There is little I can tell you about this location aside from it likely being constructed in the 1960's as part of the nearby Rocket Range. Its use was to track rockets being launched nearby throughout their entire, relatively short, lifespan.
Rockets were already being tested in Churchill in 1954, but it quickly became apparent that a better, more permanent arrangement needed to be made, and construction began in 1956. In July, 1957, the International Geophysical Year began, involving 67 countries and was highlighted by the Soviet Union’s launch of Sputnik 1. Churchill became a focal point since branches of the studies included aurora, geomagnetism, and glaciology.
Naval Radio Station (NRS) Churchill opened August 1, 1943. Its primary role was to study the ionosphere, and learn how it affected high-frequency direction-finding equipment used to locate submarines in the Atlantic. Churchill was to become a hot spot for people wanting to learn about the upper reaches of Earth’s atmosphere. With the end of the war, the Royal Canadian Navy closed down operations.
November 13, 1979. It was a chilly, -20C morning in Churchill, Manitoba. A Curtis C-46 Commando belonging to Lambair had just taken off and reported increased oil temperature, and decreased oil pressure in the left engine. The crew of three, turned the aircraft around to go back, but it was too late.
On October 21, 1922, the Frank A. Augsbury, a lake freighter built for the George Hall Coal Company is launched from the facilities of Fraser, Brace Ltd in Trois Rivieres, Quebec. She was 251 feet in length, 43 feet across with a draft of 18 feet. Powered by a 1,400 hp triple expansion steam engine, Augsbury traveled at 10 knots, with a crew of 37.
Over the years of her career, she would be renamed Granby in 1927, Parita 2 in 1948, Valbruna in 1951, Lawrencecliffe Hall in 1952, Federal Explorer in 1955, and finally Ithaka in 1960.
History:Â
The original school on this location was built in 1894. Today, all that remains of it is a pile of stone from its foundation.
The current building was constructed in 1931 - 1932. It was operated, using government funding, by the Presbyterian Church.
