In 1949, Manitoba Pool built an elevator at Riverton. A nearby Federal Grain elevator, purchased in 1971, was moved beside it and converted into an annex, as seen in this photo from June 1977. Use of the CPR line from Gimli ended in 1988, but the 63,000-bushel facility continued to operate off track for two more years. Finally closed in December 1990, it was later demolished.

PHOTOS: This Old Elevator: October 2018

The Manitoba Historical Society wants to gather information about all the grain elevators in Manitoba

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

This United Grain Growers elevator at Belmont occupied the site of a former elevator purchased by UGG from Canadian Consolidated Grain in 1959. Renovated in 1966, it was destroyed by fire on April 18, 1973. Rebuilt as a 109,000-bushel elevator and crib annex in 1974, it was closed permanently in January 1999, about 18 months after this photo was taken. It was demolished in October 2000.

PHOTOS: This Old Elevator: September 2018

The Manitoba Historical Society wants to gather information about all the grain elevators in Manitoba

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


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.

PHOTOS: This Old Elevator: August 2018

The Manitoba Historical Society wants to gather information about all the grain elevators in Manitoba

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

This photo from June 1981 shows a Manitoba Pool elevator at Franklin, northwest of Neepawa in the Rural Municipality of Rosedale, under renovation. The taller elevator was built in 1959 next to the shorter elevator from 1927. A balloon annex once stood to the right of the older elevator. The renovations in 1981 included a new office and larger driveshed, and installation of a metric scale. The crib annex at left, built in 1958, was moved here from Mentmore, 12 miles to the southeast. In 1991, the old elevator was demolished and replaced by three steel tanks. The 160,000-bushel elevator was closed in July 2000, following the opening by Agricore of a large, new facility at Minnedosa. The last elevator in the municipality was demolished in 2002.

PHOTOS: This Old Elevator: June 2018

The Manitoba Historical Society wants to gather information about all the grain elevators in Manitoba

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


An elevator at Croll, on the CPR line about nine miles northwest of Boissevain, was operated by the Croll Cooperative Elevator Association as part of the Manitoba Pool network. An original 50,000-bushel elevator, built in 1930 to replace an elevator destroyed by fire, was joined by a 30,000-bushel elevator in 1940. Designated A and B respectively, they were merged into a single 80,000-bushel facility around 1952. Seen here in May 1972, the elevator was closed in December 1974, after the railway line was abandoned, and demolished in October 1976.

PHOTOS: This Old Elevator: May 2018

The Manitoba Historical Society wants to gather information about all the grain elevators in Manitoba

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

A 36,000-bushel elevator at Bellsite, 36 miles north of Swan River in the Rural Municipality of Mountain, was built in 1951 by Manitoba Pool Elevators and sold to United Grain Growers in March 1960. Seen in this photo from 1964, it was operated for a few years on a part-time basis, along with the elevator at nearby Novra, but increasing costs and low grain throughput led to its closure in November 1975. The elevator was used for private grain storage until September 16, 2007 when, nearly filled with grain, it was destroyed by fire.

PHOTOS: This Old Elevator: April 2018

The Manitoba Historical Society wants to gather information about all the grain elevators in Manitoba

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


This 1972 photo shows the Manitoba Pool and United Grain Growers elevators at Medora, in what was then known as the RM of Brenda. The 177,000-bushel Pool elevator and crib annex dated from 1928 and 1967, respectively. The 131,000-bushel UGG facility consisted of an elevator from 1932 that was modernized when a crib annex was built beside it in 1963. The UGG elevator and annex, filled to capacity with wheat, flax, and canola, were destroyed by fire in December 1980. A replacement elevator was constructed in the fall of 1981 and opened for business in January 1982. It was closed by Agricore in 2000 but remains in use for private grain storage. The Pool buildings were demolished in 2002.

PHOTOS: This Old Elevator: March 2018

The Manitoba Historical Society wants to gather information about all the grain elevators in Manitoba

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

A 40,000-bushel elevator at Rathwell was built in 1928 by Manitoba Pool Elevators for a local co-operative association. In the early 1950s, an annex increased its storage capacity to 55,700 bushels then another annex in 1968 increased it to 117,800 bushels. In this photo from 1964, we see the Pool with its single annex, with UGG and Paterson elevators in the background. The Pool facility was traded to United Grain Growers in 1990. Closed around 2000, both former UGG elevators were demolished by Agricore United in 2001.

PHOTOS: This Old Elevator: February 2018

The Manitoba Historical Society wants to gather information about all the grain elevators in Manitoba

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


Annexes were built when more grain storage was needed than the elevator could provide. During the Second World War, numerous annexes were built across the Prairies to hold grain that could not be shipped to European markets. “Balloon annexes” were wooden frame structures, so named due to their tendency to balloon outward from the weight of grain inside. Here we see the Manitoba Pool elevator at Eden, in the RM of Rosedale, that had three balloon annexes when this photo was taken in the late 1940s. Built in 1928, the elevator closed in December 1977. Its railway line was abandoned in early 1981 and the tracks were removed. The elevator is no longer present at the site.

PHOTOS: This Old Elevator: January 2018

The Manitoba Historical Society wants to gather information about all the grain elevators in Manitoba

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

A 28,000-bushel grain elevator at Rossendale, 18 miles southwest of Portage la Prairie, was built in 1916 by the Grain Growers’ Grain Company, predecessor of United Grain Growers. Over the years, two annexes were built to increase its capacity, a 25,000-bushel balloon annex in 1951 (demolished around 1970) and a 30,000-bushel crib annex in 1954. Closed in 1975, the elevator was demolished three years later while the crib annex was moved to the Baker Hutterite Colony. Along the way, the annex had to be hauled up a 70-foot hill under muddy conditions. This photo was one of several taken by Eddie Maendel, now living at the Airport Hutterite Colony, who helped with the move. The annex is still in use.

PHOTOS: This Old Elevator: December 2017

The Manitoba Historical Society wants to gather information about all the grain elevators in Manitoba

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