The Rural Municipality of Miniota is located in southwestern Manitoba, and is situated along Provincial Trunk Highway 83 (the longest highway in North America) and Provincial Trunk Highway 24.
Miniota is located in the rich agricultural lands surrounding the scenic Assiniboine River. The municipality's farmlands produce barley, oats, flax, canola, lentils, peas and other specialized crops. Livestock such as sheep, beef, dairy, pork and PMU farming are also firmly established in the municipality.
History
Approximately 1027 people live in the municipality, with over 215 of them living in the Village of Miniota, the largest community in the municipality. Other communities include Arrow River, Isabella, Crandall and Beulah. The region is steeped in history that dates long before the coming of immigrant settlers. Native tribes of the Great Plains found the area surrounding Miniota as prime hunting and fishing areas as long ago as 10,000 years, after the recession of the Wisconsinin Ice Sheet. Wandering native tribes hunted and camped in the vicinity of Arrow River, observed by native graves and artifacts (such as arrowheads) found scattered throughout the region. Many of these artifacts are in collections in local museums. Immigrant settlement in the area steadily increased with the laying down of tracks by the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1900, when the Village of Miniota was founded.
People of Anglo-Saxon descent mostly settled the area, observable by the many Anglican and United churches that dot the communities throughout the region.
Economic Base
Agricultural businesses have a strong influence in the area. Besides farming, residents of Miniota are further employed in farm supplies and fertilizer services. Twin Valley Co-op Ltd. is one of the region's largest employers, employing approximately 20 of Miniota's residents. Twin Valley provides groceries, farm supplies and hardware needs, to residents of the surrounding area. Birdtail River School Division employs teachers, staff, bus drivers and mechanics in this municipality. There is a kindergarten to grade 8 school found in the Village of Miniota, as well as, a bus garage located in Arrow River. The Miniota Motor Inn, a 7-unit hotel, bar, restaurant and miniature golf course is also a local employer.
Major Attractions
Miniota is awash in many year-round recreational, cultural and community events. Curling and hockey are a large part of the region's community life. Hockey tournaments, curling bonspiels and leagues, figure skating and public skating, are just some of the things you could do in the local curling club and skating arena in Miniota. In spring and summer, golf tournaments at the local golf course are sure to bring out all golf enthusiasts, while the municipal park and sports grounds provide camping, playgrounds, and baseball fields for everyone to use. Each community also has its own community centre to host local events throughout the year. The Assiniboine Valley provides plentiful game for hunting of grouse, geese and whitetail deer. The wooded areas surrounding the communities also make for a nice autumn walk or winter trailblazing along kilometres of cross-country skiing, tobogganing, bobsledding and snowmobiling trails.
Facilities - Recreation, Parks, Culture
The friendly people of Miniota have a very strong community life through the many community clubs in the area. Numerous events show a wide variety of cultural and recreational events. The "Shirtsleeve Classic" on the second last weekend in July, surely brings out all curling, golfing and other sport enthusiasts. Flea markets and community auction sales, potluck suppers and pork roasts, happen in various communities throughout summer and early fall. Street dances and fun days truly show how generous and friendly the people in Miniota's municipality are. While in Miniota, or its smaller communities, visit the local museums that house many interesting and historical artifacts, from native to immigrant settlers.
Other Information
The Assiniboine River runs through the Rural Municipality of Miniota. The Assiniboine Valley provides beautiful scenery at almost any time of year. A beautiful time is autumn, when a mosaic of colored leaves of Oak, Ash, Elm, Poplar, Willow, Saskatoon and many other varieties, blend their beauty.
There is a plentiful supply of Sharp Tail grouse, geese and white tail deer. One can observe many other species of wildlife, such as coyotes, fox, rabbits, Ruffle grouse, raccoons, skunks, squirrels, and numerous species of birds including hawks, and owls (especially Burrowing Owls). Beavers, muskrats and mink can be found in the Assiniboine River and its many tributaries.
