A couple from the Greenridge area, Clayton and Eilleen Gunn, have donated two 100 year-old-logs to be put on display last month.

Emerson-Franklin Tourism Coordinator Wayne Arseny said he was happy to find a place for the logs, which likely date back to 1906 or earlier.

"It's a rare opportunity to get a phone call from somebody indicating 'do you want a donation of two original 100-year-old-logs,' from an era that all we have is pictures and

Arseny said transporting the logs to their new location was quite a taskstories about," said Arseny.

The couple had found the logs in their river bush many years ago, and put them into their shed for storage. They contacted Arseny due to the fact that they are moving, and want a new home for the logs.  

Arseny noted the logs are special because they were once floated down the Roseau River by early settlers.

"The settlement of southern Manitoba, all the buildings, and lumber needed for construction of Emerson and City of Winnipeg... they all needed lumber from eastern Manitoba," said Arseny, explaining that this is where the coniferous forests are.

Arseny noted that the logs are 17' long, which seemed to be the preferred length. They look to be hand-chopped and still in their original state.

"The only way to get the logs out from the Sprague area was to float them down the Roseau River," he said. "We have pictures of log booms and men jumping around on floating trees, with their little cabin floating behind where they did their cooking and everything else, in our history books."

Arseny is thrilled to have 2 original logs from that era, which was around the late 1880's.

The logs are now on display at the Senkiw Swinging Bridge. They rest underneath the roof of the picnic shelter, close to the Roseau River where they once floated down a hundred years ago.

"They kind of tell the story of the perseverance and the hard work and labour intensity that was required to bring lumber from eastern Manitoba, down to the prairies, and sawed up and create the homes that a lot are still standing here today," said Arseny

Arseny said he would be interested in finding out if the transportation of logs down the Roseau River lasted longer than the year 1906, which is when the Sprague-Emerson Railway line was created.

The Swinging Bridge is one of the most visited tourist sites within the RM of Emerson-Franklin. Arseny said a sign will be posted near the logs to tell their story.

Arseny noted that the logs are 17' long, which seemed to be the preferred length