The Canadian Grain Elevator Discovery Centre is a set of restored

grain elevator A grain elevator is a facility designed to stockpile or store grain. In the grain trade, the term "grain elevator" also describes a tower containing a bucket elevator or a pneumatic conveyor, which scoops up grain from a lower level and deposits ...

s located in Nanton,

Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...

, Canada. The centre's goal is to preserve examples of old grain elevators to educate visitors about the town's, and Alberta's, agricultural history.

History

The northern twin elevators were built in 1927 to a traditional arrangement with an office building separated from the driveway and elevator by a raised access platform. It decommissioned in 2000 under the

Alberta Wheat Pool The Alberta Wheat Pool was the first of Canada's wheat farmer co-operatives in 1923. History Early years In 1923, the United Farmers of Alberta met with then Attorney General John Edward Brownlee to consider setting up a Wheat Pool just in Alb ...

. The southern elevator was built in 1929, gained a balloon annex in 1956, and was extensively remodeled in 1981. The elevators were served by the

Canadian Pacific Railway The Canadian Pacific Railway (french: Chemin de fer Canadien Pacifique) , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadi ...

's MacLeod subdivision until the subdivision's abandonment and track removal in 2002. The local "Save One"

historical society A historical society (sometimes also preservation society) is an organization dedicated to preserving, collecting, researching, and interpreting historical information or items. Originally, these societies were created as a way to help future gen ...

was formed to preserve at least one of the elevators from demolition. The society raised enough funds in three years to purchase the three elevators and the land they stood on. The restoration project replaced the

railway track A railway track (British English and UIC terminology) or railroad track (American English), also known as permanent way or simply track, is the structure on a railway or railroad consisting of the rails, fasteners, railroad ties (sleepers, ...

s, and repainted the elevators in the Alberta Wheat Pool and

Pioneer Pioneer commonly refers to a settler who migrates to previously uninhabited or sparsely inhabited land. In the United States pioneer commonly refers to an American pioneer, a person in American history who migrated west to join in settling and dev ...

colours. The elevators form the Elevator Discovery Centre, and became a provincial heritage site in 2022. The smaller Nanton Seed Cleaning Co. elevator is on the row but not part of the centre.

Gallery

File:Nanton Grain Elevator 6 (8008200006).jpg, Former Pioneer elevator. File:Nanton Grain Elevator 4 (8008181725).jpg, Former Pioneer Elevator. File:Nanton Grain Elevator 5 (8008190313).jpg, Former Alberta Wheat Pool elevators and

box car A boxcar is the North American ( AAR) term for a railroad car that is enclosed and generally used to carry freight. The boxcar, while not the simplest freight car design, is considered one of the most versatile since it can carry most lo ...

. File:Nanton Grain Elevator 3 (8008190646).jpg, Seed cleaning elevator. File:Nanton Grain Elevator.jpg, Elevators taken from the north.

References

External links

Canadian Grain Elevator Discovery Center
{{Alberta parks Grain elevator museums in Alberta Open-air museums in Canada

History

Gallery

See also

References

External links