Ross House Museum gets new lease on life

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This article was published 22/05/2018 (2998 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

New management has stepped up to ensure the Ross House Museum will open this summer.

The board of Seven Oaks House Museum will operate the Point Douglas landmark, after the Manitoba Historical Society walked away from the facility in February.

Eric Napier Strong, curator and manager of Seven Oaks House, will perform the same duties at Ross House. He said Tuesday he had been following the fortunes of the 164-year-old Point Douglas landmark and its troubles with the historical society.

While both structures are technically owned by the City of Winnipeg, each had separate management boards.

“I tried to offer (the historical society) some solutions but they didn’t seem to work for them,” Napier Strong told the Free Press. “I wasn’t willing to let the museum close — who knows what would have happened to it? I didn’t really want to do that to the community.

“We saw an opportunity to step in and pick up the slack.”

The Winnipeg Historical Society announced in early February it was walking away from Ross House Museum, citing indifference and inadequate funding from city hall and concerns with the neighbourhood, including vandalism and staff safety.

Built in 1854 on the shore of the Red River at the foot of Market Avenue, Ross House served as Western Canada’s first post office (other than those run by the Hudson’s Bay Company) beginning in 1855. It is one of the last remaining examples of Red River architecture in Winnipeg.

City hall took ownership of the home in 1949, and moved it to Higgins Avenue. The building was moved again, in 1984, to its current location on Meade Street North

Napier Strong said he believed the historical society’s complaints were exaggerated and faulted that group for failing to work with the neighbourhood.

“I think there is a lot of potential there to have more community involvement in events, and that’s something we’re really trying to push,” Napier Strong said. “We really want to work for and with the neighbourhood.”

Napier Strong said the re-opening (May 26) was really made possible with financial help from the Manitoba Metis Federation, which is providing funding for two summer students.

“The way in which the (historical society) terminated their contract made it difficult for us,” Napier Strong said. “They basically waited until the deadlines for most of the student grants had expired, and then released the news immediately afterwards, so we were left scrambling to find enough funding to keep it open.

“Luckily, the Métis federation was happy to help us out and bailed us out.”

Funding for his salary and that of an assistant curator will be covered through the annual grant from city hall, Napier Strong said, adding the museum will also be working closely with the North Point Douglas residents association and Heritage Winnipeg to develop programming and events.

The Ross House Museum will open five days a week, Wednesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 pm, from May 26 to Aug. 31. Admission is free with a donation.

Event programming is available at the museum’s website, www.rosshousemuseum.ca.

The museum will offer both walking and bicycle tours of the neighbourhood, as well as a paranormal-themed event.

Napier Strong said he doesn’t know if Ross House is haunted, but he wouldn’t be surprised, given the age of the home — adding similar programming has been offered at Seven Oaks House Museum for several years.

“Not all museums are keen to embrace (the paranormal), but for us it’s an interesting way to get new audiences involved in museums, and we’re really excited to extend that programming to Ross House.”

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca