View allAll Photos Tagged GrainElevators
This is one of two very large abandoned and crumbling grain elevators in Merricourt (the other is made of concrete). Brick grain elevators are very rare (although I believe there is a second one in North Dakota), so it was fascinating to see this one.
Merricourt, North Dakota.
I wrote a blog post about my December 2019 trip to Manitoba and North Dakota, if you're interested in reading about where this image was made.
After always seeing these on the UP I shot my first one on the BNSF since they have began to lease them. HLCX 3801 leading M-CHIGAL through Mazon, IL.
Final approach into Tolono, IL where theyll work for a few hours, run around, and head back towards Danville. Seen here just outside of town climbing the grade among the sea of corn.
I visited the old ghost town of Neidpath twice - in 2014 and 2016. This image is from 2016 when there was a lot more rain than this year in which farmers and ranchers are suffering from near drought conditions.
There were once 4 elevators in this town; only two are left. This one (the Pioneer) was built in 1924 and closed in the early 80s.
From the archives: Neidpath, Saskatchewan, Canada. 2016.
At one time, grain elevators could be found every 8 to 10 miles along the railway lines in western Canada. That allowed most farmers to make a round trip to deliver grain with a horse and wagon in one day. Though they started appearing in the late 19th century, the number of grain elevators peaked in 1938, when there were nearly 6,000 primary (country) elevators in the Prairie provinces. Many factors led to the decline of the primary elevator: the Depression, increased mechanization, improved roads for transportation, rural depopulation, the closing of branch lines of the railway and the buying out or merging of the grain companies. In 2004 there were only 197 primary licenced grain elevators left in Saskatchewan. Many of the old, wooden elevators have been destroyed, but some, like this one in Dorothy Alberta, remain - weathered but beautiful and stalwart.
Source: Dommasch, H. (1986) Prairie Giants. Saskatoon: Western Producer Prairie Books.
If you'd like to see more of my images from that trip, take a look at my Grain Elevator album or my Canadian Prairies album
I couldn't go to Alberta and not shoot some grain elevators. Thanks to Jim for a great day of shooting around Vegreville.
In the foreground is the Federal grain elevator in Horizon, Saskatchewan. It was built in 1922 and closed in 1999. Interestingly, it was designated as a Municipal Heritage Property in 2004, which makes it eligible for government funding for preservation, though the town around it has been abandoned.
If you'd like, take a look at my other Prairies images, as well as my ongoing project to photograph old, abandoned grain elevators. As well, if you're feeling particularly interested, you can read an essay I wrote for Nathan Wirth's Slices of Silence blog on my feelings of connection to the places I shoot, especially the Prairies.
The other elevator at Horizon, the Sask Pool elevator, was built in 1923 and also closed in 1999. The annex, probably built in the early 60s like the one on the Federal elevator, has developed a very interesting wobble and lean.
If you'd like, take a look at my other Prairies images, as well as my ongoing project to photograph old, abandoned grain elevators. As well, if you're feeling particularly interested, you can read an essay I wrote for Nathan Wirth's Slices of Silence blog on my feelings of connection to the places I shoot, especially the Prairies.
The grain elevator in Sims, IN on the western edge of Grant County. Every so often the Central Railroad will bring in empty grain hoppers for loading. They have their own switch engine to move the cars around for loading. The elevator sits along the former NKP/N&W Cloverleaf tracks.
I know this was not the ideal time to photograph the Milky Way, but hey I was there. The moon was just to the South of us half full, and I was surprised at the number of cars that constantly drove by. In spite of that we decided to give it a go. I wanted to see this iconic grain elevator in different light, and I am pleased that I could see any of the milky way at all.
The grain is dumped from the truck into a pit where it slides down to a bucket elevator that carries it to the top of the silo where it can then be distributed into a storage bin. Wye Mills is an unincorporated community in Talbot County, Maryland.
Print size 8x10 inches. Happy Truck Thursday
I was exploring the back roads around Oakesdale, Washington when I came across this old grain elevator. It was a long way from the nearest blacktop and I wonder if that helped put it out of business.
the now closed Saginaw Bean plant. at one time considered the largest bean elevator in the world
in 1993, the adjacent bean-packaging plant closed and about 50 Saginaw employees lost their jobs. The plant was just north of the landmark building at 1741 N. Niagara, on Saginaw’s West Side.
221a 2 - TAC_1396 - lr-ps
Saw this from the country road, as I thought it was an old grain elevator, so not sure what it is being used for. Perhaps storing cattle or grain:)
The elevator. Not the image. This is from the (now abandoned) town of Superb, Saskatchewan.
This processing is a bit of a departure for me so maybe you'd like to see all my Prairie pics.
Rice's Point stretches out into the distance, as seen from the heights of Duluth's West Skyline Scenic Drive.
The point separates Duluth-Superior's outer (to the left, above) from it's inner harbour (to the right above), and is a focal point of Duluth's industrial activity. At the far end of the point, almost 3 km from where I was standing, the John A Blatnik Bridge connects with Superior, WI. on the other side of the St Louis River.
Since the opening of the first Soo Lock in 1855, joining Lake Superior to the other Great Lakes, Duluth-Superior has been an important shipping centre, first for forest products and, with the opening of the Mesabi Range, for iron ore. Grain elevators dominate the image above.
Duluth-Superior became an international seaport in 1959 with the opening of the St Lawrence Seaway, of which this is the westernmost terminus - the world's most inland seaport, 2,340 miles from the Atlantic Ocean and 200m above sea level. The port is served by multiple railways.
CN A497 rolls south at Hayes behind a nice set of four units. With the leader being an SD60, a rent-a-wreck in second, and a zebra-striped barn in fourth, this consist makes for a nice rainbow and variety of power.
Three old grain elevators, very photogenic ones at that, can be found in small town Mossleigh Alberta. They’re located along a railway branch line that has been out of service for well over a decade, but as of spring 2015 hosts tourist trains coming in from nearby Aspen Crossing, just a little to the east. Some vintage rail cars stored here, associated with that same group, will be explored along with the elevators.
The town of Mossleigh was late on the scene, having been founded around 1930, concurrent with the arrival of the railway, which came in from the east. Located about an hour southeast of Calgary, today it’s a sleepy little burgh, home to a handful of people.
On to the elevators…
All three were built in 1930. At that time they belonged to the following grain firms: (in order from north to south), Searle Grain, Pioneer Grain and Parrish and Heimbecker (or simply P&H). All these companies were well known and established in the industry and each operated many grain elevators across the province.
I’m fairly certain that this is near Dufur, but I could be wrong.
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Contrary to popular belief, old grain elevators are not good places to hang out at. This is the elevator I see from my house (2 blocks away), and just recently a girl fell 100ft to her death early one Sunday morning. So, 'no trespassing' signs are something that are there for a reason, and probably should be obeyed.
... the town, not the image. : )
This is a pretty new elevator - one part was built in 1958, the other in 1968. There really isn't much left of Superb, Saskatchewan anymore.
In July 2013 I flew to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, rented a car and drove 2,400 kilometres over the next 6 days via Prince Albert, Kindersley and Calgary to visit and photograph old, unused grain elevators and churches. If you'd like, you can take a look at more images from my Prairie adventure.
At one time, grain elevators could be found every 8 to 10 miles along the railway lines in western Canada. That allowed most farmers to make a round trip to deliver grain with a horse and wagon in one day. Though they started appearing in the late 19th century, the number of grain elevators peaked in 1938, when there were nearly 6,000 primary (country) elevators in the Prairie provinces. Many factors led to the decline of the primary elevator: the Depression, increased mechanization, improved roads for transportation, rural depopulation, the closing of branch lines of the railway and the buying out or merging of the grain companies. In 2004 there were only 197 primary licenced grain elevators left in Saskatchewan. Many of the old, wooden elevators have been destroyed, but some, like this one in Dorothy Alberta, remain - weathered but beautiful and stalwart. Source: Dommasch, H. (1986) Prairie Giants. Saskatoon: Western Producer Prairie Books.