Key Number:	HS 68204
Site Name:	Warner - Elevator Row
Other Names:
Site Type:	0489 - Elevator Row

Location

ATS Legal Description:

			Twp	Rge	Mer
			4	17	4

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Town:	Warner
Near Town:

Media

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Architectural

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Historical

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History:	WARNER – ELEVATOR ROW HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE Warner had two elevators prior to 1911. One was 30,000 bushel house built by Alberta Pacific Elevator Co., and the other was a 25,000 bushel elevator built by Jones and Dill. In 1913 the first elevator remaining in the present row was constructed by the Alberta Farmers’ Co-operative Elevator Co. The individual structural and narrative history of the elevators illustrates well developments in the grain industry and individual companies from before WWI to the 1980s. ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE The row at Warner is of significance for its massing of complexes. The elevators built at Warner date from 1913 to 1960. The row includes an early example of the Alberta Farmers’ Co-operative Elevator company design, and an example of several different complex component arrangements; elevator and twin, elevator and annexes of several types, original type offices and replacement offices. The row has a total of six complexes, with a total of eight elevators. The elevator built by Ellison Milling and Elevator Co. in 1939 is a architecturally significant example of a 1940s complex that has undergone almost no change, comprised of elevator, two balloon annexes and a trackside office/warehouse, usually associated with an earlier period. There are only a small number of elevators from the later 1930s left standing in the province; a reminder that few were built for some time after 1934. STRUCTURAL HISTORY North to south UNITED GRAIN GROWERS This elevator and accompanying annex was built 1957-1960. It was UGG’s second elevator at Warner, the first having been sold to Alberta Pool Elevators in 1928. It was licensed for 134,000 bushels in 1960. The elevator has had substantial upgrading in the late 1980s, including the installation of a new leg that has required heightening part of the cupola roof. The metal bin annexes on the south side, complete with drag auger, also date from this time. A cyclone dust collector and truck loading spout have also been installed. A roofed warehouse located trackside on the north side of the elevator, was most likely built at the same time as the elevator. X.C. HADFORD COMPANY This elevator was built by X. C. Hadford Company in 1950. It was licensed as a 15,000 seed plant in 1952. It is now operated by Demeter Argo, owned by the Alberta Wheat Pool. In 1992 it was licensed as a primary elevator with a capacity of 240 Tones. It is used to handle mustard seed. No further information on the structural history of the complex has been found. ALBERTA FARMERS CO-OPRATIVE ELEVATOR COMPANY (TWIN) This 35,000 bushel elevator was built in 1913. It measures 31 x 42 x 65 feet. This elevator is one of two oldest extant examples of the standard design used by Alberta Farmers’ Elevator Co. 1913-1917. It is built on the standard plan used by the Alberta Farmers Co-operative elevator company. It has a pyramidal roof with a gable roofed cupola housing the head of the leg. Archival photographs of other Alberta Farmers’ Co-operative Elevator Co. facilities suggest that this elevator probably originally had an office that sat trackside beside the elevator also served as a warehouse. In 1913 the UFA proposed the establishment of the Alberta Farmers’ Elevator Co. as the solution to producers’ problems in Alberta. Shares were issued to farmers at $60 par value, payable in four annual installments. The Alberta Government provided financing through a loan for 85 per cent of the share sum. In order to market their grain and guarantee their loans during a time of rapid war time expansion the Alberta Farmers’ Co-operative Elevator Co. relied on the experience of the Grain Growers Grain Co. of Manitoba. In 1917 the two companies amalgamated to form the United Grain Growers, with headquarters Winnipeg. In 1928 UGG sold their 1913 Warner elevator to Alberta Pool Elevator Co. A coal shed that had been associated with the elevator since 1926 was sold in 1940 and removed from the site. In 1940 a 35,000 bushel balloon annex, built by F. W. McDougall Construction Company, was added to the elevator. It was removed at an unknown date. The elevator was twinned with a new elevator constructed by the Pool in 1951. A new driveway was constructed at this time. The 1913 elevator has a high degree of structural and mechanical integrity. The trackside loading area has not been modified. The metal cladding is original to the structure. The cupola, however, has been reclad with siding. ALBERTA WHEAT POOL This 60,000 elevator was built in 1951, and subsequently twinned with the 1913 elevator. It measures 38 x 42 x 65 feet. The elevator has a high degree of structural and mechanical integrity and appears much as it did in 1951. The short scale and pneumatic dump are still in place. ALBERTA POOL ELEVATOR CO. This elevator was built by Voss Bros for Alberta Pool Elevator Co. in 1928. It was built according to the standard 40,000 bushel plan, at a cost of $15,300. It measures 34 x 35 x 62 feet. A balloon annex was built in 1940, on the south side. It was removed in 1995. The elevator has a high degree of structural and mechanical integrity, and is complete with original scale and pneumatic dump. The rear part of the office, now that the engine has been removed, has been converted into a warehouse. This elevator served as AWP’s #2 elevator in the summer of 1997. ALBERTA PACIFIC GRAIN CO. (TWIN) This 45,000 bushel elevator was built in 1918 by Alberta Pacific Grain Co. It replaced a pre 1911 Alberta Pacific Elevator Co. It may have had an annex as it was licensed in 1918 for 60,000 bushels and for only 45,000 bushels in 1922. In 1953 a 23,000 bushel annex was attached to the north side of the elevator. A second annex was added in 1959. In 1967 the elevator was taken over by Federal Grain Ltd. The next year Federal built a new elevator and twinned it with the 1918 elevator. The 1959 annex was then moved to the south side of the new elevator. A driveway was built the length of both elevators at this time. The 1953 annex was removed in 1997. In 1972 the complex was sold to Alberta Wheat Pool; in the summer of 1997 it served as AWP #4 house. FEDERAL GRAIN LTD. This 65,000 bushel elevator was built by Federal Grain Ltd. In 1968, and twinned with 1918 elevator Federal had taken over the previous year. It measures 38 x 44 x 66 feet. The elevator has no structural upgrading but it does have an electronic scale, and an exterior loading spout for trucks. This elevator was among the last built on the traditional design, before the single composite design came into widespread use. OGILVIE FLOUR MILLS This 35,000 elevator was built by Ogilvie Flour Mills in 1929. A 30,000 bushel balloon annex was added in 1940, and a second one with 25,000 bushel capacity in 1952. One of the annexes was removed in 1997. The driveway has been heightened, but despite this is still too low for larger trucks. An auger is used to dump the trucks into the pit. The driveway ramp is very steep. The elevator has a high degree of structural and mechanical integrity. The elevator has an attached office, that appears to be original to the site. A small scale is still in place along with a pneumatic dump. The metal cladding is typical of Ogilvie Flour Co. elevators. The ghost logo of the company is still visible on the walls of the elevator. The elevator was being used to load mustard in the summer of 1997. ELLSION MILLING AND ELEVATOR CO. This 40,000 bushel elevator was built by Ellison Milling and Flour Co. in 1939. The annexes were undoubtedly constructed during the war as temporary storage. In 1974 the elevator went to Parrish and Heimbecker. It was purchased by UGG in 1985. The positioning of the annexes, one trackside and the other parallel to the driveway is typical of the layout favoured for annexes during the war when two or more were used. The elevator has had little upgrading; the trackside loading area is in tact apart from the installation of a hopper car loading spout. The P H ghost logo is visible on the east and west sides of the elevator. The elevator office is a larger rectangular wood frame structure with a gable roof. It appears to serve as an office and as a warehouse. The position of the office, trackside beside the elevator with the door facing the driveway ramp, is unusual for a complex bult at this time. INTEGRITY The row at Warner has a high degree of integrity, few elevators have been removed from the row which is perhaps the most impressive row in Alberta with six complexes. The individual elevators, with the exception of the UGG elevator, have had little modification and several have old small scales and air dumps in situ.

Internal

Designation Status:	Designation Date:
(not assigned)

Register:	N/A

Links

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Alberta Register of Historic Places: