Princess Harbour, Manitoba Explained

Princess Harbour
Nickname:Rabbit Point
Pushpin Map:Canada Manitoba
Pushpin Map Caption:Location of Matheson Island in Manitoba
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Canada
Subdivision Type1:Province
Subdivision Name1:Manitoba
Subdivision Type2:Region
Subdivision Name2:Interlake
Leader Title:MP (Churchill—Keewatinook Aski)
Leader Name:Niki Ashton (NDP)
Leader Title1:MLA
(Keewatinook)
Leader Name1:Ian Bushie (NDP)
Established Title:Settled
Established Date:1890
Established Title2:Recognized by Manitoba
Established Date2:1972
Area Total Km2:2.19
Population As Of:2011
Population Total:10
Timezone:CST
Utc Offset:−6
Timezone Dst:CDT
Utc Offset Dst:−5
Coordinates:51.8594°N -96.8742°W
Elevation M:220
Postal Code Type:Postal code span
Postal Code:R0C 2P0
Area Code:204
Blank Name:Demonym
Blank1 Name:NTS Map
Blank2 Name:GNBC Code

Princess Harbour is a community in the Canadian province of Manitoba. The village is on a small peninsula on the east shore of Lake Winnipeg.[1] The community was originally named Rabbit Point and is still referred to as such by locals.[2] Recognized as a community by the Province of Manitoba in 1972 under the Northern Affairs Act, the settlement does not have a political leader but rather it is represented by someone who is called a "contact person".[1]

The Hudson's Bay Company had a house at Rabbit Point through the mid to late 1800s. It was used as a place to stay while traveling through, but there are no records it was used for trading.[3] The first mention of settler presence in the area began in 1890, and funeral and baptism records note the names of local families from then until present day.[2] A store was built in the small settlement in 1934 and as the little community grew a school followed in 1939.[2] The school changed its name from Princess Harbour School to the Dolly Magnusson School in 1982, the small school would eventually close in 1982.[2] A coal oil fueled harbour light was maintained by the community as regulated by the government at the time.

Etymology

Though it is not known why the community was named Princess Harbour, local history books believe that the name is attributed to the SS Princess that sailed Lake Winnipeg at the turn of the 20th century.[2] The name was not officially changed to Princess Harbour until 1952, when the community got its own post office.[2] It's noted the change of name came as a result of confusion with another location named Rabbit Point or Rabbit Lake somewhere in Manitoba.[2]

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Princess Harbour had a population of 0 living in 0 of its 0 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 5. With a land area of, it had a population density of in 2021.[4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Princess Harbour community profile . . 13 February 2021.
  2. Book: von Guten, Neil & Edith . 2003 . From Paddles to Propellers the History of Matheson Island: A Fishing Community . Matheson Island, Manitoba . Matheson Island Community Council . 384 . 1-896257-43-7.
  3. Book: von Guten, Neil & Edith . 2003 . From Paddles to Propellers the History of Matheson Island: A Fishing Community . Matheson Island, Manitoba . Matheson Island Community Council . 20 . 1-896257-43-7.
  4. Web site: Population and dwelling counts: Canada and designated places . . February 9, 2022 . Sep 3, 2022.