Emerson, Manitoba

Emerson, named after writer Ralph Waldo Emerson, is located 96 kilometers south of Winnipeg along the Red River, just north of the United States border at the point where the province of Manitoba and states of Minnesota and North Dakota meet. The community is bordered by the Rural Municipality of Montcalm in Manitoba, Pembina County in North Dakota, and Kittson County in Minnesota. The towns of St. Vincent, Minnesota and Pembina, North Dakota are located just a few kilometers south of the border in the United States. The unincorporated community of Noyes, Minnesota lies immediately across the border from Emerson, however the border crossing between the two is now closed.

The principal roads serving Emerson are Highway 75 and Provincial Road 200, which run north to Winnipeg along either side of the Red River. Highway 75 at Emerson is currently being redeveloped in order to accommodate expansion of the Emerson port of entry. As part of this project, Emerson's access to Highway 75 was moved 1.2 kilometres (0.7 miles) north of the former junction which was removed in 2019.[2]

Court house and former town hall, built in 1917.

In 1873, American businessmen Thomas Carney and William Fairbanks, following advice from railroad entrepreneur James J. Hill, received a grant from the Province of Manitoba for 640 acres along the east side of the Red River near the Canada–United States border. Hill had advised Carney and Fairbanks that the area had significant potential to become a railway hub for the region. The existing settlement of West Lynne on the west side of the river had already established itself as a key point along the trading routes between Winnipeg and St. Paul, Minnesota. With the emergence of railroads during this time, the addition of their own railway would bring great economic prosperity.[8][9][10]

In 1874, the two men led a group of 100 who formed the new settlement of Emerson, which was named after writer and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson. With the promise that Emerson could be the new "gateway to the west", the settlement grew quickly and, by 1876, a church and a school were built.[8]

Manitoba's first railway, the Emerson Line, which ran along the east side of the Red River from St. Boniface to Emerson was completed in 1878. Soon after, the railway from St. Paul to St. Vincent, Minnesota was completed and the two lines were connected. The arrival of the railway to Emerson brought prosperity, and instantly elevated Emerson's status as one of Manitoba's most important settlements.[8]

Emerson was originally incorporated as a town in 1879. Over the next four years, the community experienced a boom. Its population swelled to over 10,000 and in 1883, the community absorbed the neighbouring community of West Lynne. A court house, town hall, and other large, elaborate structures were erected as businesses thrived, thanks to immigrants and travelers from the east stopping in Emerson before embarking west. To help cement its status as "gateway to the west", the town negotiated with Canadian Pacific Railway to build a new railway west from Emerson. However, shortly after work on the line began, CPR reconsidered and the railway was never built.[8][9]

Coupled with the completion of CPR's transcontinental railroad through Winnipeg, the loss of the western railway ended the prospects of Emerson being the "gateway to the west", a title that would be bestowed upon Winnipeg. Businesses relocated to Winnipeg and travelers who would previously would have come to Manitoba through Emerson were now taking the new all-Canadian CPR route to Winnipeg and then west. By 1884, only ten years after the settlement was founded, the community was bankrupt. It would take the community years to recover.[8][9] A fire destroyed the original town hall in 1917. A new town hall was built to replace it, with help from the Manitoba government. Many of the abandoned buildings were eventually destroyed by Red River floods, while others were removed to make way for the dike that was constructed around the community.

From around 1936 to 1956, Emerson obtained its power across the border from a long 2400-volt distribution circuit originating from Pembina. This line was initially operated by the Interstate Power Company and was sold to the Otter Tail Power Company in 1944. In 1956, the town made arrangements to obtain its electrical needs from Manitoba Hydro and the cross-border distribution line was removed.

On January 1, 2015, the town and neighbouring Rural Municipality of Franklin were amalgamated by direction of the provincial government to create the Municipality of Emerson – Franklin. Following the merger, the former Town of Emerson was designated as a local urban district within the new municipality and allotted two seats on the municipal council.[11][12]

Today, Emerson has a population just under 700. The community still attracts many visitors each year who pass through the Port of Entry at Emerson. There are still some landmarks remaining from Emerson's "golden age", such as the courthouse, jail, and home of William Fairbanks, as well as the West Lynne post office and original customs house. The courthouse, which is designated as a historical landmark, is still in use today.[10]

West Lynne

The original post office and customs house at West Lynne, built c. 1871

CN Railway bridge crossing the Red River at Emerson.

West Lynne was established in the early 1870s by the Hudson's Bay Company, next to their North Pembina post, prior to which the company had operated a post at Fort Pembina two miles to the south, in American territory. After losing the fort in a Fenian raid in 1871, they withdrew and established the post inside Canadian territory.[13][14]

A post office, telegraph station, and customs house were soon constructed at West Lynne, making it a key point along the Red River trade routes for both river and land traffic.[13]

After the railway to Emerson was completed in 1878, the importance of West Lynne diminished. In 1883, West Lynne and Emerson were amalgamated into one municipality, retaining the name Emerson. The Canadian port of entry on the west side of the river was officially known as West Lynne to distinguish it from the Emerson East port on east side until the Canadian government closed Emerson East in 2003 to consolidate operations.

The original customs house and post office at West Lynne still stand about 200 meters from the modern facility used by the Canada Border Services Agency.

Emerson is located at the far southwest corner of the federal riding of Provencher, which is represented by Ted Falk. At the provincial level, the community is represented by Josh Guenter, MLA for the Borderland riding.

The community's education needs are served by Emerson Elementary School (Kindergarten to Grade 8) and Roseau Valley School (Grades 9-12) in nearby Dominion City. Recreational facilities include an indoor skating rink, curling rink, public golf course, swimming pool, and park. Emerson is also served by a local RCMP detachment and volunteer fire department.

Emerson experiences a humid continental climate (Dfb), and a Plant Hardiness of zone 3b.[17] Along with St. Albans, Emerson holds the record for Manitoba's highest temperature of 44.4 °C (112 °F) on 12 July 1936. The coldest temperature ever recorded was −46.7 °C (−52 °F) on 9 February 1899.[18]

• Emerson (electoral district)
• Noyes, Minnesota
• Pembina, North Dakota
• List of Canada–United States border crossings

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Emerson, Manitoba.

• Official website
• Town of Emerson Community Profile
• Map of Emerson at Statcan
• History of Emerson - Manitoba Historical Society
• Emerson: A Centennial History
• "Emerson" . New International Encyclopedia. 1905.