Log houses in 1913

Initially the town was just the construction site for the dam. The buildings were made of logs and the first homes were also made of logs. By 1908 there were four brick houses that were used by the managers and a two-storey Staff House for the single people. Later, lumber houses were built. The town boasted a brick general store, a town hall, a garage, tennis court, curling rink, a large 3-acre company garden and a school. Barns housed horses, cattle and sheep.

The town was largely self-sufficient. They grew most of their own food, and surrounding homesteads provided items like dairy products and eggs.

A brick house

The town had an active social life, the Winnipeg Electric Employees Magazine talked about the parties, the visiting, the curling and the hockey. Fishing and Hunting were a big part of peoples lives. There were picnics, Christmas concerts, and Halloween Parties and dances. In the early days, the younger folk would walk the four miles (6.4 km) to the ferry along a corduroy road to attend social functions near Lac du Bonnet. It was said that the ladies would walk in bare feet, and carry their shoes tied over their shoulders, because they didn't want their shoes to get dirty.

Pearson's lumber house	Walsh's brick house in winter

The Staff House was for single employees	Brick homes and water tower

View from the Water Tower showing the Store, the Staff House and the brick homes

A picnic at Pinawa

Pinawa Residents

Halloween Party