The Deloraine-Winchester Historical Society will be adding more outdoor storyboards to their collection this summer, sharing more local history of their area.

Jan McClelland wears numerous hats on the Board, including treasurer, co-researcher, and text-writer for the storyboards in downtown Deloraine.  McClelland and project manager, Peg Sanders, continue their research and have found a wealth of information in the early archives of their local newspaper, the Deloraine Times & Star, known as the Deloraine Weekly Times & Turtle Mountain and Souris River Gazette in 1887.

"Through the newspapers we're finding so much more detail, and basically re-writing the early history of Deloraine because there's so much that isn't in the history books, but is in the papers," she explains.  "You know it's current at the time and so you know it's the right information, just some incredible history! We thought we had the history when we started, so it's pretty amazing what we've added to it!"

The team has delved into approximately 30 locations in the Deloraine-Winchester area, including all of the church buildings and main business streets.  The three newest locations added to the story board series is the Prairie Skills Building (previously the Presbyterian Church built in 1896), the Dominion Bank of Canada building (built in 1907), and neighboring building Hasselfield Drugs (built in 1903 and celebrating 120 years in business this summer).

McClelland shares more of the rich history of these 3 locations in the recorded interview below with myself.

AND if, by chance, you know who partnered with entrepreneur Charlie Hasselfield to purchase the Deloraine Drug Store back in 1903, contact Jan McClelland to divulge the first name of the mystery-man, Mr. Nelson!

Correction:  'Mystery Man' Nelson and Charlie Hasselfield bought the Deloraine Pharmacy in 1903, rather than built. And it was called Deloraine Pharmacy, as their opening ad indicates (below). The biz was actually started by another couple of Charlies - Shaw and Morrison, both of Boissevain - in 1902. 

The committee is hoping to unveil the new storyboards July 1st in downtown Deloraine.