Our Heritage

The story of the Town of Altona actually begins across the ocean, on the wind-swept steppes of the Russian Ukraine. It was here, in the prosperous, orderly Mennonite villages, amid religious persecution and threats to their unique culture, that the German-speaking Mennonites first decided it was time to emigrate. As expert grain farmers, they were attracted to the rich farmland near the Red River, in a region the Canadian Government dubbed the "West Reserve". As a deeply spiritual people, they were drawn by the promise of religious freedom. The first vast wave of immigrants arrived in southern Manitoba in the 1870's, eager for a place to finally call home.

It's hard to imagine what thoughts ran through the minds of the first settlers to arrive in the area that is now Altona. There were no conveniences, no amenities. Nothing but tall prairie grass, howling winds, and not a single tree in sight. In Russia they had already made the transition from subsistence to commercial farming. Now, the back-breaking business of breaking and cultivating new land and providing for their growing families began. In the true pioneer spirit, the Mennonites carried on, introducing Russian practices of shelter belts, dry farming and summer fallow to the area.

In 1880, the first homestead was established in what is known as the "Old Altona" village. As farms flourished, commercial farming became cumbersome since harvested grain had to be hauled to elevators located on railways in nearby towns. The coming of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1882 made shipping easier and also brought entrepreneurs and organized commerce to the area. With the construction of a rail siding north of the village in 1895, the new community of Altona was born.

Steady Growth

By the turn of the century, Altona was a well-established community of about 200 people, boasting subdivisions on either side of the tracks, with a flour mill, three grain elevators, numerous businesses, over a dozen homes, and a two-storey hotel. It became an agribusiness centre: a bustling island in a sea of rolling wheat fields. In the mid-1920's, hundreds of area Mennonites, concerned about the preservation of their culture, chose to move to Mexico and Paraguay, but many were soon replaced by a steady influx of post-war immigrants once again facing hardships in Russia.

Continued Progress

The 1920's brought dramatic changes to the small community. Gas lanterns lit the concrete sidewalks. Church congregations were growing, businesses were booming, and it seemed that there was no limit to how much the fertile land could yield. The advent of automobiles demanded better roads, and progress also brought with it telephone service, schools and a hospital. The depression in the 1930's only served as a lull in Altona's rapid growth. Low wheat prices forced area farmers to seek out alternative crops, and soon Altona began to achieve its reputation as the "Sunflower Capital" of Canada.

The postwar years saw Altona in the midst of a baby boom, swelling its population to 2000 by 1960. Times were changing. Area crops became more diversified, farming techniques more refined. Older structures began to silently disappear, replaced by modern visionary projects like the Centennial Park, the Altona Mall and most recently, the Millennium Project.

The Altona of today bears little resemblance to its original namesake. Modern facilities and computer technology are now an assumed aspect of daily life. The small, sleepy hamlet crawled from the 19th century, stood up and walked through the 20th, and breaks forth running into the 21st. Humbly mindful of its roots, clinging to the past, and yet still reaching strongly for the future.

Preserving the Past

It's impossible to visit any of the Mennonite villages surrounding Altona today without hearing faint echoes of the past. One can still see some of the old houses with attached barns, structures unique to the Russian Mennonites, reminding us of a simpler, more practical times. Giant Cottonwood trees, grown from seed brought from Russia, still tower majestically over many village streets. Take a summer stroll through any local cemetery, and the stones will tell their story. Their dates whisper of an era when lives were often cut short by the harsh rigors of pioneer life; when it was achingly common for a family to lose many of its infants. And yet, some proudly proclaim they made it, surrounded by their silent descendants.

Located about 10 km southeast of Altona, the village of Neubergthal is one way to step into the past. Designated as a national historical site in the early 1990's, the small community houses many prime examples of the early Mennonite settlements.

The Schwartz Heritage House is an example of the prosperity Altona enjoyed at the turn of the century. Built in 1902 by Johann Schwartz, an ambitious local businessman, the house was the biggest ever built in Altona. Restored to it's original elegance, it now serves as an art gallery.

The war years left an indelible mark on Altona's history. About 300 Altonans enlisted in the armed services during World War I and II. A cenotaph stands in the centre of town in honour of those who never came home. The names and dates etched in the black stone stand as solemn reminders of the price we sometimes need to pay to live in peaceful communities. A veteran's memorial is also located at the Rhineland Pioneer Centre in Altona and includes photos and momentoes of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

Altona's colourful history did not die with it's original founders. Thanks to a few talented area archivists, their stories have been captured forever in several beautifully written history books. Original issues of the Red River Valley Echo, the local newspaper, are also available at the Altona Public Library and offer an enlightening view into the past.