HistoryMinitonas is a urban community in the within the Municipality of Minitonas-Bowsman with in the province of Manitoba. It is surrounded by the Swan Valley and is located 15 km east of the Town of Swan River. Minitonas was founded in 1898.
In 1897, the Cowan Trail was blazed from Dauphin to Minitonas. That trail still exists today. A campsite of tents was established on the West Favel River, southwest of the present townsite in 1898. In 1898, the community was moved to its present site along the railway. A cairn marks the original location of the tent town.
The Rural Municipality of Minitonas was incorporated in 1901. The Village of Minitonas was incorporated in 1948, and gained town status in 1996. January 1 of 2015 the RM of Minitonas, the Town of Minitonas and the village of Bowsman amalgamated to form the present Municipality of Minitonas-Bowsman.
Economy
Agriculture and Forestry are the two main industries in Minitonas. Louisiana Pacific opened an OSB mill in 1996 in the RM of Minitonas, creating many new jobs. Minitonas offers many services such as a community store, school, bank, library, post office, hotel and liquor vendors.