Grain Elevators - Disappearing Prairie Sentinels 

As a photographer who loves the prairies, grain elevators are one of my favourite subjects when I have a chance to photograph them. I even saw my hometown in the video :)

great history and art ! thank you

Grew up Hudson Bay SK my dad helped build the Pioneer elevator and I watched them demolish it so many years later its sad

Very educational video. I live in Illinois and I have always had a lot of interest in old and new Grain Elevators.

I grew up and still farm in western Saskatchewan. Some towns here still have an elevator or two standing but quite a few (especially the little villages and hamlets), the elevators are gone. The grain dependent rail lines are quite often abandoned and torn up now too. Luckily, there are still some grain dependent rail lines that are now owned by short lines, and they quite often haul grain cars from the remaining small town elevators on those lines, so the future looks bright for those lucky ones. We used to haul our grain 6 miles into town with a 300 bushel 3 ton grain truck and later dad also bought a 600 bushel tandem axle grain truck. Nowadays, for me it's a one hour drive one way to the closest grain terminal on the main rail lines in the semi and tandem axle trailer. Grain terminals are much more impersonal. Seems like we lost a big part of us when the elevators closed. Grain elevators were also a place to socialize. Only if the walls of those grain elevator offices and driveways could talk! Also heard that the Fleming grain elevator was burned by arson a while ago. Pretty sad. Drove by it a few times on the #1 Highway. It was definitely quite the icon. Nice video thanks!

This was a really good vid, thanks for posting it! Living in Western Kansas I have seen our wood elevators all but vanish over the last 30 years. Of course we had some really small 8-12,000 bushel horse era elevators standing empty in the early 80s yet but sadly they are all gone. If I only would have had the money then I would have bought one to preserve myself.

Very informational video! Thank you so much for making. Doing research on old grain elevators and how they worked and this was an amazing resource.

They are pretty amazing.

Very nice show. Thank you

As a railroad enthusiast, I've become fascinated by feed mill and grain elevator operations of late, particularly with the Canadian elevators. Sad to see them being replaced by larger grain handling structures since the smaller elevators seemed to have more interesting operations from a rail perspective. Very sorry to hear about the Fleming fire. I guess Canada has more than it's fair share of vandals just like down here in the states.

Excellent video, thank-you so much more highlighting an important part of our past - and present.

I am glad they save some of them I like old ones better then new ones

I work at the old Collins feed store in malone N.Y. it was built in the early 50's and its still going strong for now but with the price of milk and beef who knows what the future will hold

My dad was a Pioneer grain buyer in Viscount, Sask. until 1956

The amount of what was probably old growth full sized 2x6 inch boards that could be reclaimed if one Has to be torn down is amazing.

Excellent video! Hopefully, many of the elevators can be preserved.

Really sucks that some oxygen thief had to go and burn down the Fleming elevator. Hope they are in jail where they belong.

Those hit miss engines are neat

George Payette is the savior of these wooden elevators in manitoba he is the only man who even after falling off the roof of one that really knows how to fix and maintain them if you talk to anyone in manitoba that works in the old wood elevators they all know his name

Amazing, I love Grain Elevators!

Absolutely fascinating. The fact that they use two by fours on the flat. Where did the lumber come from? Obviously shipped in but it's interesting considering how flat those areas of Canada are they are not covered in Timberland but wheatfields.

phenomenal video but I got a question what does the lady mean it's not environmentally productive to do that same old-fashioned storage of wheat today than it was back then or did I miss him understand what she was saying?

im so sorry about the fleming elevator

The grain elevators should have been protected for their heritage value. They are to Canada what the tower of Big Ben is to London. They are Canada.

What I wouldn't give to hoist myself up the man lift and take my station on the tripper one last time :. (

The Fleming elevator was a victim of arson a few years ago that summer it was going to open for tourists

Lovely video. There is a grain elevator from early 1900's in my friend's yard. Do you think they are safe to make into a tiny house?

The one in mankota is own by a farmer was loading brains until last year when I switched jobs

Steven wolfson first of great video but I didnt see any pictures of the old 6 elevators that stood in estevan for many years

This Fleming elevator burnt down. I believe by arson and not sure exactly when. Sad.

A LOT OF THE GRAIN GET'S MOVED BY TRUCK NOW A DAYS. THE RAILROADS HAVE ABANDONED 10'S OF THOUSANDS OF RAIL LINES THAT USE TO SERVE THESE TOWNS. MAKING RAIL USELESS.

I worked in a feed mill in Sandpoint idaho the man that owned the place when i asked him for a job said how much do you weigh and are you an idiot i got the job because i was close to what he weighed