MMHS News & Notes

Board and Committee Reports

The Local History Committee is now working on Volume 3 of the West Reserve History Series. It will be published in the coming months. The committee is also helping to plan the 125^th anniversary events.

The Genealogy Committee is nearing completion of Volume 1 of its Russian Mennonite Genealogy series. This volume is entitled Mennonite Migration to Russia: 1789-1828 by Peter Rempel.

Plans are underway for the 125^th anniversary celebrations of the coming of Mennonites to the former West Reserve. Some ideas being explored by the Historic Sites and Monuments Committee include having some special Mennonite events when the Trans Canada Trail programme gets underway next year. Some type of re-enactment of the landing at Fort Dufferin is being explored. There will be celebratory events at various West Reserve villages such as Reinland and Neubergthal. An anniversary insert in a local newspaper, similar to what was produced in the Winnipeg Free Press, is in the planning stages.

The Altbergthal School Renovation project in Altona is progressing. Ideas on how to use the restored building are welcome. There is also some discussion about putting up a monument in the memory of Ältester Johann Wiebe somewhere on the former West Reserve.

The plans for a Mexican Mennonite Museum and Archives have been on hold for some time. The Board agreed to send a delegation to Mexico in the next few months to see if the project can be moved forward.

The Research, Scholarship, and Publications Committee will oversee a project to publish a popular history of Manitoba Mennonites. It is envisioned that the project will be a number of years in duration with the proposed author being Prof. John J. Friesen, CMBC, in Winnipeg.

Neubergthal Notes

by Ray Hamm

We are pleased to share with you some notes from the latest (October) issue of Neubergthal Notes, a village newsletter edited by Ray Hamm residing there. To become a subscriber contact Ray at Box 1887, Altona, MB R0G OBO or call 204-324-5438.

A homecoming event has been proposed for the July 1 weekend for next year. This could be a two-day event, Friday and Saturday or Saturday and Sunday or just one day event.

Also, there need to be discussions about long range planning for the conservation and presentation of heritage aspects of the village. The next step toward receiving some funding from Parks Canada is to develop such a plan.

One of the major questions is about a location for a visitor centre. Should it be at the present community centre, or near the intersection? What are the options?

Parks Canada will erect a plaque in the village next summer. Because the whole community has been designated a National Historic Site, the plaque will be larger than usual. It could be 6 feet by 4 feet. Where should the plaque be - at the intersection? near the cemetery? other places?

Readers' Responses

The post featured in the photo of HP of June, 1999, p.4 is most likely a remnant of a bridge on the Post Road at Reinland, MB and not one of the road posts itself. Adolf Ens, Winnipeg, MB

I am looking for descendants of Gerhard Jacob Goossen, b.1778 (or 1779) m. to Margaretha Enz b.1780. Their children: Helena, b. ca.1802, Gertrude, b. ca.1804, Justina, b. ca.1807, Gerhard, b.1811 m. Minna Plett, (we have descendants of them), Maria, b. ca.1803, Katharina, b. ca.1819. Please contact Victor Goossen, P.O. Box 160, Rosenort, MB R0G 1W0 ph. 204-746-2375, fax.204-746-2667. Thank you very much.