Moncur Gallery | Bill Moncur
The Moncur Gallery is located in Boissevain, Manitoba. It hosts a variety of displays, fascinating original paintings, models of archaeological work, a map of the area during the time of transition from First nation to European dominance.
Moncur Gallery Boissevain Turtle Mountains Natural History Natives First Nations Manitoba Southwest
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Bill Moncur

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ill Moncur (1910-2001) had always lived on his farm (10-4-20 W1) just north of Boissevain, a location located on the Mandan Trail. For more than half a century he was a familiar figure trudging through the fields around the community and the district.  He could very clearly recall his first find, an arrowhead in 1924 and how a natural curiosity sprang up that would form a passionate hobby for him for the rest of his life.  Bill Moncur was one of the pioneering amateur archaeologists of Manitoba and he has contributed a great deal to the overall knowledge of Southwestern Manitoba.

 

In addition to archaeology, Bill also maintained an interest in the local history of his area, collecting pioneer stories and mapping locations of historical sites in the Boissevain region.  This research would become the basis for the Beckoning Hills volume published in 1956 to mark the 50th anniversary of Boissevain as a town and the 75th anniversary of the Boissevain district being settled by Europeans.  His wealth of knowledge has also been a great local resource for other books written about the general area.  In 1970 he became the administrator of the Manitoba Agricultural Museum at Austin and served in this position until 1979.  The Excellence of Life in the Valley Award was presented to him in 1973 by the Red River Valley Historical Society for his work as a distinguished author and museum developer.  In 1976 he received the Heritage Development Hall of Fame Award for his outstanding work at the Manitoba Agricultural Museum.

 

Other awards of recognition presented to Bill include:

  • The Heart of Gold Award presented by Air Canada recognizing the contributions made By Bill Moncur to the community.
  • Prix Manitoba Award presented to Bill Moncur on behalf of the Moncur Gallery, Peoples of the Plains by the Manitoba Historical Society for enhancing the quality of life to Manitobans in the areas of culture, heritage, multiculturalism and recreation. (1991)
  • Wildlife Conservation Award presented by Manitoba Natural Resources for outstanding contributions to wildlife conservation. (1987)
  • Dickers-Gladys Award by the Manitoba Archaeology Society in recognition of his contribution to the growth of archaeological awareness in Manitoba. (1987)
  • Good Citizenship Award presented by the Tourism Industry Association of Manitoba Inc. For exemplifying a way of life that helps make Manitoba a better place in which to live. (1984)
  • Trendsetter Award presented by Central Plains Tourist Association in recognition of contributing to the development and promotion of tourism in the Central Plains region. (1977)

Bill Moncur Interview 2 from Casey Guenther on Vimeo.