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Many visitors to the little village of Wawanesa, Manitoba (pop.550) find it difficult to comprehend that this is the birth place, head office & Prairie Branch of one of Canada's largest property & casualty insurers,The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company.

In 1896, seven years after the Story family first settled in this scenic Souris River valley, Alonzo Fowler Kempton & Charles Kerr conceived the idea of a mutual insurance company to help struggling farmers. Twenty farmers invested $20 each & the company was off on its amazing journey!

Kempton, founder & President of the new company was a determined, tempestuous visionary. He guided the company for the first twenty-six years. Succeeding leaders were astute, progressive and were able to adjust quickly to changing times. Adjusters recall that in the Depression of the 30's they were not only expected to use the cheapest hotel but sleep two in a bed! In the 40's new company cars came with white wall tires,these were turned inward in order not to appear flashy & extravagant!

This Community Memory shares our ongoing story of a little village whose history is intertwined with a fledgling company that grew to be a giant.