Reimer Mennonite Log House

The Reimer

Mennonite Log House is a one-storey-with-attic log house, since 1980 standing as part of the Pembina

Threshermen's Museum, located on the south side of Highway 3 between Morden and Winkler in the R.M.

of Stanley. It is part of a collection that includes seven other historic buildings from the area. The

municipal designation applies to the building and its footprint.

The Reimer Mennonite Log

House (1878) is valued as an example of a Mennonite housebarn (the barn portion does not survive) from

the late pioneer period. These structures represent a very old European vernacular tradition, modified

by Mennonite settlers to suit the conditions they found in Russia and later in Manitoba. These buildings

made the most of the available materials to meet the needs of new settlers, and though utilitarian, have

an elegance that stems from simplicity and good craftsmanship. Originally located in Hochfeld and lived

in until 1980, the house retains much of its original exterior appearance, including the plan, massing

and windows.

Source: R.M. of Stanley By-law No. 8-09, 6 August 2009.

Key elements that define the exterior heritage character of the Reimer Mennonite Log

House include:

- the basic asymmetrical massing, consisting of a simple rectangular plan with openings

as follows: four asymmetrically-set windows on the front (north) facade, with the main door set off-centre

in the third (middle) bay; two window openings in the east facade, together with a door that originally

opened onto the barn portion of the building; five windows in the south facade, with a door off-centre

in the third bay; two windows in the west facade

- the single storey with steeply-pitched gable roof

clad in cedar shingles, with the decoratively-carved ends of the ceiling joists set into and projecting

past the top log under the eaves and two narrow windows high in the west gable end

- the dovetailed log

construction with vertical wood cladding in the gable ends

- the wood sash windows with simple glazing

bars, casings and wood sills and simple operable wood shutters

Key elements that define the house's

interior include:

- the plan consisting of the principle living room at the east end with smaller rooms

divided from it, including a larder/pantry with a staircase ascending to the attic over it

- the heavy

timber ceiling joists with chamfered edges