Meadows’ End

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Last year, I was contacted by a Canmore AB based artist for permission to use one of my photos as a reference photo. An artist who goes by the moniker “Bigoudi” was creating an exhibition featuring falling grain elevators and wanted permission to use mine for one of the paintings she was creating. She shared a study she did of the image. I was pleased to grant her permission with the condition that I would get a print of the completed painting.

The exhibit “Falling Landmarks” was featured at the Elevation Gallery in Canmore, AB and Pascale sent me the print as promised. Here it is on my wall (hence the shadow line) alongside the original image that I took of the Meadows, Manitoba grain elevator‘s death on July 18, 2017.

I’m amazed at the painting she created. She captured the moment perfectly, while interpreting the image in her own way. I’m humbled that she wished to use my image and very pleased to have this print on my wall, to my left when I’m working.

You can see her work here, including several others from the same exhibition:

https://bigoudi.ca/landscapes

Learn more about the Meadows grain elevator

Building an Elevator, 1928 Style

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Black and white photograph of a grain elevator under construction, with the words Lake of the Woods Milling Co. Five Roses Flour on the elevator.

I received these photographs of a grain elevator under construction in Saskatchewan in 1928. The location is unknown but you can see it was a Lake of the Woods elevator. The contributor’s grandfather, Arvid Koski, was one of the builders and is the person on the left on the top of the grain elevator.

Thanks for sharing these!

Black and white photograph of a male carpenter building a grain elevator

Digitally Preserving Grain Elevators

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Students from several Alberta universities and colleges are working to digitally preserve grain elevators in Alberta. This CBC article describes the work they are doing to record the Nanton grain elevators using NavVis digital mapping devices. I believe they have already recorded the Wrentham elevator.

Wooden grain elevators are being demolished every year and there aren’t many left. Initiatives like this, and sites like this one, are crucial to record these prairie sentinels before they are gone.

I love that technology like digital mapping, drones, satellite imagery, and digital cameras are all being used to record grain elevators. They are a great complement to film photographs from the heyday of wooden grain elevators, like the Donald Hamilton collection, the Howdy McPhail collection and the Ole Kirkhus collection.

Please consider contributing to our site to help preserve the memory of these elevators.

2023 Grain Elevator Calendars

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2023 grain elevator calendar covers

Contributors Jason Paul Sailer and Mark David Zulkoskey are offering grain elevator calendars for 2023.

  • Grain Elevators Across the Prairies by Mark Zulkoskey
  • Wheat Kings 2023 by Jason Paul Sailer

Please consider buying one of their calendars!

Help Preserve a Grain Elevator

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Ogilvie grain elevator in Wrentham, AB
Ogilvie grain elevator in Wrentham, AB

Please consider donating to preserve a grain elevator. The Ogilvie Wooden Grain Elevator Society owns the former Ogilvie grain elevator in Wrentham, Alberta, south of Lethbridge. This historic elevator is in its original location and is the last Ogilvie elevator left in Alberta, and one of very few remaining in Canada.

Wooden grain elevators are costly to maintain. Every donation helps! Your donation is tax deductible for Canadians.

Donate to the Ogilvie Wooden Grain Elevator Society

Oldest Grain Elevator Being Dismantled

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Elva grain elevators

Regretfully, the former Lake of the Woods grain elevator in Elva, Manitoba is being dismantled. This grain elevator became the oldest remaining grain elevator in the Canadian prairies after the Fleming elevator was destroyed by arson.

There are actually two elevators in Elva, and a newer concrete elevator outside of town. The newer elevator in Elva is a former UGG elevator. The Lake of the Woods elevator is a short, squat elevator and was built in 1897.

Drone view of Elva grain elevators, 2019
Drone view of Elva grain elevators, 2019

The elevators will be dismantled and the cladding, boards and nails will be sold.

Learn more about the Elva grain elevators

New Elevators for a New Year

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Grain elevator at Menzie, Manitoba

We wish you a very belated “happy new year” for 2022. As a late gift for the new year, here are some “new to us” grain elevators to share, and some updates on existing elevators. We have been scanning more of the Donald Hamilton collection of grain elevator photos, as well as acquiring other images, and we have lots to share. Here are the new elevators for Grain Elevators of Canada, by province or state:

Manitoba

Saskatchewan

Alberta

Minnesota

North Dakota

Two Canadian Grain Elevator Calendars

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Two contributors to this site, Mark Zulkoskey and Jason Paul Sailer, are offering 2022 Canadian grain elevator calendars for sale. I encourage you to check both calendars out and buy one – or both!

Jason’s calendar is called “Wheat Kings 2022”.

Buy Wheat Kings 2022 Calendar

Mark’s is called “Grain Elevators of the Prairies”.

Buy the Grain Elevators of the Prairies calendar