On the road to adventure a pit-stop is made in Chancellor Alberta to view the town’s last grain elevator. There’s not many of these left out here on the prairies and while there’s a deadline to keep, we can’t resist. There in the setting sun and the building all aglow, it’s a quick snapshot of something once so common that no one paid them any mind. Funny how that is.
We documented this building before, maybe eight years ago, but the piece is outdated and missing information. Still, you can see it here: Prairie Sentinels – Chancellor Alberta. Maybe it’s time to for a proper revisit and update what we have.
The elevator, one of several that used to call Chancellor home, sits along an abandoned rail line. It’s there on the far side, but not visible from this angle. Now just a gravel path through the grass it’s yet another reminder of the tremendous change that’s taken place out in rural parts the last few decades. The elevators go, the trains stop running and soon there’s nothing left.
That same weekend… Downtown Bassano – So many historic buildings!
Short Subjects: reports that are short and sweet in nature. It’s stuff interesting enough in itself, but not deserved of the full on BIGDoer.com treatment. Think silly little snippets, vignettes and likewise things of that sort and you’ll be in and out in no time.
I grew up in northern Saskatchewan and you could count the people there on all your digits. We had a couple of grain elevators, I wonder if they are still standing
Why are they not using these elevators any more, and also why have the trains stopped, as their main purpose was moving the product from these elevators?
Smaller facilities like this were replaced by huge terminals and any excess track pulled up. This elevator is still used, however, and a farmer uses it to store grain.
We used to do something called the "pointless challenge" 🤪 and miss those days. It was so much silly fun and often frustrating as heck. In these we'd invite people to send in random photos of obscure locations, but not give any information, and then we'd track where it was and shoot something similar.
Most of these came from old family collections, as was the case here. Anyone up to resurrecting the series?
In hindsight, why didn't we pose someone in our shot?
Pointless: “Devoid of meaning (or) senseless” Merriam-Webster.
If you like what we do and want to support this ongoing project (12 years now), go here: https://www.BIGDoer.com/help-the-society/ Thanks to Connie for making this post possible.
Exploring history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: ca1970 and 2014. Posted by Connie.
Captured on a cold, cold day many years ago. We've been passing this old house for decades and it's little changed in that time. At some point we expect to drive by and it'll be gone.
Exploring history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: 2017. Posted by Connie.
When retired old railway cars usually get cut up for scrap. Sometimes, however, they find their way into the hands of the general public or whomever. Flat cars make good bridges, and boxcars can be transformed into storage buildings and the like. Case in point here. We see them used like this often enough and in this case, it's part of a corral.
Incidentally, this boxcar dates from 1950 and this was found by tracing the old road number, which is still visible.
Exploring history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: 2017. Posted by Connie.
This central Alberta racetrack was never a commercial operation but instead just a fun place for car enthusiasts in the area to get together. Early '70s or thereabouts and it only lasted a few years. Even thought it's been abandoned for that long, there is no doubt what was here.
You know we like the the obscure stuff and this one fits the bill perfectly. Found by accident while backroad cruising and the history comes thanks to local car guy Mike.
Exploring history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: 2022. Posted by Connie.
On top of little Myrtle Mountain in the Kimberley (BC) Nature Park.
There's some good wilderness fun to be had here and nice views as you can see, but the real reason we came is mining history. The whole area near the ski hill was extensively worked over a century ago and we were looking for evidence of this. We didn't find much in the area searched, but it's a big chunk of property and we hope to return to cover more ground again soon. Of all the subjects we cover, mining related is a favourite.
Still, it was a good hike and that can't be bad. Look to the comments for more info 👇.
Exploring nature and history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: 2022. Posted by Connie.
It's a strange curiosity in south Kananaskis, there on a hillside and we have no idea who created it. We asked around and no one's completely sure about its history. In the past it showed the Canada 100 logo from 1967 but in 2017 someone changed it to reflect the country's 150th.
That's our friend Emily from DanOCan.com having a look.
Exploring history with Off the Beaten Path with Chris & Connie. Photo: 2017. Posted by Connie.
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I grew up in northern Saskatchewan and you could count the people there on all your digits. We had a couple of grain elevators, I wonder if they are still standing
Tell us what town an we’ll check. Thanks for commenting!
A bit of the Cargill logo peeks out. Wonderful Herald Ag columnist John Schmidt lived there and referred to himself as the. Exchequer of Chancellor.
How interesting! I seem to recall the logo on the far side is complete. I think.
That’s a nice shot!
Always love to hear from you!
Why are they not using these elevators any more, and also why have the trains stopped, as their main purpose was moving the product from these elevators?
Smaller facilities like this were replaced by huge terminals and any excess track pulled up. This elevator is still used, however, and a farmer uses it to store grain.
Nice picture of the elevator thanks for sharing.
Our pleasure!
You take take such beautiful photos. I really enjoy them.
We appreciate all your comments!
It’s a nice place to stop at. I wonder how the progress is going on that old building that was being restored in the hamlet?
We chatted with the fellow in 2020 (I think) and he was working on it as time permitted.
I recall our previous visit to Chancellor. A nice little place