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Steinbach Heritage
In 1874, eighteen Mennonite families from Russia founded a small town in an area with only one real distinguishing feature, a stony brook - Steinbach, in German. Their faith, ambition, resourcefulness, and hard work all contributed to the unprecedented growth of the community. Steinbach still holds firm to the ideals of its founders. In fact, those founders are celebrated every summer during Pioneer Days, a weekend-long event packed with family activities - including concerts, sporting events, and one of Manitoba's biggest parades!
The value placed on the City's past is readily apparent at Steinbach's Mennonite Heritage Village, a family-oriented museum where history comes to life with ox-drawn carts . . .a general store . . .steam-powered machinery . . .a blacksmith . . .a full-size Holland-style windmill . . .and genuine Mennonite food.
In Steinbach, we're proud of where we are, and confident of where we're going, because we remember how we started.
Steinbach History 1874 - 1990

Steinbach, Manitoba was founded in 1874 by 18 Mennonite families of the Kleine Gemeinde, literally meaning "small fellowship". The Mennonite faith originated in 1525 as part of the European Reformation. From Holland, Mennonites immigrated to Prussia and from there to southern Russia where the Molotschna (or Milk River) Colony was established in 1804.

The Kleine Gemeinde was started here in 1812 by Klass E. Reimer (1770-1837) as a reform movement. Although only a small minority in the Molotschna, this denomination quickly became known for its practise of the New Testament teachings of nonresistance, community of sharing and the publication of the first inspirational books. Its farmers were known as being among the best in the Molotschna Colony, which had become a model for all of Russia.

The Steinbach settlers were late arrivals in the fall of 1874. Most of the better land had already been occupied by the 400 Bergthaler and other Kleine Gemeinde families and therefore the chose the present site in the southeast corner of the settled area of the East Reserve (now R.M. of Hanover). The 20 homesteads were laid out on the northeast side of the present day Main Street along the Steinbach Creek.

Spiritual leadership was provided by Rev. Jacob M. Barkman (1824-1875) whose tragic death by drowning in the Red River in 1875, together with his fellow pioneer Jakob K. Friesen (1822-1875), shocked the infant community. A school was established the very first fall and a schoolhouse and teacherage were constructed in 1875. Among the Steinbach pioneers were Kornelius Fast (1840-1927) and Gerhard S. Kornelsen (1816-1894), both experienced and qualified teachers from the old country. An important church event, was the establishment of the Church of God in Christ Mennonite (Holdeman) in 1882. Pioneer Wilhelm T. Giesgrecht (1849-1917) was elected a minister of this group in 1884, and served for many years as an intinerant preacher and evangelist.

A number of the village founders had already demonstrated their entrepreneurial abilities in Russia and were quick to take advantage of business opportunities in the new land. These included: Klass R. (1837-1906) retail merchant (1877); Abram S. Friesen (1848-1916) owner of Steinbach?s Holland style windmill (1877; Peter K. Barkman (1826-1917) founder of the steam driven flour mill (1880); and Franz M. Kroeker (1827-1905) a large scale farmer. According to a report of mayor (Schulz) Gerhard Giesbrecht (1846-1907), the village had grown to 28 families with 128 souls by 1882.

Steinbach was a hospitable place for business activity and the founding families were soon joined by others including: Cornelius W. Loewen (1827-1893) from Kleefeld (1877); Isaac B. Plett (1867-1933) machinery dealer and inventor from Blumenort (1887); and Peter W. Toews (1866-1935) blacksmith from Kleefeld (1890). Important regional leaders like Cornelius P. Toews (1836-1908), one of the 19873 delegates, and Peter R. Dueck (1862-1919), bishop of the Kleine Gemeinde, established themselves in the community in the mid 1880's.

An outstanding business founded at this time was the H.W. Reimer store. The same was, for a time, the largest in rural Manitoba having 17,600 square feet. Thus Steinbach's base as a service center became firmly established in the 1880's and 1890's.

The communal oriented Strassendorf (street village) form of organization, which had provided many advantages during the pioneer period, was dissolved in 1910. The Main Street area of the village was surveyed so that the inhabitants could obtain title to their properties. This was accomplished under the leadership of Johan G. Barkman (1859-1937), a son of the pioneer minister, who served as mayor of the village for 25 years. In 1912, J.R. Friesen added the retailing of automobiles to Steinbach's activities, being the first Ford dealer in Western Canada. By 1915, Steinbach had 117 households and a population of 463.

The next period of Steinbach's history was marked by steady growth. An influx of Bergthaler and Russlaender Mennonites, German Lutherans, and Anglo Saxons, add a rich cultural diversity to the population. By the time of its incorporation as a Town in 1948, Steinbach had become the agricultural service center in the region. The subsequent decades saw rapid expansion in manufacturing trucking, retailing, and in the car industry. It has truly become Manitoba's "Jewel of the Southeast". As it prepares itself for the 21st century, Steinbach is still characterized by many of the principles and characteristics of its pioneer settlers.

by Delbert F. Plett LL.B., President (deceased)
Hanover Steinbach Historical Society Inc.
May 1, 1990