation, (HP March, 1999, p.8): "I have some court records that deal with the WWI school problems of Houston S.D. which you mention in your "Old Newspapers" article". From Dick Hildebrand, Border Real Estate Ltd., Altona, MB.

The document dealt with the court case of John Hildebrand who "unlawfully neglected to send Maggie, who was over the age of seven and under the age of 14 .... to some public school ...", and the case of Doerksen, which was "substantially the same as Hildebrand, except that the latter was born in Russia and came to this country as a child in 1874 ...".

To the note on the Schanzenfeld school problem: "I have a memoir of my uncle Jacob Unger which seems to deal with the situation your article speaks about, and I will send you a copy." From Henry Unger, Crystal City, MB.

To the Anton (Jacob) Hoeppner gun story (HP, March, p.4): "We were privileged to see this gun at our Hoeppner reunions. I am so glad Anton donated it to the Mennonite Heritage Village.... I have written to see if we cannot get a complete set of your newsletter for our use .... From Vera Falk, Dundurn, SK.

To the William Hespeler story (HP, March, p.4): "As far as I know Gerhard Hiebert did not come from Bergthal, as the article says, but from the Molotschna colony. Hiebert did some of his studying in Minnesota, but both he and Erdman Penner, Jr. (son of Erdman Penner, Gretna), got their MDs at McGill." From the late John Dyck, Coral Cres., Winnipeg, MB.

Choices

Mennonites of Manitoba are celebrating their 125^th anniversary of coming to this province. They are definite that it is the correct number of years they have been here. At the same time the world is gearing up for the celebration of the end of one millennium and the beginning of another. However, here there is not the same certainty about when to celebrate this anniversary. There has often been this ambiguity about the beginning and end of a century and millennium. They include 100 years and 1000 years. There are two choices:

a. The beginning year is year zero and the end would therefore be year ninety-nine or nine hundred ninety-nine. There has always been some difficulty in defining year zero.

b. The beginning year is year one and the end would therefore be year one hundred or one thousand.

If one chooses a. then the century and millennium would end at the end of this year. If one choices b. then the century and millennium would end on 31 December 2000. Which would you choose? Send your replies to the editors.