Monthly Archive: July 2014

Scotsguard SK bridge

Bridge Hunting – Scotsguard Saskatchewan

In this report we look at one of Saskatchewan’s iconic “bowstring” concrete arch bridges. Beautiful in design, their graceful flowing lines make them a wonderful photographic subject. This one is located near Scotsguard and is almost eighty years old. It once carried the highway over a shallow valley containing a...

Saskatchewan Pool Hodgeville

Prairie Sentinels – Hodgeville Saskatchewan

The village of Hodgeville Saskatchewan has two grain elevators. One is a traditional style wood-cribbed “prairie sentinel” – you know the type, at BIGDoer.com we study them all the time – while the other is a more modern concrete structure. Both sit alongside a disused railway line. The rusty track...

Swift Current Central School

Swift Current then and now – Central School

In late May 2014 we explored the southwest corner of Saskatchewan. For this report, we take a short break from hunting grain elevators and abandoned things to shoot one of our trademark then and now series (well, the now part of it). We’re in Swift Current and our subject is...

Kart World go-kart

Kart Gardens or Kart World?

Kart Gardens or Kart World? It seems that those who owned this Calgary business weren’t even sure themselves. A sign in front lists BOTH names. No matter I guess. What ever it was called, it’s now closed and the site is quickly falling into disrepair. You’ll hear no screaming kids...

DLCX #6930 locomotive

Locomotives of the Great Sandhills Railway

In this article we look at a number locomotives that work for the Great Sandhills Railway in western Saskatchewan. All these were found, completely by chance, while we explored the area in search of old grain elevators and abandoned places. Some of these engines are old, others are very old,...

Two Bolers one Ventura

Two Bolers, one Ventura

Keeping two 17′ Bolers company is a rather rare beast, the first we’ve ever seen of this make. Boler like in proportions, construction and cuteness but not shape – it’s too square – we are talking about a little trailer called a Ventura. Think of it as a boxy Boler....

Mighty BIGDoer-mobile

Calgary then and now – waiting for the Queen

This post has been updated and can be found here: Waiting on the Queen (Calgary 1973). More Then & Nows… Currie Barracks Parade Square. Edmonton Transit: The Lodge Hotel. Loverna SK Then & Now (x2). If you wish more information on what you’ve seen here, by all means contact us!...

Coderre SK elevator

Prairie Sentinels – Coderre Saskatchewan

It’s May 2014. Connie and myself are on whirlwind back road tour of southwest Saskatchewan. Our goal this trip was to capture all things old and abandoned. We visited ghost towns, forgotten farms, photographed old bridges, explored old rail lines. And then there were the grain elevators. There are still...

Calgary Transit 17th Ave SW

Calgary Transit then and now – 17th Ave SW

In this then and now we look at two photos taken in Calgary at the exact same spot some forty plus years apart. The first shows a Calgary Transit trolleybus, the second something a bit more modern. Many things have changed in the time that has past since the original...

Admiral SK grain elevator

Prairie Sentinels – Admiral Saskatchewan

The grain elevator seen here is located in the tiny hamlet of Admiral Saskatchewan. It’s the biggest thing for kilometres around and stands out not only because its unique, it’s the last of it’s kind in town, but also due to its large size and bright orange colour. You can’t...

Burstall Pass hiking trail Kananaskis

Amazing Burstall Pass

I’ve said this before: every hiker should visit Burstall Pass at least once in their lifetime. It’s such an amazing place, so beautiful that it’s almost hard to describe. We’ve visited it on multiple occasions and each and every time, it was a joy to experience. Given how stunning it...

Bay Island Schoolhouse

Bay Island one room school

The Bay Island school sits alone on the bare and open Saskatchewan prairie in the proverbial middle of nowhere. In operation from 1919-1950, it’s the archetypal one room schoolhouse – tiny in size and quaint in appearance, but with an important purpose. Located on a small knoll in area of...

13 foot Boler

Bragg Creek Boler

This little Boler was found in June 2014 very near Bragg Creek Alberta and close to the Kananaskis border. It spotted while we returned from a bike ride in area. I sometimes question the colour choices the Boler company made – brown and white? Not the best combo if you...

Moose Jaw SK train station

Moose Jaw SK then and now – CPR train station

At least seventy years separate the two images seen in this then and now report. We’ll be looking at the Moose Jaw Saskatchewan CPR train station, first as seen in an old postcard and then how it appears today. This fine old structure looks as good now as it did...

Mortlach SK grain elevator

Prairie Sentinels – Mortlach Saskatchewan

Today’s subject is the last grain elevator in Mortlach Saskatchewan. In the town there used to be many such structures and in now there is but one. Overlooking a busy railways line, it’s witness to many passing trains. The logos of both the last and that of the previous owner’s,...

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