A Mennonite Village
in Manitoba: Reinland
Reinland
The first large-scale immigration of
agricultural settlers who movewd into what later would be called the
Prairie Provinces of Canada were the Mennonites from central Europe.
The Canadian government allowed the Mennonites to retain their religious
practices and distinctive settlement patterns. Evidence of this remains in the rural landscape of southern Manitoba
(e.g., in the Winkler and Altona areas).
1) Elongated street villages, such as Reinland, were allowed to develop. Farmers from the village would cultivate individually-owned 1/4 sections beyond the village. Later settlers to the prairies and parkland regions were required to settle on individual 1/4 sections. Once specified homestead duties (certain number of acres placed under cultivation, certain number of livestock, had built a habitable home, etc.) had been fulfilled, the homesteader received patent (ownership) from the Crown (Canadian government) to the land. 2) Houses are still attached to outbuildings, as seen in the photo above. New England is the only other region of North America that has "connecting barns."
Now examine a labeled map and
corresponding photographs for Reinland.