In 1907, two acquaintances traveled from Ontario west to Manitoba to learn about major construction projects in the southern part of the province. These were Georg W. Langdon and W. Judson Ruth. Thousands of immigrants flocked west to the plains, where much land was available, railways were planned, and roads were laid. They came to Winnipeg where they looked at a map of western Manitoba where large swaths of land west of Lake Manitoba were for sale. They went west to Westbourne and from there north along Lake Manitoba until they came to a large headland called Big Point. There an Icelandic settler received them; his name was Ólafur Þorleifsson from Borgarfjörður. He showed them the Icelandic settlement on the headland and pointed out large, uninhabited areas to the west and north. Ólafur said that the settlers had written to a railway company and requested a railway from Westbourne north to Big Point. In an article by Georg W. Langdon, Sketch of Early Langruth, he states that the two of them were immediately impressed by the great spirit of progress they found here during their first tour. It was clear to them that there they had found what they were looking for, namely a new town in the district with an incredible potential for the future. The Icelanders knew well all the needs of farmers on the plains, many had lived on the plains of Canada or the United States for some time, including Ólafur who came west in 1887. The comrades ended the tour, hurried back to Winnipeg and completed the land purchase. They chose a place for a new village and in the application, they suggested a name for the village and mentioned several names, including Langruth, which the authorities liked best. Clever readers will immediately see how the name is composed.
Langruth
Langruth in 1910, first houses erected Photo: TSPL
Langruth Trading Co. was founded in 1910 by Björn Sigfússon and Sófanías and Frímann Jósefsson. Photo: TSPL
The area that the members chose was well thought out because it was seen on maps that there would be intersections, on the one hand the highway north and on the other hand a new highway from Big Point to the west. Then there was a plan for a railway north, to the west of the lake. Langdon and Ruth hired experienced carpenters in Ontario to build houses, and they worked diligently to erect houses in the village and the Icelandic settlement at Big Point for the next decade. Halldór Daníelsson, district manager from Andakílshreppur came west in 1900 and settled on Big Point. He later lived in Langruth, where he wrote an article about the Icelandic settlement of Big Point and the village of Langruth. Let’s take a look at the 1924 Almanak, p. 54: “In 1908 a railway was laid to Langruth. It must have been just before Christmas 1908 that the first public train arrived in Langruth, and then rail transport began on this track, which was called the Oak Land track. … In the spring of 1910, Björn Sigfússon Bjarnason and Soffonías Jósefsson Helgason built the first store in Langruth, and at the same time the first house was built there. They started trading in this store at once. Björn Sigf. Bjarnason now runs a large and extensive store. In the summer of 1911, the brothers Erlendur and Finnbogi, the sons of Erlendur G. Erlendsson, a farmer in the area, built a store in Langruth and started trading there. Their father is from Melar near Reykjavík. … The brothers were partners in the company at first, but then they parted; Finnbogi ran the store there alone until this summer (1923), when he sold the business to this English-speaking man, who now trades there. In addition to these two merchants Björn and Finnbogi, which have now been mentioned, these stores in Langruth are current operating: Hardware and oil, Jón Árnason Hannesson; Steinar Olson (Þorsteinn Björnsson) timber trade; the meat shop of Karl Franklin Björnsson Líndal, who goes by the name C. F. Lindal. Guðni. Ólafsson Thorleifsson owns a tool shop. More people trade in agricultural tools and more related, including blacksmith Jón Þorsteinsson from Álftanes. Jón is an excellent, skillful smith, and has a thorough knowledge of the complicated tools of the blacksmith. A fruit and confectionery shop is there; it is now run by Miss Kristlaug Valdimarsson. Sóffonías Jósefsson Helgason previously ran that business. After his death, Miss Valdimarsson bought the store. It goes without saying that since trade began in Langruth, all the trade of the locals has come there.”
English version by Thor Group.