Seaport of the Prairies (1925) | Restored 100th Anniversary Edition | Manitoba History

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Step back 100 years with this newly restored and de-flickered version of "Seaport of the Prairies," a remarkable silent documentary filmed in Manitoba in 1925.  

Witness a pivotal, yet often forgotten, moment in Canadian history as this film captures a determined, last-ditch effort to promote the stalled Port Nelson project as the northern terminus for the ambitious Hudson Bay Railway. Commissioned by the North Country Tourist Association , the film documents an expedition of Manitoba and Saskatchewan politicians and businessmen venturing north from The Pas. Their journey by train, canoe (guided by Cree paddlers ), and government launch aimed to revive interest in Port Nelson, even as the project faced abandonment (since 1918 ) and the alternative site at Churchill was gaining favour.  

Directed by a remarkably talented 17-year-old Francis J. S. "Frank" Holmes , who would become a pioneer of Western Canadian filmmaking, the film showcases innovative techniques like the "phantom ride" and provides invaluable footage of northern Manitoba landscapes, transportation, and the decaying railway infrastructure of the era.  

Screened just weeks after filming concluded in October 1925 at Winnipeg's Marlborough Hall , the film ultimately failed to sway the decision towards Port Nelson. Miraculously preserved in Canadian archives , "Seaport of the Prairies" offers a unique window into early 20th-century Canadian ambition, the challenges of northern development, and the dawn of Manitoba filmmaking.  

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