Manitoba residents and visitors can now explore the province’s historical landmarks using a free mobile app developed by the Manitoba Historical Society (MHS). Local historian James Kostuchuk says the new tool could transform how Manitobans connect with their heritage.
MHS InSite, available now for download through Google Play and the App Store, allows users to locate nearby historic sites based on GPS and access photos, detailed descriptions, and source material instantly. It’s the result of years of work by MHS members and volunteers, with contributions from people across the province.
“It started with Gord Goldsborough,” notes Kostuchuk. “He’s visited something like 10,000 historic sites, and that’s the foundation of what we’re seeing now in this app.”
A powerful database with limitless potential
MHS InSite lets users open a map showing sites within walking distance of their location. Kostuchuk says when he opens it at his home in Portage la Prairie, it shows 24 nearby sites, each marked with a clickable icon.
“When you click, you get a description, sources, and often a photograph,” he says. “For example, near me is where West Ward School once stood — the app shows a photo and details of when it was built.”
He says one of the most exciting aspects of the app is its potential for expansion.
“The possibilities are almost infinite because we can just keep adding and adding,” continues Kostuchuk. “We encourage people to reach out through mhs.ca and let us know about sites of historical importance we might not know about.”
From bank vaults to brick foundries
The app is filled with fascinating finds, from well-known landmarks to obscure gems.
“There’s a bank vault in a farmer’s yard in rural Manitoba,” says Kostuchuk. “He doesn’t mind visitors, as long as they don’t trample his pasture. It has a story behind how it got there.”
He’s also intrigued by industrial history.
“There were three brick foundries in Portage la Prairie. You can keyword search 'brick' and find their locations,” he adds. “I’ve been to the remains of the kilns — they once produced 100,000 bricks at a time. If you didn’t know, you’d drive past and never realize this was a major manufacturing hub.”
Heritage homes, residential schools, and Indigenous landmarks
Kostuchuk says the app includes many heritage homes, even if they aren’t formally designated by the province.
“Portage la Prairie only has one provincially designated heritage house, but there are many others with significant value,” he says. “Two homes here were owned by Prime Minister Arthur Meighen — one when he first arrived, and the other while he served as Prime Minister.”
The app also features sites of Indigenous significance, like the Flea Island entrenchment, and will eventually include residential schools.
“There were two in Portage. One on the east end, closed around 1912, and then the more familiar one on Crescent Road,” adds Kostuchuk. “We believe the first was near the current water treatment plant, but no archaeological dig has confirmed it.”
Personal connections through local history
The MHS website includes more than just site maps. Kostuchuk also praises the “Memorable Manitobans” database — a digital archive of notable individuals from across the province.
“One day I was browsing and found my great-grandfather listed,” he says. “He wrote one of the first checklists of Manitoba butterflies. I submitted a photo, and now it’s part of his profile.”
The database features educators, ministers, and everyday Manitobans who’ve made lasting contributions to the province.
“If you know someone who made a difference, you can submit their story,” says Kostuchuk. “It’s a way to honour the people who helped build this province.”
MHS InSite brings the past into the present
Kostuchuk believes history isn’t just about facts — it shapes how people understand the present.
“When you know what your grandparents went through, it changes how you view things today,” he says. “Take Mellenville — that was a direct response to poverty. The city stepped up, gave land, and helped people. That matters.”
He says projects like MHS InSite help bring those stories to light, reminding people that history is not just about distant events — it’s about the people and places all around us.
“I hope people use it. And I hope they add to it,” adds Kostuchuk. “Every day, you can learn something new about this province.”
A call to explore — and preserve — Manitoba’s stories
For Kostuchuk, the excitement over the MHS InSite app isn’t just about technology. It’s about bringing awareness to the province’s deep and sometimes hidden stories — from Indigenous landmarks to Depression-era housing projects to personal family histories.
“It’s a chance to learn. To connect. To be proud,” he says. “And maybe even to be reminded how lucky we are to live here.”
For more information, visit www.mhs.ca or download MHS InSite for free:
📱 App Store: Download Link
📱 Google Play: Download Link
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