By Ed Stozek
For the Herald

Provincial Trunk Highway 45 has greatly improved from its original narrow and winding nature.

The Russell-Erickson road was dubbed by locals as the “Turkey Trail” claiming it reminded them of the bush paths commonly found on Prairie farms.

Another possible name origin stemmed from an incident where “a truck loaded with live turkeys went off the road and rolled over, from which the turkeys escaped.” (The Manitoba Historical Society Archives)

Construction began in 1937 and eventually the Turkey Trail linked the communities of Russell, Silverton, Angusville, Rossburn, Vista, Oakburn, Menzie, Elphinstone, Sandy Lake and Rackham.

By 1966 the road generally aligned with the railway line. Many of the sharp curves and unnecessary turns were removed allowing for a more stream-lined journey.

As a young boy growing up in the Oakburn district sections of the Turkey Trail were utilized on a Saturday afternoon for family outings to the surrounding communities. A longer adventure included the annual spring trip to Russell to pick up chicken and turkey chicks at Berg’s Hatchery.

From 1967 to 1970 my Grades 10 to 12 high school routine included a daily school bus ride on the new and upgraded PTH 45 from Oakburn to Elphinstone. In my Grade 12 year I drove my parent’s car in the latter part of June to write the Provincial exams at the collegiate. I can still recall taking the short cut and driving the side roads of the original Turkey Trail to Elphinstone.

Automobile travel during the winter months on the Turkey Trail presented problems for the locals.

“A variety of horse-drawn vans were regularly coming to town due to poor road conditions. All week the Turkey Trail had been blocked to car travel owing to extremely heavy snow and drifting. The mail-truck driver certainly merited commendation for getting the mail through even when the bus didn’t make it. The condition of side roads was hopeless as far as car travel was concerned.” (Dec. 15, 1955, Rossburn Review)

The winter of 1955-56 continued with more major storms. An article in the April 5, 1956, edition of the Rossburn Review indicated that highway isolation ended on Apr. 4 when the Royal Mail truck reached town over the Turkey Trail which was opened from Russell by bulldozers.

It was the first mail received since Mar. 26, and it was also the date when a passenger bus was last seen in town. The fact that mail was not received for seven days magnified the situation. Rail service had been established five days ahead of highway traffic.

“The delay in opening the road until the sun had caused the snow to pack had the townspeople and surrounding area residents practically up in arms. Something definitely slipped in the allocation of snowplows. It is thus that Easter 1956, in part as it affects the re-uniting of families for a few days, was a disappointment to hundreds of families in the Rossburn, Angusville, Vista and Oakburn area.”

The area had been completely isolated except for the one passenger train arriving at Rossburn packed with holidayers.

“Many had started the first leg of their journey by bus in complete belief the government road equipment would open the highway and then they could return by bus on Sunday.”

The editor of the Rossburn Review expressed the time had come for communities located along the Turkey Trail to take immediate action with regards to the numerous benefits of gaining provincial highway status. Thousands of dollars in the past month had been added to provincial coffers from these communities from licenses for cars and the recent gasoline tax increased by two cents. He also noted the local MLA’s present lack of a stand publicly to date regarding the Turkey Trail’s status was damaging every affected community.

By 1959 the Russell-Erickson road officially became PTH No. 45 and today it is a well-travelled two-lane paved highway.

Driving past my old stomping grounds evokes memories of the Turkey Trail and the trip with my father to Berg’s Hatchery. Using the Chevy sedan we brought the chicks home in special perforated cardboard boxes. None escaped but they were a hungry and a thirsty bunch when we arrived home.