The hamlet of Lisieux, 42 kilometres south of Assiniboia along Highway 2, is an excellent drive through gorgeous valleys and uplands.
Upon approaching the hamlet, search for the tepee on the hill to the right. Drive further southward and the visitor will come across a row of antique tractors marshalled in front of the garage. The front of garage is embellished with a metallic, antique Goodyear Tires sign, the kind of item the Canadian Pickers would have made a bid on.
Welcome to Lisieux.
In David McLennan’s book, “Our Towns”, a book on Saskatchewan’s rural communities, the district encircling Lisieux was once known as Kantenville after Andrew Kanten. Kanten, an enterprising Norwegian, ran the local post office from his homestead. In 1915, a hamlet sprouted in the western section of Kantenville.
This hamlet was first named Joeville after Joseph Prefontaine - he was a former Liberal member of Manitoba’s Legislative Assembly.
Grain elevators were built near Joeville in 1926. Some community members in Joeville felt their district would be better served if the entire hamlet shifted closer to the elevators. Others in Joeville wanted the community to remain in its existing position. After the dust settled, 26 buildings in Joeville relocated to Rockglen, to gain a proximity to the grain elevators and the railway.
The settlers who remained in Joeville renamed their hamlet Lisieux.
A reader of the Times said “Lisieux got its name from St. Thérèse of Lisieux, France.”
St. Thérèse was the patron of the Roman Catholic Church – the Catholic church in the hamlet had been the hub of the community for many years. The pilgrimage to St. Thérèse in Lisieux on October 3 was once a noteworthy event held in the community.
Marie Françoise-Thérèse Martin became a nun at the age of 15 in the cloistered Carmelite community of Lisieux in Normandy. Known as “The Little Flower of Jesus,” St. Thérèse died of tuberculous at the age of 24 in 1897.
Lisieux became an organized hamlet in 1964. Five years later in 1969, the school closed.
Although this hamlet appears tranquil and nearly abandoned at the present, Lisieux is still a remarkable place to explore.
If anyone is searching for a house to rebuild and refurbish, there's antique houses for sale in the pleasant community close to Assiniboia. Or, if drivers are searching for a nice place to walk through on a sunny afternoon, a visit to Lisieux is always recommended.
