The 2025 Local History Buff's Christmas Gift Guide

Here is my sixteenth annual Christmas gift suggestion list for the local history buff in your life!

BOOKS

Books are a must for any history buff. Here is a list of some great local history titles and those with a "***" are new for 2025. Also see the list of 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 Margaret McWilliams Awards nominees for more regional titles that are likely still in print.

Please support local and independent bookstores!

*** The Honourable John Norquay. Indigenous Premier, Canadian Statesman recounts the fascinating and varied life of Manitoba's 6th premier. (U of M Press shop, McNally Robinson)
 

*** Establishing Shots: An Oral History of the Winnipeg Film Group is a behind-the-scenes account of a cultural institution that made a distinctive mark on Canadian film. (Winnipeg Film Group shop, U of M Press shop, McNally Robinson)

*** Kevin Nikkel was a busy man this year, as he also released Founding Folks: An Oral History of the Winnipeg Folk Festival. It's the story of the Winnipeg Folk Festival, from the folks who were there. (U of M Press shop, McNally Robinson)

Winnipeg 150: Stories Our Buildings Tell was published by Heritage Winnipeg to celebrate Winnipeg's 150th anniversary. It showcases 150 of Winnipeg's most architecturally significant buildings with original artwork by artist Robert Sweeney. (McNally, Indigo, Heritage Winnipeg)

Winnipeg Places + Spaces is the Winnipeg Architecture Foundation's new comprehensive guidebook to the buildings and landscapes in a variety of neighbourhoods around our city. (WAF Shop)

In Prairie Oddities: Punkinhead, Peculiar Gravities, and More Lesser Known Histories, Darren Bernhardt provides a second collection of quirky and interesting historical events, people and objects that helped shape our province. (McNally, Indigo)

Manitoba Women in Design celebrates the often overlooked contributions of women to Manitoba’s built environment during the twentieth century as architects, interior designers, landscape architects, planners, and engineers. (WAF Shop)

mmm...Manitoba: the Stories Behind The Food We Eat tells the story of many Manitoba delicacies and how they became restaurant and dining room table staples.(McNally, Indigo)


Henry Kalen was one of Canada’s most distinguished architectural photographers. His work for prominent Winnipeg architectural firms in the 1960s and 1970s portrayed a stylish, modern, and changing city. This 145-page book captures some of Winnipeg's most iconic mid-century architecture. (McNally, WAF Giftshop)

In Lloyd Axworthy, My Life in Politics, one of Winnipeg's best-known public representatives tells of his journey from local schoolboy to the international political stage. (McNally, Indigo)

On the Road to Abandoned Manitoba is the third instalment of this series by Gordon Goldsborough, which is also a CBC radio segment. More unusual and overlooked historical people, places and objects from Manitoba's history. Also see series one and series two. (Publisher's store, Chapters, McNally)

Osborne Village: An Architectural Tour Explore this historic and contemporary architecture of this dynamic Winnipeg neighbourhood with the latest tour book form the Winnipeg architecture Foundation. (WAF Shop, McNally Robinson)

A Prairie Odyssey: Alan Beaven and the Tree Planting Car, How Tree Planting Transformed the Prairies is a 2023 reprint of a 2011 book with a new forward by Alan Beaven's daughter. Proceeds go to helping restore the Tree Planting Car which is now at the Manitoba Agricultural Museum in Austin, Manitoba. (Trees Winnipeg shop, Manitoba Ag Museum gift shop)

Max Blankstein, Architect was the first Jewish architect registered in Canada and designed at least 200 buildings. Many of his theatres, apartments and commercial blocks are still around today. (Winnipeg Architecture Foundation, McNally)

WSD 150 Celebration Book is a 224 page, full colour, hardcover book outlining the history of Winnipeg School Division's first 150 years. Each school past and present gets a write-up. It's also a bargain at $10 per copy! (WSD Office)

L'University de Saint-Boniface This french language book by retired USB historian Michel Verrette explores 200 years of the evolution of the first higher education institution in Western Canada. (Éditions des Plaines)

Falcons Forever The Saga of the 1920 Olympic Gold Medal Ice Hockey Team. Written by a granddaughter of Falcons’ defenseman Konrad “Konnie” Johannesson, this book chronicles the Winnipeg Falcons’ journey to the VII Olympiad in Antwerp, Belgium. For video of the book launch. (Friesen Press, McNally Robinson)

Did You See Us?  Reunion, Remembrance, and Reclamation at an Urban Indian Residential School The Assiniboia Indian Residential School in suburban Winnipeg was was one of the few such institutions to be located in a large urban setting and operated from 1958 to 1973. These are the stories of many survivors of the school. (McNally)

Thinking Big: A History of the Winnipeg Business Community to the Second World War is, sadly, Jim Blanchard's last book about the history of Winnipeg as the prolific author died  in September 2022.  Thinking Big examines the history of Winnipeg’s business development through profiles of Manitoba industries and personalities, dating from the days of the HBC to more modern enterprises. For other Blanchard titles. (Great Plains, McNally)

Ghost Signs: An Exchange District Walking Tour tells the story behind the mostly long-forgotten companies or products that these signs advertised. Check out the accompanying website. (WAF Shop, McNally Robinson)

Mosienko: The Man Who Caught Lightning in a Bottle tells the story of a Manitoba legend, from his childhood spent skating on the rinks of Winnipeg's North End in the 1920s and 30s to his illustrious fourteen-year NHL career to his return to Winnipeg to play with the Winnipeg Warriors to his post-retirement career as the owner of the iconic Mosienko Bowling Lanes. See video of the book launch here. (Great Plains Publications, McNally Robinson, Chapters)

A Diminished Roar is the late Jim Blanchard's third instalment of his series on Winnipeg's history. He's taken us through the boom of 1912, the turbulence of World War I and now the uncertain 1920s. (U of M Press, McNally, Chapters)

 

Assiniboine Park: Designing and Developing a People's Playground is the definitive book on the sometimes controversial history of Winnipeg's favourite park. My review. (Great Plains, McNally, Chapters)

North East Winnipeg Area History parts one, two AND three are limited-run books produced by the North East Winnipeg Historical Society that explore the history of Elmwood, East Kildonan and North Kildonan. (Contact the NEWHS for availability)

Rooster Town is the story of the life and death of this largely Metis community that stood near where the Grant Park Shopping Centre is now. Companion pieces about the research that went into this book can be found here and here.  (U of M Press, McNally, Indigo)

Memories of the Moonlight Special and Grand Beach Train Era takes you back to the firsts half of the 20th century when trains brought eager tourists to these resort beach communities. (Borealis Press, McNally, Indigo)

In Snacks: A Canadian Food History Janis Thiessen tells the back story of Canadian party favourites such as Old Dutch Potato Chips, Hawkins Cheezies and Ganong chocolates. (U of M Press, McNally Robinson, Indigo)

Jeffrey Thorsteinson (architectural historian) and Brennan Smith (art historian) team up in Green Blankstein Russell and Associates: An Architectural Legacy. This local company went on to become one of Canada's preeminent modernist architecture firms of the 1950s and 60s. (WAF shop, McNally, Chapters)

First published in 2006, Louis Riel: A Comic Strip Biography is back in print! The history of Riel in graphic novel form. (Publisher's shop, McNally, Indigo)

You can never go wrong with Winnie the Pooh! here's the latest book written about the real-life bear! (McNally) Also, check out this review in The Guardian.

More Winnie in Winnie the Bear. Read more about the book at the accompanying website. (McNally)

Portage and Main Press' Tales from Big Spirit series of graphic novels tell the stories of key Indigenous figures in history, including Tommy Prince, Gabriel Dumont and Thanadelthur. (Portage and Main Press, McNally Robinson)

Brian Darragh, one of Winnipeg's last streetcar operators, put together this look back at our forgotten streetcar heritage. Check out the accompanying website. (Friesen's, Heritage Winnipeg)

This is from 2013, but a book every Winnipegger should own. Imagining Winnipeg a collection of some of L. B. Foote's most interesting photographs of early Winnipeg, many never before published. (U of M Press, McNally, Chapters)

MAGAZINES & CALENDARS

Prairie History is the quarterly journal of the Manitoba Historical Society, replacing the journal Manitoba History in 2020. Copies can be purchased at McNally Robinson or get it free with your membership in the MHS. For back issues of Manitoba History or Prairie History, see the MHS online shop.

No more snickering because The Beaver is now called Canada's History Magazine. Canada's History Society also publish Kayak: Canadian History for Kids. Both are produced right here in Winnipeg and you can order gift subscriptions through the links above.

The Manitoba Transit Heritage Association's 2026 calendar features pictures of vintage streetcars, trolley coaches and motor buses from Winnipeg and Brandon Transit and select intercity carriers.

CLOTHING and TEXTILES

Keeping it Riel t-shirts are back at the St. Boniface Museum Boutique, Manitoba Museum Gift Shop, and Lower Fort Garry Gift Shop. 

Raber Glove has been manufacturing in Winnipeg for over 90 years. Its oldest and most popular product are Garbage Mitts. They come in different colours and styles and can be found at places like U.N. Luggage, Pollock's Hardware, and Winnipeg Outfitters.

Pollocks Hardware celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2022 and continues to sell great t-shirts and sweatshirts featuring the architectural drawing of its Main Street building!

 

HBC may have departed Canada's retail scene, but Canadian Tire has picked up it's iconic stripes, including HBC blankets.

GIFT SHOPS

Many museums have their own shops where you're sure to find something unique. You should contact them first to check out their winter hours.

Here are links to some of them: St. Boniface Museum - Manitoba Museum - Daly House (Brandon) - Mennonite Heritage Village (Steinbach) - Transcona Museum - New Iceland Heritage Museum (Gimli) - British Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum (Brandon) - Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre (Morden)

Besides their book collection, the Winnipeg Architecture Foundation has a wide selection of merchandise featuring iconic Winnipeg buildings, such as pins, fridge magnets, mugs, and new this year are holiday greeting cards. Available for delivery or at their NEW location at 177 Lombard Street.

The St. Boniface Museum Boutique has a wide range of items, including Metis flags, mugs, voyageur sashes, toques, and replica Red River carts. 

The Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada's new Landing Zone Boutique has clothing, toys, models, books and more that celebrate our aviation heritage.

The Golden Boy Gift Shop at the Manitoba Legislature celebrates everything Manitoba. From Manitoba crested glasses and mugs to Golden Boy scarves and toques.

POSTERS AND PRINTS

Heritage Winnipeg's online store that includes a collection of prints by Robert J. Sweeney.

From artist Kristina Dimitrova you can buy prints of maps for your favourite neighbourhood, small town, provincial park or lake. She also has watercolours of city streetscapes, including the gone but not forgotten Winnipeg Arena.

Elaina El's beautiful paintings capture iconic Winnipeg streetscapes. Original artwork and prints are available.

ET CETERA

How about a stay in one of the city's oldest hotels? The Hotel Fort Garry still oozes the charm of early 20th century railway hotels and offers packages. It's pet friendly, too ! Dress up old school and make a weekend of it.

Do you want to own a piece of Winnipeg's history? Heritage Winnipeg has select building shards for sale at their website!

Anyone want a big clock? Winnipeg's old city clock has been removed and put into storage, likely for decades to come. True North and Heritage Winnipeg are hoping to find a new home for it.   

MEMBERSHIPS

I fall else fails, remember that most museums and heritage groups run on shoestring budgets. Many have not recovered their membership and visitor numbers since COVID-related closures. Why not buy someone a membership or make a donation on their behalf.

You can find a complete list of Manitoba museums here. Some deserving groups:

Heritage Winnipeg - Manitoba Historical Society - Daly House Museum (Brandon) - Brandon General Museum and Archives - Dunnottar Station Museum - St. Vital Historical Society - Swan Valley Historical Museum - Dalnavert Museum - Manitoba Transit Heritage Association - Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada - Settlers Rails and Trails Museum (Argyle) - Musée St. Joseph Museum - Winnipeg Railway Museum -  - Winnipeg Fire Fighters Museum - Beautiful Plains Museum (Neepawa) - Marine Museum of Manitoba (Selkirk)  Transcona Historical Museum - Heritage North Museum (Thompson)  - Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame - Manitoba Agricultural Museum (Austin) - Fort la Reine Museum (Portage) -  Manitoba Indigenous Cultural Education Centre - New Iceland Heritage Museum - Winnipeg Police Museum

There are several active restoration projects taking place around the province. (If you know of others, let me know!)

- Winnipeg Streetcar 356 Restoration Project
- Rivers Train Station Restoration Project
- Manitoba Agricultural Museum Forestry Rail Car Restoration