Settlement of Wanup dates back to the early 1900s, when large numbers of
Finns arrived in Canada. Leaving their homeland to escape the political instability of the time and the spectre of war with Russia many Finns chose this area to resume their primarily agricultural lifestyles. This area was popular among the Finns due to the geographical similarities with many parts of Finland. Another important factor was the abundance of available work from the construction of the
CN and
CP rail lines which pass through the area. Wanup has acted as base for many generations of
Finnish Canadians and still retains a high number of Finnish families. On June 2, 2013, a rail bridge crossing the Wanapitei River at Wanup collapsed, causing a train derailment. ==References==