Welcome to the Grain Elevator History Project

The Grain Elevator History Project is a project of Just Group which is owned and operated by Trevor Esau. To see more about Just Group go to www.justgroup.ca

Contact Trevor at justcdgroup@gmail.com

INTRODUCTION

We are fascinated by grain elevators. We are struck by their beauty. The colourful landmarks are the subject of paintings, photographs, and pictorial books. The hamlets, villages and towns were defined, in part, by their elevators. We searched for them on the horizon as we drove to each community. The names of the community were clearly visible on the sides of the elevator. They were a distant sign that we were close to home. More than that, grain elevators are part of our own experiences of Canadian culture.

The rise of the country elevator was a strong icon for the strength of rural life in Canada and their destruction a symbol for its weakening. In 1934, the number of grain elevators in Alberta peaked at 1,781. Today there are less then 130 standing and few used by the grain trade. Those left are run down.

We are also telling the inside and hidden histories of the grain elevator through first hand accounts. We invite people to tell us their stories by e-mail. The stories submitted appear in the personal experience page.


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Saturday, September 25, 2010

The Sound of the Stubborn Elevator Engine

A sound that echoed through prarrie towns, especially on cold fall mornings, was the unforgettable sound of the gas engine of the elevator. Elevators were run by gas engines before electricity replaced them. A tough chore of the elevator agent was getting the engine started. The pounding sound of the stubborn strokes of that engine could reverberated throughout small towns all over the prairies. The elevator was powered by a temperamental gas engine and agents would battle many battles getting it started. We are fortunate that many people have restored these engines. To hear watch and hear an elevator engine go to this youtube site:


Before electricity, elevators had an engine house about 20 feet from the office. A large leather belt ran from the engine to the leg of the elevator. The engine house was the source of many elevator fires! The sound of the engine in full stride, within the engine house, was like thunder.

The community of Paradise Valley has the elevators engine displayed in their community park. We got a picture of it when we visited their elevator.
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