we are Grosse Isle
The Grosse Isle Heritage Site is a charitable, volunteer-run, historical tourism organization. We serve over 12,000 visitors from May-October in partnership with Prairie Dog Central, operators of Canada’s oldest-running steam locomotive.
Based in the tiny hamlet of Grosse Isle, just 15 minutes north of the Perimeter Highway, our mandate is to offer a community market, family fun, and historical education to visitors from Manitoba and beyond. Located next to one of Manitoba’s last tall-grass prairie habitats, our organization is infused with a sense of stewardship, determined to take stories of our past into the future.
Open to the public three seasons a year, our organization operates as a tourist destination in Grosse Isle, offering entertainment, guided tours, a community market, food vendors, family fun, a nature playground and historical education in a pioneer village-like museum.
Recently we’ve expanded our offerings by including more historic buildings, indoor washrooms and expanded food facilities.
Additionally, we host special events such as community fundraisers, vintage car shows and seasonal festivities for Mother’s Day, Canada Day, Fall Harvest, and Halloween. Finally, we’ve been fortunate to have our site used as a set for film productions, most recently for CBC’s The Porter.
Did you know?
You can visit our heritage site without taking the train, come stop by for a visit, it’s free
We are 100% volunteer-run
Grosse Isle Heritage Site is a registered charity and give tax receipts for donations over $25
Grosse Isle means “Big Island” in French. It earned this name during the devastating 1852 Red River flood when settlers sought refuge on its high ground, surrounded by floodwaters
The rail line goes all the way to Warren, MB. It used to be a well-used line to bring rural folks to the city
We started in 1975 and have expanded our heritage buildings over our 49 years in operation
The site used to have a water tower- the crumbling foundation is next to the playground
The walking trail next to the site is part of the Prime Meridian Trail and other interconnected trails
You can keep walking for over 116kms through Argyle, Erinview, Inwood, Narcisse, Chatfield, Poplarfield, Broad Valley, and Fisher Branch
Grosse Isle is a regular stop for the Prairie Dog Central Railway, which operates one of North America’s oldest working steam locomotives, built in 1882. The Prairie Dog train rides are a major tourist attraction linking visitors with Grosse Isle’s history
Grosse Isle has served as a natural travel route for thousands of years. Indigenous peoples like the Ojibwe and Cree used the ridge for movement and trade, and later it became a key route for settlers, oxcart trails, and eventually the railway
The region features ancient trails and a significant Indigenous mound site where historic artifacts and remains were found
Grosse Isle is located near one of Manitoba’s last tall-grass prairie ecosystems, an important natural landscape rich in biodiversity and crucial for carbon sequestration
In 1904, the Canadian Northern Railway built a station at Grosse Isle, strengthening its role as a transit hub
Grosse Isle’s vibrant volunteer-run heritage site preserves historic buildings like the Ridgeway Heritage House (built in 1886), East Rosser School, and the United Church. Community events, markets, and celebrations keep our local traditions alive
what makes us Different
History Focused
We are ambassadors of the local history of flora, fauna, early settlers, and the homeland of the Metis
Affordable Snacks
Our canteen snacks are reasonably priced so you can focus on having fun
Passionate Volunteers
We're locals to Grosse Isle and enthusiastic to share our little slice of Manitoba
Registered Charity
We rely on donations to keep our Heritage Site running and beautiful
Volunteer with us
The Grosse Isle Heritage Site is located within the traditional territory of the Anishinaabe, Cree, Anisininew Nations, Dakota, Dene, and Metis people. We acknowledge that we are gathered on ancestral lands, Treaty One Territory, and the National Homeland of the Red River Métis.
We acknowledge that our water is sourced from Shoal Lake 40 First Nation.