Branch snapshot: Morris, Manitoba

In the spring of 1950, the melting of heavy snow, paired with abnormally heavy rainfall, resulted in one of the largest Red River floods in history. Among the most affected areas in the Red River Valley was Morris, a town 65 kilometres south of Winnipeg. This photograph shows the two-storey Morris branch building, which the bank had occupied since 1923, surrounded by water. Water levels would continue to rise in the coming days. When it came time to evacuate the town, the flood water was nearly two feet deep on the branch’s main floor.

Branch operations were able to continue at the main Winnipeg office, where the majority of townspeople had been evacuated, owing to branch manager P.H. Armstrong and his wife. The pair traveled for more than 30 hours – by canoe, police car, motorboat, and train – with the branch’s two current account ledgers and three savings ledgers in tow. Their commitment to preserving critical information for the members of their community during an unprecedented flood embodies our Purpose to Boldly Grow the Good in business and life – and was not forgotten by the bank or our customers.