The Canadian Grain Elevator Discovery Centre is a set of restored
grain elevator
A grain elevator or grain terminal 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 lowe ...
s located in
Nanton,
Alberta
Alberta is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Canada. It is a part of Western Canada and is one of the three Canadian Prairies, prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to its west, Saskatchewan to its east, t ...
, 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 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 () , 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 Canadian Pacific Kansas City, Canadian Pacific Ka ...
's MacLeod subdivision until the subdivision's abandonment and track removal in 2002.
The local "Save One"
historical society
A historical society is non-profit organization dedicated to collecting, preserving, interpreting, and promoting the history of a particular place, group of people, or topic. They play a crucial role in promoting historical awareness and understan ...
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
Railway track ( and UIC terminology) or railroad track (), also known as permanent way () or "P way" ( and Indian English), is the structure on a railway or railroad consisting of the rails, fasteners, sleepers ( railroad ties in American ...
s, and repainted the elevators in the Alberta Wheat Pool and
Pioneer
Pioneer commonly refers to a person who is among the first at something that is new to a community.
A pioneer as a settler is among the first settling at a place that is new to the settler community. A historic example are American pioneers, perso ...
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 (Association of American Railroads, AAR) and South Australian Railways term for a Railroad car#Freight cars, railroad car that is enclosed and generally used to carry freight. The boxcar, while not the simpl ...
.
File:Nanton Grain Elevator 3 (8008190646).jpg, Seed cleaning elevator.
File:Nanton Grain Elevator.jpg, Elevators taken from the north.
See also
*
List of grain elevators
*
List of museums in Alberta
References
External links
Canadian Grain Elevator Discovery Center
{{Alberta parks
Grain elevator museums in Alberta
Open-air museums in Canada