Nier Alberta

Nier Alberta was not so much a town, but more a locality. Think of it as a dot on the map, the centre of an area, perhaps with a post office, but not really by definition a community with houses and businesses. Located not that far north of Calgary, the place had one claim to fame, nothing big in the sense it moved the world or anything, but still pretty dam interesting none the less.

Standing along the rail line for a time was a grain elevator – nothing odd there on the Canadian Plains – but from the 1960s-1980s period was painted up in a wild hippie-esque motif. It was the “psychedelic” grain elevator and has been gone for decades. Let’s visit where it stood and see what we can find.

Nier Alberta: long ago, a grain elevator painted in a crazy way and now gone. Researched, Written and Photographed by Chris Doering and Connie Biggart. (BIGDoer/Synd)

First the town – well the place – it dates from the early 1930s although people lived in the area for some time before. Still, the Canadian west was rather late to be settled and even into the early 1900s there were not many people hanging around the Nier area.

Scroll down for photos and to comment.

Anyway, the place “sprung” to life when the CPR’s Crossfield to Cremona line came through. This stretch of track was finished in 1931, in the depths of the great depression, and was one of the the very last, if not the final “grain branches” built by the firm. The railway building boom of the early twentieth century pretty much ended here.

This line, lightly built and never that busy, closed down in the late 1970s. One of the last built, recall, it was one of the first to go. Today, one can follow the old roadbed for much of the route, through small burgs, across the plains, to the end of the line where the rolling foothills begin.

There was a grain elevator in Nier – but we already said that – probably the only thing there, and it dates from the 1930s having been put in place shortly after the track came through. It always belonged to the firm “Parrish and Heimbecker”, a name long known in the industry but always modest in size. The company is still around.

In 1973 it was done up in those “craaaaazy colours” (man), that paisley pattern so popular during the counter-culture movement of the preceding years, with the elevator appearing in a TV commercial for a paint firm. The date comes from Wayne Kowalchuk who was on the crew given the task of decorating it and who provided us verifiable proof. Thanks Wayne. Data we had earlier, which suggested it was done late 1960s, turned out to be in error. Even the company that owned it, who are still around and who gave us the info first, got it wrong. Only the side seen was so painted with the rest of the elevator being untouched. This commercial, by the way, was widely seen during a “Hockey Night in Canada” broadcast.

Anyway, the Nier Elevator was never repainted and retained that “hippie” vibe right to the end. It was last used in the 1970s, when the line was puled up, but remained standing into the early 1980s. Then one day a local fire department torched it, for practice, and it was gone.

What’s left today?

Not much as you can see! There’s evidence of the old rail line, what looks to be an old train loading dock and the old road into the elevator can be followed. Everything’s deep in the grass but is there if one looks good and close. What appears to be the outline of the elevator foundation can still be found too. Also, we stumbled across some cut posts underfoot likely representing that fence line to the right. All these things, all relatively hidden from sight, helped us align our now photo. Yes, it’s the same spot in both. Almost dead on to the inch (or cm) if we’ve done out work right (and we usually do). But you’ll have to take out word for it since readers can’t see those features. The trees, by the way, still sort of have the same profile as they did way back when, which we thought interesting.

This photo was sourced by Team BIGDoer. We were unable to attribute copyright ownership despite a deep search – even we come up short some times. If it’s yours, let us know and we’ll take what ever actions needed to tidy up things.

Don’t forget to LIKE or SHARE this post.

If you have a nice “then” photo you think should receive our trademark “then and now” treatment, drop us a line. These have to your own or in your collection, or in the public domain (a good number of really old photos are) and should show a street or landscape scene or something similar and be from the 1980s or earlier. In particular ones where the change is minimal or extremely dramatic, so at each end of the scale, are most coveted. Not sure how it works? Browse our then and now article and get to know us and what we do.

More like this to keep you busy…
East Coulee Alberta then and now.
Brokeback Mountain then and now – Brokeback Meadows.
Canadian Pacific Railway then and now – Banff Park.

If you wish more information on what you’ve seen here, by all means contact us!

Date: The 1980s and July 2016.
Location: Nier, AB
Article references and thanks: Jim Pearson, Jason Sailer.
BIGDoer.com was given permission to enter the property.

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Nier Alberta Grain Elevator

The psychedelic grain elevator, Nier Alberta, long ago, and the same spot today.

Nier Alberta Railway

A loading ramp next to the grassed over rail line.

35 responses

  1. Sonja Stamp says:

    Lived down the road from this elevator. Don’t know exact date but Was painted after 1971 for sure. I think it was for Bapco paint if that helps. I took these photos.

    • Thanks for commenting. The fellow who painted it confirmed the date and that’s mentioned in an update at the end of the post. You took which photos? Did you try and include some with your comment as it appears there are none.

  2. Bob Niznik says:

    Thank you for another fine article. I vaguely recall viewing that commercial. It’s great to read comments from those who have ties to what you post; very much adds to the story. Nice countryside in that area (between the QE2 and highway 22); I’ve never visited Nier but passed through that area while traveling (in July ’70) to/from a church camp located west of Water Valley. On a rainy Sunday back then, we passed through Cremona (the rail line was present and in use–several flatcars of large-diameter steel pipe were spotted there for unloading).

    • Thank you Bob. We looked high and low to find the commercial, but came up empty. Would so love to see it. Cool memories you shared. Wow, a rare non-grain movement with those pipes.

  3. Jackie Boros says:

    Colourful!

  4. Gerry Hagel says:

    Actually hauled grain to it.

  5. Jan Normandale says:

    I actually have a Jim A Pearson’s card replica of the Neir elevator. Glad to have a few of his elevators in my collection.

  6. Connie Biggart says:

    Groovy!

  7. Jo Tennant says:

    Within a few miles of home – stood for a long time, local Fire Department burnt it before it could become any more dangerous – I have a few personal pictures of it. Knew the last Elevator Agent that operated it as well.

  8. Lori Ford says:

    We passed it on the way to school and church for years. I always loved the colours. I have a photo at home too.

  9. Wayne says:

    I was one of the three painters who painted this elevator in Nier Ab for hockey night in Canada. Painted on one side only.The year was I believe 1974-75. It was definitely not done in the 60s

    • Thanks for adding to the story. The late Jim Peason, expert on all things grain elevator, told us he found some P&H records dated about 1968-1969 speaking of the paint job. I’ve since added an update to the post, in regards to what you’ve said.

      • Wayne says:

        Chris —- The late Jim Peason is totally wrong about the date.I was not even in Alberta until 1970. As I said earlier I was one of the painters involved in this point job.

        • Sorry this took time for a response – more on why in a second. If Jim was wrong it was only because the info he was given was wrong. He said his data came from Parrish & Heimbecker who owned the elevator so I called them today. They’re still around. Spoke with an old timer who has been on the job with the company more than fifty years. This person knew of the “psychedelic elevator”, as they called it, and told us it was done up about 1969 for a widely broadcast full-colour commercial for a paint firm, in response to more people having colour TVs in Canada than ever before. Looked up the facts, and indeed, more viewers could watch in colour than not in this country that year. So in that respect, it’s a good fit. If a firm connected to it is telling us this, that carries some weight, you have to understand. Second, just for curiosity, we looked up the Paisley paint used and the history behind it. That design is generally connected to the counter-culture movement of the late 1960s and not so much beyond. By the mid-1970s it would generally have been seen as something from the previous era and perhaps an anachronism. Not to say it couldn’t be used after the hippie moment ended but it would make the firm behind it all appear out of touch, which I suspect is not the vibe they were after.

          Not looking for a battle here, but this is what we’ve found. If you have something, a dated photo or some such paper that proves otherwise, anything please, we’re happy to correct the piece with credits and all. Our only goal is facts. If it’s some that counter the ones we’ve found, we’ll post them here.

          • Please seen an update in the post…

          • Dis G Usting says:

            Wow, some people just have to be right even when they clearly are not.

            There is a stench of that effluvium coursing through various pages of this otherwise excellent blog. I suppose a person could be saying they painted the elevator for the glory of it all, but why take someone’s word for it when an alternate, ego-soothing reality can be made to exist out of thin thoughts over the digital divide? The joy, the power, the prestige, the lack of manners towards a reader AND responder!

            The last sentence is basically calling the guy a liar. The “only goal” might be the need to never be wrong, even when demonstrably proven so by a man crazy enough to paint the lofty heights of a grain elevator. BAH.

          • It looks like someone didn’t fully read the entire post as this was addressed in an update a couple years back. You’ll see we continued a dialogue with that commenter and they indeed provided some dated material confirming the year (it was actually midpoint between the time originally sourced by us and what they recalled in their comment). Just an FYI how it works: historic data is sourced, weighed and analyzed and conclusions given based on that. No ego is in play and with new info always coming down the pipe, updates are given as needed with old comments left intact for the record. It’s the nature of the beast but you have to read it all and not skim to get the full picture. Manners? Where in the world was it anything but courteous and respectful? Power? Yes, we’re KING of a world where no one visits! Are we even talking about the same post? Still, you get “comment of the day!” for your passion.

  10. Jim A Pearson says:

    One of my favourite lost elevators!!!!

  11. Dale Stewart says:

    (via Facebook)
    Too bad this is not still standing.

  12. Coinoath Sarsfield says:

    Flower Power!

  13. Very neat! Would have been a sight to see in the psychedelic colours!

  14. Jenn says:

    Very cool! Funny, someone asked me recently if I had ever seen this elevator, and I did not know what they were talking about. I hope they didn’t think I’d seen it in person if it was gone in the early 80’s lol!

    • Everyone’s heard of it. But how many have seen it? No many I suspect. There’s surprisingly few pictures showing it. I could only find two after an exhaustive search including the one used.

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