May 1 - Free Press makes radio history; Phantom ends; BTO's first album.

May 1, 1975 - The final screening of the Phantom of the Paradise take place at the Garrick Cinema at 10:00 pm. The movie began its run on Boxing Day 1974. For more on Winnipeg's connection to Phantom.

May 1, 1988 - Peter Mansbridge takes over from Knowlton Nash as anchor and chief correspondent of CBC’s The National.

Mansbridge was born in England and raised in Malaysia and Ottawa but does have a Manitoba connection. When discharged from the Navy at Churchill, he took a job making cargo flight announcements at the Churchill airport. A CBC Radio producer heard his voice and offered him a job as a DJ at the local station. That job led to news announcing and, well, the rest is history.

Also see 20 years in the chair - CBC News.

May 1, 1922 - The first private broadcast radio licence in Canada is issued for CJCG, owned by the Manitoba Free Press. On May 7 CJCG went on the air. (I have read earlier dates for experimental broadcasts but this is the date of the 'official' CJCG sign on).

A claim to fame for the Free Press’ CJCG is that it is believed to be the first station to live- broadcast an entire hockey game: The Falcons vs. Port Arthur from the Winnipeg Amphitheatre on February 22, 1923.

The Free Press’ CJCG and the Winnipeg Tribune’s CJNC both lost money throughout their respective runs and in 1923 surrendered their licences to the Manitoba Telephone System for the creation of CKY Radio (Winnipeg) and CKX Radio (Brandon).

For more on early Manitoba radio history. Also see Hammond Museum of Radio.

May 1, 1876 - The name of the Fort Garry post office is changed to 'Winnipeg' to reflect the name of the city.

May 1, 1876 - The name of the St. Peters post office is changed to 'Dynevor'.

May 1, 1973 - Bachman-Turner Overdrive release their first album. The first single was Let it Ride.

May 1, 2004 - Lloyd Axworthy becomes the U of W's sixth President and Vice-Chancellor.

May 1, 2005 – The Northern States Power Co. (NSP) of Minneapolis announces the purchase of 500 MW of hydro over a 10 year period from Manitoba Hydro.

May 1, 1986 - The Virden Municipal Building and Auditorium, 228 Wellington Street, Virden, is designated a Provincial Heritage Site.

May 1, 1986 - The Ukrainian Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception, Cooks Creek, is designated a Provincial Heritage Site.

May 1, 1985 - The Captain William Kennedy House, 417 River Road, R.M. of St. Andrews, is designated a Provincial Heritage Site.

May 1, 1985 - The Emerson Town Hall and Court House, l04 Church Street, Emerson, is designated a Provincial Heritage Site.

May 1, 1997 - The Red River crests in downtown Winnipeg at 7.49 metres James (only 0.6 m below dike levels). On its way to Winnipeg the flood displaced 27,000 residents, deployed 7,000 troops and laid five million sandbags. CBC Archives: Red River Rising)

 May 1, 1962 - The Manitoba Tartan, approved by the Lord Lyon King at Arms, guardian of Scottish Heraldry, is registered in Scotland as the official tartan of the province.

May 1-2, 1892 - The Princess Opera House at 96 Princess at Bannatyne burns, destroying three acres, about 18 buildings, in downtown Winnipeg. (See N.Y. Times story - pdf) 

May 1, 1962 - Roblin, MB is officially incorporated as a town, though settlement in the area dates back to the late 1800’s.

May 1, 1913 - Winnipeggers vote in favour of funding the Winnipeg Aqueduct. Final vote yeas: 2226, nays: 369.

May 1, 1918 - The first gas powered bus hits the streets in Winnipeg (on the Westminster route).

May 1, 1919 - The building and metal workers unions launch a strike in Winnipeg seeking an 8 hour work day. (Also see my 1919 blog.)

May 1, 1936 - An event on the front steps of Greenway School launches the school safety patrol across the city. It would go on to become a national program.