Manitoba Municipal Heritage Site No. 126

 
 

Northfield School
Wawanesa area,
SW 22-7-16W

Northfield School

Designation Date: June 13, 1995
Designation Authority: The R.M. of South Cypress
Present Owner: privately owned

Settlers in the area just east of Wawanesa established a school district in the spring of 1882 and by June a one-room school had been erected. Like many others throughout the province, the building was of modest size and architectural appointments. Indeed, it is only the band of windows along one side—used to reduce glare inside—that distinguishes the building as a school. An early student here was Nellie McClung, the famous suffragette, author and politician. She also taught at the school briefly, in 1896.

The first Northfield School was destroyed by fire in 1933, but was rebuilt according to the original design, this time with a basement. The school was sold to the Town of Wawanesa after it closed in 1960. The building is now owned by the Northfield Community Club and is used for a variety of social functions.

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