Backroads Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan has us enamoured. With much history to explore and friendly folks, it’s a place to catch one’s breath, feel at home and revel in its sheer (and sometimes stark) beauty. There’s broad fields of gold, a charming street in some little village or stand there and stare at an historic grain elevator and know what it is to find heaven. Given our busy schedule we don’t visit near often enough (a good argument to have us cloned) but when we do, we go all in. Sleep will come later, there’s things to do and see in the land of living skies.

Taking us back to last summer (hopelessly behind as always), we’re operating out of of our home base in picturesque Wolseley. We’re here on assignment to take in the town’s Drive-In Theatre, a business going back to the 1950s. That’s a post delayed till Covid is behind us, by the way. With time to burn beforehand comes a decision…what to do? That’s super easy…the road calls! We simply point ourselves in a direction, with no plans or expectations and when done many happy hours later, we’re back where we started. Our pleasure level: pig in poop.

Backroads Saskatchewan: random roads, magic moments. Rental car abuse with Chris Doering & Connie Biggart (BIGDoer/Synd)

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This is not deep history project, just random things that caught our attention as we drove about, with maybe a little backstory here and there. It’s a casual, fun piece, where we don’t have to work too hard. Unbutton the shirt and view the world with wonder. Now, let’s take a look at what we saw.

Baring SK Grain Elevator

1) Only the grain elevator remains.

1-2) File this under remote, a lonely grain elevator found in some farmer’s field off a little used road. Dating back over a century it’s been abandoned for almost half that. A rail line used to pass on the far side, but it too is long gone with scant evidence to show it was ever there. The elevator earlier belonged to Maple Leaf Mills, then later the mighty Saskatchewan Wheat Pool, a farmer owner cooperative and once the biggest grain firm in the country. It’s said there was a town of sorts here, but it probably didn’t amount to more than a couple buildings at best.

Scroll down for many more photos and to comment.

3-4) This 1955 Dodge Regent, a Canada only model. It’s basically a Plymouth with Dodge trim made from 1951-1959 over several model-generations. That decade chrome was king and even this low cost offering had its share. To see a 1957 Regent, with (wait for it) tail fins (!!!!) AND in BIGDoer colours (!!!!) go here: Dunshalt Bunkhouse.

5) Three in retirement, (L to R) an early-’50s Chrysler and two Mercuries, one early ’70s and the other late ’50s. Saskatchewan is an old car hot spot. We wonder the history of these rides and any plans the owner might have for them. Many times these old cars simply sit and rust away, but here who knows? No one was about so questions remain unanswered.

6) On Main and Railway in Glenavon. Many prairie towns has two streets so named and they always marked the most important intersection. Down by the tracks (CNR secondary line) it’s an iconic grain elevator. Wood ones are still pretty common in the province, although each years there’s a few less.

7) The Sportsman’s Inn Glenavon. A small town hotel is a must-stop for us. Yummy food and ice cold brew + chatting with locals = one good time. According to those serving us the building goes back to 1910.

8-10) This massive engine once worked at a pipeline pumping station nearby. It’s an Alco V16 from the 1950s. Not just for locomotives, these also found work in generating or pumping plants, drove drilling machinery and powered ships. Look at the sheer size of it and imagine the din made when at full throttle, One of four at the plant in which it operated these were expected to run twenty four seven for months on end without break. And now this one sits in the middle of a children’s playground.

11) On some forgotten Main Street, this former business. In the early days, the small towns scattered across the province held much promise but now many are a shadow of their former selves. Those heady days of old and now it’s silence. No one want to live outside the big city and so these tiny prairie towns wither and when the last few inhabitants pass on, it’s curtains.

12) A steel-wheeled McCormick-Deering. A division of International Harvester, this line was offered from the 1920s-1950s. This appears to be an early to mid-1930s example. Rubber tires became universally accepted later that decade. They’re much easier on the bum for one!

14) Across the tracks remains of an old grain elevator. The green-ish shade tells us this one belonged to Cargill Grain Company a fair sized player in the industry. Company colours were a way to distinguish you from the competition.

15-17) A building losing its battle with time. In town once bustling and full of activity, it’s a former place of business (looks very general store like) this weathered reminder of a once busier era. So many untold stories here, if only we knew. Who’s to chronicle them? Probably no one I guess. We have the enthusiasm but lack the resources. Will this building be there when next we return? Will it collapse soon?

18-21) At Calvary Memorial Shrine built in the 1980s. It’s witness to a yearly pilgrimage but otherwise is quiet and empty here at a crossroads.

22) A shout out to a certain friend whose obsession with hay bales rivals that of us and Bolers. He knows who he is. Those silly things that captivate us. Here, we capture one in the wild, timid and unmoving after being separated from the herd. Shhh, move slow or it’ll spook. That’s not the mighty BIGDoer-mobile but a lowly rental got at a killer price, abused, drag-raced, bag-driven, doughnuts done and then returned with a cheeky smile…”there’s a knock in the engine…by the way.”

23) Holy Family Catholic Church, Odessa. Given the French backgrounds of many early settlers in the area, Catholic Churches are common. This one’s much bigger than one would expect for a small town of this size.

24-25) Reminding us to have a great day, this former rail car turned billboard. Triple DDD? So that’s DDDDDDDDD, right?

26) The Holy Apostles St’s Peter and Paul church built in the 1950s. While these style of “onion dome” churches (typically Eastern Orthodox) are more often seen in northern sections of the province, they can be found elsewhere too.

27-28) This stack is all that remains of a coal-fired power plant in Indian Head that operated for a few decades in early twentieth century. The structure looks true and solid, a testament to those skilled craftsman that built it.

29) The Money Express is made from a GMC Old Look bus. This model was produced from the 1940s to the late 1960s, in many sizes and configurations. What’s with the destination sign? No idea. Was this fodder for a motorhome conversion? Perhaps, but these old buses are not great at highway speeds. Can you say redline at eighty clicks?

30) Indian Head has a fairly modern grain elevator to the right, and across the tracks something older and wooden. Derail: a device to stop runaway railcars. Located on industry sidings, it puts errant ones on the ground before they pick up speed and do more damage down the line. CPR runs a lot of trains along this stretch of track.

Baring Saskatchewan Elevator

2) And now it stands alone in a field.

31) This “twined” elevator in Sintaluta dates from the 1920s and 1960s. Note the Canada 1867-1967 Centennial Logo on the tallest section. This one’s owned by a farmer and used for storage but formerly belonged to the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool.

32-33) Another set of twins (when two once separated elevators are moved and joined to become one operationally), has elements that date to the mid-1950s and the early-1900s! The latter is the brown/green section and is currently the oldest elevator in the province. It still displays a faded National Grain Company logo, circa 1940s-1970s. Later belonging to Cargill Grain (hence the green), today it’s privately owned and used for seed cleaning and grain storage. We’ve toured some other oldies from pre-1910 closer to home (examples here: Alberta’s oldest grain elevators and here: Grain Elevators of DeWinton).

And with this so comes an end to this fun little adventure. Taking it easy, it’s seeing things in a fanciful way and not all stuffy and serious like as we’re sometimes apt to do. Love road trips like…it’s freedom. For some places seen, we hope one day to make a return and take a closer more in depth look. If we can swing it. If Budget (and Avis, Enterprise, Discount, et al.) takes off the blacklist.

Till next time, it’s happy travels.

They’re saying…

”I love their explorations and adventures! Especially those with the history behind them.” Hanna Wylie.

More random wanderings…
Take The Backroad Home.
A Stop or Two Along The Way.
Stops Along the Way….

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

Date of Adventure: August, 2019.
Location(s): Eastern Saskatchewan Backroads.
Article references and thanks: Jim Pearson @ Vanishing Sentinels, Jason Sailer, Allpar.com.
If you visit any of these places, please be respectful.

Dodge Regent

3) This 1950s Dodge Regent,

1950s Dodge Regent

4) It’s a Canada only model.

Old Cars Glenavon SK

5) The three amigos.

Glenavon SK Grain Elevator

6) At Main & Railway.

Glenavon SK Hotel

7) The Sportsman’s Inn.

Alco V16 Engine

8) On display, this huge engine.

Alco 244 Engine

9) It was once used at a pumping station.

Alco 244 16 Cyl

10) These were commonly used in locomotives.

Alco 244 16 Cylinder

11) It’s an “Alco” 244.

Ghost Town SK

12) Hanging with ghosts.

McCormick-Deering Tractor

13) No worrying about a flat.

Grain Elevator Remains Candiac SK

14) Grain elevator remains.

Candiac SK

15) A former business, long empty.

Candiac Saskatchewan

16) Soon to be no more.

Candiac SK Ghost Town

17) With a broken back.

Calvary Memorial Shrine Candiac

18) At the Calvary Memorial Shrine.

Calvary Memorial Shrine 1985

19) Not all that long ago.

Candiac Calvary Memorial Shrine

20) Once a year there’s a pilgrimage here.

Candiac SK Memorial Shrine

21) On opening a door.

Saskatchewan Backroads

22) For a certain friend.

Odessa SK Church

23) Holy Family Church, Odessa.

Odessa SK Grain Elevator

24) An old rail car turned billboard.

Odessa SK Rail Car

25) Have a great day!

Montmartre Ukrainian Church

26) In Montmartre.

Indian Head Power Plant

27) A former power plant.

Indian Head SK Power Plant

28) All that remains is the stack.

GMC Old Look Bus

29) The $$$ Express.

Grain Elevators Indian Head

30) Down by the tracks.

Sintaluta SK Elevator

31) Taking us back to Canada’s Centennial.

Sintaluta Saskatchewan Elevators

32) And not far away.

Sintaluta National Grain

33) The old “National” logo still shows.

46 responses

  1. leo_byrd says:

    good work as always.
    Kudoes !

  2. Denise Stevens says:

    What an outstanding photos – I agree that seeing these abandoned hamlets, towns and buildings makes a person feel very melancholy when you think of how our ancestors came to Saskatchewan so full of hope and promise and opportunity and in less than 100 years most of that history is almost lost

    • Glad you liked the piece. They people came, the prairies boomed for a few decades, and now it’s a long slow decline and one day, they’re will be almost no one (rural anyway).

  3. Connie Biggart says:

    Fabulous photos!

  4. MichaelLeBaron says:

    There is a whole lot more going away out of Canada’s prairie life. These sad old buildings are just the visible symbol.

  5. Martha Maudsley says:

    Wow amazing…

  6. Brenda Chernishenko says:

    This towns & villages on this highway are full of interest & adventure !

  7. Doris Digiorgio I says:

    I want to know where all your people went. You post so many pictures like this.

  8. Nester Jacobs says:

    The problem was the small family farms disappeared ! Life back in the 50s was hard but simple ! The big business farmers now killed the small towns !

    • There’s many factors in play here. Farms sure have gotten huge though. Is it adaptation or big business steamrolling the small guys? Hard to say…

  9. Lorna Jean McLellan says:

    Beautiful!

  10. Kevin Fetter says:

    Such a change since I was a kid. Back in the 80’s, on family trip’s, I see lots of railway track and rail cars beside the grain elevators. So many area’s the track is gone now.

  11. Steve Clayden says:

    Cool!

  12. Laurie Le Clair says:

    This is a beautiful image (Ed: second photo), so stark and lonely. Ghostly. I see grain in the field – has that gone wild or is someone tending these fields?

  13. Cody Glydon says:

    I grew up not far from this elevator (Ed: first two pics). I believe this is Baring, SK which used to sit on the CPR “peanut” line from Wolseley to Reston, MB. Great picture. Thanks for keeping history alive!

    • So many rail line were abandoned, but it’s the economics of it all I guess. Sad though. This line was early on the chopping block, with little left today to show it was ever here.

  14. Robbie Robinson says:

    It is sad that when CPR removed the lines here in Southern Alberta, they removed the white rectangular signs by the highway with the name of the town or siding. I think of it often going south on Hwy. 2 as my father worked at the Alberta Wheat Pool elevator in Durward, south of Nanton.

  15. Cody Robinson says:

    It is sad to see the small towns and family farms disappearing.

  16. JackieBoros says:

    Nice photos.

  17. Donna Krantz Doering says:

    So very sad to see these small town’s disappearing I’m from the town Sylvaina . Wondering if it is still around. Could you please let me know Chris. 🙏🙏

  18. Jean Dunsford O'Rourke says:

    Love it!!

  19. Mark David Zulkoskey says:

    A great region of SK for history seekers. That old elevator pictured is well known in my world and one of my favorites.

  20. Liane Walker says:

    Stunning shots!

  21. Brad says:

    Nice to see you in our neck of the woods. I ran the wood and the concrete in Indian Head for 13 years.

    • We love it out there and wish we could visit more often. We had a second trip planned for the area (we fell in love with it) for this year, but it may have to get bumped account Covid. Thanks for commenting!

  22. Jan says:

    Hi Chis and Connie… love the work you do about the Canadian west. Keep on traveling!
     
    Jan N

    • Thanks for the encouragement Jan! While there’s challenges doing what do, the fun and human interest factors make it all worth while. And of course sharing what we discover with you all is a thrill too.

  23. Some familiar sights for ourselves! Looking forward on your takes on them!

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