Souris, Manitoba, an unincorporated urban community in the Municipality of Souris – Glenwood, is a charming destination with a rich history and unique attractions. Nestled at the confluence of Plum Creek and Souris River, the community is home to Canada's longest historic cable-stayed footbridge, known as the Swinging Bridge.
The area of Souris was first explored by Europeans in 1738 when La Verendrye arrived, mistaking the Souris River for the Missouri River. The townsite was later explored by David Thompson in 1797-98 and Alexander Henry the younger in 1805. Captain John Rogers, who was later killed in the Battle of Seven Oaks, provided detailed accounts of life on the Souris plains in the early 1800s.
The first permanent settlers, Captain Gilbert Wood and his family, arrived in 1880. They built a shanty on the shores of Plum Creek, which served as a landing place for many new settlers. The first large settlement was led by Squire Sowden in 1880, who was appointed head of a Colonization Syndicate in Millbrook by a group of businessmen.
The first building in the town was erected in 1881, and the town grew rapidly in 1882. The community was incorporated as a town in 1904 as the population neared a thousand people.
Souris is located at the conjunction of Plum Creek and the Souris River on the Canadian Prairies. A dam lies at the east of town on the Souris River to maintain recreational usage water levels. The city of Brandon is located 30km to the northeast. Souris lies between the Brandon Hills located to the northeast and the Turtle Mountain Plateau located approximately 80km south of the town.
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Souris had a population of 1,970 living in 871 of its 960 total private dwellings, a change of -0.2% from its 2016 population of 1,974. With a land area of 3.35 km2 (1.29 sq mi), it had a population density of 588.1/km2 (1,523.1/sq mi) in 2021.
The Souris Swinging Bridge, destroyed in the 1976 flood and again in the flood of 2011, was reopened in the summer of 2013. A new swimming pool was constructed in 2010 and is located in Victoria Park, along with numerous walking trails and a bird sanctuary known for its flock of peacocks. The Rock Shop, selling many rocks of different sizes and varieties, is another must-visit attraction in Souris.
