In August 1963, United Grain Growers opened a new 110,000-bushel composite-style (combined elevator and annex) elevator in Foxwarren, replacing one demolished earlier that year, next to a surviving balloon annex. Among the dignitaries attending the opening ceremony seen here was UGG president A.M. “Mac” Runciman. The facility was demolished by Agricore in December 2000.
Photo: University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections
A 125,000-bushel elevator in Plum Coulee, featuring two steel legs, 24 storage bins, and another 18 bins in an attached crib annex was constructed by Manitoba Pool in 1975. Between February and April 1988, it was renovated extensively at a cost of $270,000. Agricore United closed it in 2001 and, in May 2002, gifted the elevator to the town. Doors were cut into several of its bins to make display rooms and the former elevator opened as a community museum in 2010.
Photo:
A “ghost sign” is readily apparent in this former United Grain Growers elevator at Silverton, five miles east of Russell. Built by National Grain in 1940, the 34,000-bushel elevator was acquired by UGG six years later. An older UGG elevator was torn down in 1963 and this elevator was moved to its site, a 65,000-bushel crib annex was built beside it, and the plant was modernized. A new white-and-blue paint job covered over the former UGG graphic and checkerboard pattern, which has been slowly revealed as the newer paint flakes off. Traded to Manitoba Pool in 1974, it was closed on December 31, 1990 and is in private hands now.
Photo:
In March 1966, United Grain Growers opened a new 45,000-bushel elevator at Minnedosa. By the time this photo was taken in 1969, a large crib annex had been built beside it (in late 1967), increasing its capacity to 169,000 bushels. Closed in August 1999, the elevator was demolished in 2000. Source: University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections
Photo: University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections
In 1981, Manitoba Pool built a 60,000-bushel crib annex on the west side of its 54-year-old elevator at Cartwright. Then, between October 1986 and December 1987, it constructed a 145,000-bushel composite-style (elevator and annex in a single crib) structure on the west side of the earlier annex (on the right in this 2018 photo) and demolished the old elevator on the east end. The facility was opened officially in April 1988. Closed by Agricore in July 2001 and put up for sale, the elevator was purchased by the Willow Creek Hutterite Colony which also rents out storage space to other farmers. The adjacent railway line was abandoned in May 2008.
Photo: Gordon Goldsborough
In the 1950s, there were over 700 grain elevators in Manitoba. Today, there are fewer than 200. You can help to preserve the legacy of these disappearing “Prairie sentinels.”
The Manitoba Historical Society (MHS) is gathering information about all elevators that ever stood in Manitoba, regardless of their present status. Collaborating with the Manitoba Co-operator it is supplying these images of a grain elevator each week in hopes readers will be able to tell the society more about it, or any other elevator they know of.
MHS Gordon Goldsborough webmaster and Journal editor has developed a website to post your replies to a series of questions about elevators. The MHS is interested in all grain elevators that have served the farm community.
Your contributions will help gather historical information such as present status of elevators, names of companies, owners and agents, rail lines, year elevators were built — and dates when they were torn down (if applicable).
There is room on the website to post personal recollections and stories related to grain elevators. The MHS presently also has only a partial list of all elevators that have been demolished. You can help by updating that list if you know of one not included on that list.
Your contributions are greatly appreciated and will help the MHS develop a comprehensive, searchable database to preserve the farm community’s collective knowledge of what was once a vast network of grain elevators across Manitoba.
Please contribute to This Old Grain Elevator website here.
You will receive a response, by email or phone call, confirming that your submission was received.
Goldsborough is interested in hearing all sorts of experiences about the elevators — funny, sad, or anything in between. Readers willing to share their stories can leave messages at 204-474-7469
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