« Ultimately, decolonial theory does not consider settler colonialism: Sindre Bangstad, ‘The Aporias of Decolonial Anti-imperialism’, The Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History, 2026

The settlers’ frozen prairies: Nicole Aminian, Grace O’Hanlon, ‘The History of the Living Prairie Museum: Conservation, Preservation, and Tall Grass Prairie’, Prairie History, 19, 2026, pp. 15-28

21Apr26

Abstract: The Living Prairie Museum (LPM) initially called the St. James Prairie Park, or the St. James-Assiniboia Living Prairie Museum is a tall grass prairie conservation area and park in Winnipeg established in 1976. It was set aside by municipal leaders to preserve an area that is home to a diverse range of prairie grasses and flowers which had been largely unaffected by agriculture or urban development. Its purpose is to promote conservation and preservation of tall grass prairie, increase ecological awareness and provide educational opportunities for teaching about the prairie ecosystem. For the past several decades, the LPM has hosted school field trips, community workshops, and educational programming designed to explain past prairie ecologies that endured for thousands of years before European colonization, industrialization, and urbanization. The 13-hectare preserve traces its roots back to the time of the Red River Settlement. A firm vision began to emerge during the interwar period, the more so in the post-Second World War era of urban expansion. It came to full fruition in 1976, four years after a number of small municipalities surrounding Winnipeg were incorporated into the City of Winnipeg. This article tells the stories of the key scientists, community members, and city councillors who were instrumental in identifying and preserving the LPM. Ultimately, it was the foresight of these key figures that safeguarded a beautifully preserved, albeit small, representation of what so much of Winnipeg and its surrounding area once was.


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