There are various suggestions as to how the Village of Ninette got its’ name, however the most common suggestion is that, in 1884, it was proposed by a French Canadian and was a contraction of the name Antoinette, the heroine of a popular novel of the period. The original post office was established in 1883 north of the present site, on Overend Lake. However, when the Northern Pacifi c & Manitoba railway line was constructed further south in 1899, the post offi ce was moved closer to the railway, and the village ended up on the north shore of Pelican Lake. The railway, of course, later became the Canadian National Railway in 1919. When the Manitoba Tuberculosis Sanatorium opened on the north shore of Pelican Lake in 1910, the village experienced a growth in its’ population due to staff and families of patients. Ninette became an unincorporated village in June of 1926. In 1966 Ninette won the McKinsey Trophy for Best Kept Village.

Ninette has a long history as a sports centre. Over the years,sports such as target shooting, hunting, cricket, tennis, hockey, curling, softball, baseball and football were played on a competitive level. The Pelican Lake Agricultural Society’s annual fair, held the 3rd weekend of June hosts a wide variety of events and provides enjoyment for hundreds of visitors. Located at the north end of Pelican Lake, Ninette serves as the gateway to this year round recreation facility. Boating, swimming, fishing, hunting, and bird watching are just some of the activities available in the summer months. In winter, Ninette is tied into miles of snowmobile trails and the lake provides excellent ice fishing.