Mennonite Village Museum

Hello from Naomi! We took today and went up to the Mennonite Village Museum in Steinbach, Manitoba. It's one of my absolute favorite places to go! We wanted to take the Jefferys up to Canada before June 1 (as of then, you have to have a passport to get back into the US) and the museum was having a special day called "Spring on the Farm", so there were some activites going on. (oh, and today was Victoria Day up there - whatever that is) This is me pretending to turn the crank on a cream separator in one of the historical homes.

In addition to the village, there's an actual indoor museum as well. Mom is completely and Dad is half German-Russian Mennonite, so for us, it isn't just history - it's our history. Amos and Rebekah and Daniel came along - Daniel was very good and didn't cry at all during the drive :)

Mom and Hosanna looking at one of the displays in the museum.

The Reformation led to many changes and new churches, but the Mennonites, as well as other "dissenters" took it a step further. Their stand on not serving in the military was part of the reason they moved from the Holland area, to Germany/Poland/Prussia, to Russia/Ukraine, and finally to Canada/the United States.

One of the most unique things at the museum is this windmill - they still grind flour there sometimes!
One of the things going on today was a big tractor show - Us girls didn't really spend much time hanging out there, but the guys sure did!

Someone was doing blacksmithing - we asked, and he told us he was making a thumbkey for a doorknob.

Priscilla at the "Semlin" or sod house - sometimes the pioneers would first build a shelter like this until they could build a regular home. It's actually pretty comfortable inside, just a little small!

Someone doing woodworking -

Jonathan and Caleb in one of the old houses -

This monument was made in honor of one of our great-great-great-great-great (I might be off a great or two...) uncles who helped get the immigration to North America started. It was originally in Russia, and has a couple bullet marks from the Communist Revolution.

This is the old public school house - there was also a Mennonite school house, two churches, a general store, restraunt, printshop, barns, and a couple other things.

There were definetely a lot of tractors! It was a little windy and cool today, but I think everyone enjoyed themselves, and we plan to finish the day with a good German supper - verenika and farmer's sausage!