File:East Selkirk History - Van Horne Farm.jpg
The Van Horne Farm
William Cornelius Van Horne is best known for his leading role in the construction of the western section of the Canadian Pacific Railway; a task that lasted from 1881 to 1885. Before his death in 1915, he was rewarded with a British knighthood. Van Horne began his career as a U.S. telegraph operator; by 1866 he had become Superintendent of Transportation for the Chicago & Alton Railroad. His position in 1872 was General Superintendent of the St. Louis-Kansas Northern Railway, & in 1874 he became Manager & President of Southern Minnesota Railway.
After his Canadian success, Van Horne & his wife Lucy moved to the Selkirk area in 1899 establishing the Van Horne Farm, directly east of PTH 59 at the end of Colvile Road. The farm consisted of 4,000 acres, with a spacious family home, manager's residence, horse & cattle barns, sheep pen, chicken coops and piggery. Clydesdale horses, Shorthorn & Dutch Belted cattle were the major livestock raised on the farm. The Van Horne Farm played a major role in demonstrating & promoting new & innovative agricultural practices to settlers from all across Western Canada. On-site training seminars, opportunities to examine livestock & machinery demonstrations were all part of what Van Horne contributed to agriculture. The farm was also an excellent source of breeding stock for local farms, & it served as training grounds for students from the Agricultural College in Winnipeg. The Van Horne Farm was sold to the Searle family in 1935, which operated it until 1968 when it was subdivided and sold.
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