Criddle / Vane Homestead Provincial Heritage Park

Western Parks

Criddle / Vane Homestead, Manitoba’s 79th provincial park was designated on February 24, 2004.

The park is located in southwestern Manitoba about 40 kilometres southeast of Brandon, and is composed of a 130 hectare area that preserves and protects the heritage value of the former homestead of the Criddle/Vane family. The park also protects representative features of the Assiniboine Delta Natural Region including mixed-grass prairie. The Park accommodates nature-oriented recreational and educational opportunities and experiences that are respectful of the natural setting and historic environment.

The Criddle and Vane families are Manitoba pioneers well-known for their contributions in the fields of science, art, sports, and culture, as well as for their somewhat eccentric lifestyle. They settled in Manitoba in 1882, and the last family members left the homestead in 1960. Their homestead (NE 32-8-16W and SE 5-9-16W) was acquired by the Province of Manitoba in the 1970s. The site includes the Criddle home, the remaining structure of the first entomological field station in western Canada, a cemetery, old foundations, and the remains of original landscape features such as the family tennis courts and a golf course.

The site is significant to the entomological research community for long-term scientific study. Norman Criddle collected specimens from the region which can now be found in many major insect collections throughout the world.

Where to Stay

Accommodations are available in nearby local communities.

Park Directions

From Brandon, follow PR 457 east to PR 340. Continue along PR 340 south. There is an access road approximately 10 kilometres south of Shilo that provides access to Criddle/Vane Provincial Park.

Resources

• Criddle / Vane Homestead Self-guiding Interpretive Trail
• Criddle/Vane Homestead Interpretive Park Map
• Management Plan
• System Plan

Exhibits on the Criddle/Vane Homestead are featured in local museums, including the Sipiweseke Museum in Wawanesa, The Seton Centre in Carberry, and the Visitor Centre in Spruce Woods Provincial Park. 

If you would like more information on the Criddle and Vane families, you can read Alma Criddle’s book Criddle-de-Diddle-Ensis, or Oriole A. Vane Veldhuis’ book For Elise, both available from the Friends of Spruce Woods Gift Shop at the Spruce Woods Visitor Centre.

This park is proudly supported by the Criddle/ Vane Heritage Homestead Committee of the Friends of Spruce Woods, whose dedication and work helped this homestead gain its designation as a Provincial Heritage Park in 2004.  If you would like information about the group or to make a contribution to the upkeep of the park, contact:

Criddle/Vane Homestead Heritage Committee
Box 306,
Glenboro, MB.
R0K 0X0