Fort Dauphin Museum is a community staple, housing treasures of the area’s rich heritage. The beloved site offers a rare glimpse at a fascinating past.

The museum in Dauphin, Man., boasts unique historical architecture, including an impressive wooden palisade reminiscent of an 18th-century fur trade post as well as an authentic blacksmith shop, a trapper’s cabin, a pioneer log house from 1892 and a one-room school built in 1894.

The site proudly displays Canada’s rich history, housing artifacts from the fur trade and settlement period. It’s much-loved by its community, but due to years of use by the community and beyond, the celebrated site was in serious need of some TLC. That’s when Co-op stepped in.

Theresa Deyholos, Executive Director of Fort Dauphin Museum, heard about the Communities in Full Colour program and reached out to Dauphin Co-op.

“I saw the great work they’re doing in our community ‒ preserving, enhancing, and beautifying where people live, work, and play,” Deyholos said. “We’re grateful that Co-op approved our application and donated 40 gallons of stain.”

Fort Dauphin Museum is an entirely non-profit organization and relies on government grants and fundraising to provide the necessary funding to operate and maintain their buildings. Before their application to Co-op, the site had gone many years without any touch-ups, and was in serious need of a lick of stain to keep the historic buildings in tip-top condition.

The museum’s historic log cabins have required attention for quite some time, making the site an excellent candidate for a Communities in Full Colour donation. Dauphin Co-op donated 40 gallons of stain, as well as brushes, to Fort Dauphin Museum in 2019, allowing them to start refreshing their buildings.

Stephen Bunka, Dauphin Co-op Building Division Manager, said they chose the museum because it’s truly a place for the whole community.

“The fort is a great place for the people of Dauphin and surrounding areas to learn and discover the history of our community,” he said. “We’re most proud of the fact that the stain we donated was needed to help protect the logs at the Fort, helping prolong the lifespan of this historic site.”

Fort Dauphin Museum completed their project in September 2020, thanks to the efforts of volunteers from the community and Dauphin Co-op. The team worked tirelessly to complete the work and offer the museum a new lease on life.

With the volunteers’ help and Co-op’s generous donation, 40 gallons of stain were used to refinish the log cabins, ensuring guests can have a historical experience for many more years to come.

“The log buildings look great! Visitors have commented on how beautiful our community museum is,” said Deyholos. “We’re thankful to Co-op for giving back to our community with programs such as Communities in Full Colour.”