Viola Dale
Updated 02 June 2006

Frank Middleton filed a homestead on 36-14-23 in 1879. The community was named for Mable Viola, infant daughter of Mr. Middleton. The closest mail service at that time was Rapid City, a three day journey away.  Mr. Middleton in later years was he publisher of the Hamiota Hustler.  

The 1891 Henderson Directory lists Viola Dale – "a post settlement on Sec 36, Tp. 14, Rg. 23, west of 1^st Mer., in the municipality of Oak River and county of Shoal Lake. Mail weekly from Griswold, distant 42 miles. Nearest railway, telegraph and express Strathclair, distant 14 miles. Methodist and Presbyterian mission services and public school.  Middleton, F., postmaster" (766)

Post Office
In 1880, Frank Middleton opened the Viola Dale post office in his home.  It closed when the post office opened in McConnell 1911.  The 1884 Henderson Directory list Viola Dale as a post office in the County of Shoal Lake (365). 

List of Postmasters: Viola Dale and  McConnell

School
1885 the Viola Dale school was built on the NW corner of 36-14-23 – Frank Middleton’s land, being used as a church and school until 1905.  The school was well know for its summer picnics held on July 1st each year.  The school closed with the consolidation, and students went to McConnell.

The 1886 Henderson’s Directory lists Protestant School District #326 – Viola Dale – Sec. Treas. – F. Middleton, P.O. – Viola Dale (84)

Viola Dale Cairn ca 2000 Located: SE 1-15-24 W A tribute to  the Pioneers of  Viola Dale who began to arrive in 1879 Site of Church 1885-1917 School No. 326 1885-1920 NW Corner of SW 1/4 36-14-23 July 1983

Church
The church building was finally built in 1905, one mile north of the school, on W. L. Brown farm after using the school for worship since 1885.  This area was about 3 miles southeast of the present day McConnell.  Unfortunately it closed in 1918 and was moved into McConnell.

Cemetery
At one time there was a cemetery on the Middleton farm on the banks of the Oak River. - later their remains were moved to Hamiota Cemetery.

Community Histories: 
McConnell Women Institute and History Committee, McConnell, Little Town Lost. [McConnell]; The Institute, 1979. (out of print)

Sources:
Hamiota Centennial History Committee. Hamiota, Grains of the Century, 1884-1984. Altona, Manitoba: Friesen Printers, 1984. 741 pages (available from R.M. of Hamiota, Hamiota, Manitoba, ROM OTO - $35 +postage) - pages 90-91, 94-100, 111-112.

Hamiota Women's Institute. A History of Hamiota Village and Municipality. Hamiota, Manitoba: Hamiota Echo, 1956. (out of print)

Henderson’s Directory of the City of Winnipeg and Town of St. Boniface, Winnipeg: Winnipeg Directory Publishing Co. 1884. (Manitoba Legislative Library – (dH) Reel #4)

Henderson’s Directory of the City of Winnipeg and Town of St. Boniface, Winnipeg: Winnipeg Directory Publishing Co. 1885. (Manitoba Legislative Library – (dH) Reel #4)

Henderson’s Manitoba and North-Western Ontario and Northwest Towns and City of Winnipeg Directory, Winnipeg: Winnipeg Directory Publishing Co. 1886-1887. (Manitoba Legislative Library – (dH) Reel #4) It is billed as "The Only Directory of the NorthWest published".

Henderson’s Manitoba and Northwest Territories and British Columbia Gazetteer and Directory, Winnipeg: The Henderson Directory. 1891. (Manitoba Legislative Library – (dH) Reel #9)

McConnell Women Institute and History Committee, McConnell, Little Town Lost. [McConnell]; The Institute, 1979. (out of print)

National Archives of Canada, Archivia Net - Post Office DataBase, 2001

"Our Municipality [Oak River]", [Hamiota: Hamiota Hustler], June 29, 1894, page 1 – ( Reel 1 (NH2), June 23, 1893 – August 8, 1899, Manitoba Legislative Library)