The Foundations

The Baptist Home Mission first sent missionaries to southwestern Manitoba in 1869 and settlers began to pour into the area after 1871. Both settlers and missionaries soon saw a need for a denominational college for Manitoba youth and several attempts to found a college were made.

In 1880 Dr. John Crawford and Rev. G. B. Davis opened Prairie College in Rapid City, 20 miles north of Brandon. The College failed and Rev. Davis founded a small academy in Rapid City which was subsequently taken over by his brother-in-law, Prof. S. J. McKee. McKee’s Academy was moved to Brandon in 1890 following the projection of the CPR mainline through the Assiniboine Valley, which resulted in the marked growth of the city of Brandon.