Who doesn’t love some good trivia? Eastern Manitoba has some cool, interesting trivia waiting to be discovered, and this is the perfect way to quiz that smarty pants you know!

Biggest Fish Caught in Manitoba

Eastern Manitoba is home to the biggest fish ever caught in Manitoba. In Dominion City, 1903, this 184kg (or 406-pound) sturgeon fish was about 4.6 metres (or 15′ 2″ long) and was caught in the Roseau River. It was estimated that the sturgeon was 150 years old!

In honour of this piece of history, a Sturgeon Statue was erected and can be visited today in Dominion City.

Buried Treasure

Have you ever dreamed about searching for buried treasure? Well, you can do that right here in Eastern Manitoba! Along the Dawson trail, you could strike gold.

In 1868, a soldier on horseback was carrying payroll worth $10,000 to troops at Fort Gary by way of the Dawson Trail. Fearing for his life from bandits, he stashed the payroll pouch somewhere along the trail. It is said that the soldier may have stashed the pouch in a cabin somewhere between Ste. Anne and Harrison Creek in hopes of one day returning to collect it. Many believe that the gold is still out there. Today, that gold would be worth $200,000.

Could you imagine yourself walking along the Dawson Trail, taking in its beauty, and stumbling upon $200,000 worth of gold? Now that would be the dream.

To learn more about the Dawson Trail, visit these blogs: 5 things to do along the TransCanada Highway and 5 Bucket List Adventures to Discover in Eastern Manitoba

Dr. Charlotte Ross – Manitoba’s First Female Doctor

Dr. Charlotte Whitehead Ross, or “The Iron Rose,” as some people like to call her, was Manitoba’s first female doctor. In 1875, Charlotte achieved her goal of receiving her medical certificate from the Women’s Medical College in Philadelphia. From 1881 to 1912, she practiced medicine in the region (and lived in Whitemouth) – even though she was not allowed to hold a medical license in the Province of Manitoba during that time.

While you may not be able to visit the Whitemouth Municipal Museum during the winter months, you can visit in the summer and experience the full story of Dr. Charlotte Ross here, along with many other intriguing facts and stories.

Edythe Brown – Manitoba’s First Female Mayor

Edythe Brown was born in Pinawa on December 28, 1913, and from 1952 to 1957 was Mayor of Lac du Bonnet, making her Manitoba’s first female Mayor. She accomplished many things like installation of vapour streetlights, concrete sidewalks, and dial telephone service during her term.

Perhaps her biggest accomplishment while in office was obtaining a sewage system for the town, free of charge, in compensatory negotiations with the Manitoba Hydro-Electric Board, resulting from Winnipeg River flooding caused by the McArthur Falls Generating Station.

To learn more about Edythe Brown, follow this link.

Provincial Forests

Did you know that Eastern Manitoba has eight Provincial Forests? Among them are Agassiz Provincial Forest, Belair Provincial Forest, Brightstone Sand Hill Provincial Forest, Cat Hills Provincial Forest, Northwest Angle Provincial Forest, Sandilands Provincial Forest, Wampum Provincial Forest, and Whiteshell Provincial Forest.