Who, What, and Where is "Streich"?

I’d never heard of “Streich”.

Until I began frantically trying to visit every single public cairn and cemetery listed in the Historical Atlas of the East Reserve, that is.

In the Atlas, it’s listed under Historic Sites in 7-4E: a Lutheran Cemetery, which was “moved to Niverville/Steinbach”.

As soon as I read this, I knew the exact place it was talking about — I’d seen it countless times throughout my life, as my family would zip by on Highway 59 in our red ’79 Thunderbird, on our way to visit grandma and grandpa in Winnipeg. I’d be sitting in the backseat, staring out the window. But never had we stopped the car there, never had my feet touched the ground in this exact spot.

It’s near the Niverville turn-off; a favourite parking place for commuters.

One day this past summer, Andrew and I stopped to finally pay attention to this cairn, to find out more.

Look at that artwork. I wonder who designed this. People as trees. I like it.

“MEMORIAL MARKER — 1890 TO NOVEMBER 1974 — Dedicated to all who with hardship and toil began to settle here in the late 19th century. Through faith and sacrifice they laid the foundation for our heritage. May their memory inspire future generations. This cemetery started as a family plot on the Streich homestead, beside a quiet country trail. It became the burial ground for the Lutheran community when diptheria epidemics swept through the countryside in 1903, 1910, 1912. By 1920 many of the Lutheran settlers had moved onto other areas. In 1920 the Lutheran cemetery in Niverville was enlarged and registered. When the children’s section became filled. In 1935 the country trail became part of the Piney Highway. Further improvements and widening of the highway in 1955 and 1975 necessitated the relocation of this cemetery in the Town of Niverville.”

Wow. The words “when the children’s section became filled” stand out to me. The idea of a cemetery needing a children’s section… and then also becoming filled… is almost too sad to bear.

Another thought: this pretty much means that the highway goes right over and through where the cemetery had been!

Then Andrew and I figured since we were so near Niverville, we might as well go see that cemetery too… and this is what we found there — the counterpart to the above cairn:

“PIONEER MEMORIAL — Dedicated to all who with hardship and toil began to settle here in the late nineteenth century, through faith and sacrifice they laid the foundation for our heritage. May their memory inspire future generations. The Lutheran cemetery had its beginning in the year 1895 as a family burial plot on the Streich homestead beside a quiet country trail. In 1903 it became the burial ground for the Lutheran community when diptheria epidemics swept through the countryside. In 1935 the country trail became part of the Piney Highway. Subsequent improvements to the highway in 1955 and 1975 necessitated the relocation of the cemetery to this site in November of 1974.”

At first glance, I assumed the write-ups were identical… but they’re not. From the Pioneer Memorial, we learn that the cemetery was moved in 1974. I can’t help but imagine the road work coming to a stop right at the spot of the cemetery, and the graves being dug up and transferred to Niverville.