Russell, Manitoba, is an unincorporated urban community nestled in the Municipality of Russell – Binscarth. Conveniently located along PTH 16 and PTH 83, Russell serves as the western terminus of PTH 45. This charming community is approximately 15 km east of the Saskatchewan border and 340 km northwest of Winnipeg. As of the 2011 census, Russell was home to 1,611 people.
European-Canadians first settled in Russell, Manitoba, around 1880. The area's first post office began operations north of the present community in the same year, originally named "Shell River". In 1889, the closest Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) point was renamed Russell, in honor of Lord Alexander Russell.
That same year, a Barnardo's Home was established for men struggling with alcoholism. This institution, along with local farmers, sponsored British men to come to the area and work on fences. Russell was officially incorporated as a town in 1913. However, it was designated as a town until 1 January 2015, when it amalgamated with the nearby Village of Binscarth and the Rural Municipality of Russell.
According to the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Russell, Manitoba, had a population of 1,740 living in 737 of its 814 total private dwellings. This represented a change of 8.8% from its 2016 population of 1,599. With a land area of 3.14 km2, Russell had a population density of 554.1/km2 in 2021.
Russell, Manitoba, is known for its eight large arches along Main Street, located at each cross street. These arches, originally repurposed wooden support structures from a demolished hockey arena in Dauphin, were installed in 2007. After one of the arches fell due to wood rot in June 2016, they were replaced by steel arches in 2019 for safety.
Russell offers a variety of recreational facilities, including a serviced campground, tennis courts, ball fields, curling and hockey arenas, community halls, a swimming pool, snowboarding and downhill skiing, and a nine-hole golf course.
Just 27 km away from Russell is the Asessippi Provincial Park, home to the Asessippi Ski Area & Resort—a world-class ski facility and year-round family park. The park also features the Lake of the Prairies, a 64 km-long lake known for its walleye fishing, which is five times greater than the provincial average.
Russell is proud to host Manitoba's Beef and Barley Festival every October, celebrating the region's strong agricultural tradition. The surrounding areas of Russell are known for their extensive grain farming and cattle ranching.
