Key Number:	HS 29267
Site Name:	Alberta Grain Company Grain Elevator
Other Names:	St. Albert - Alberta Wheat Pool Elevator No 2
Site Type:	0416 - Mercantile/Commercial: Storage Elevator

Location

ATS Legal Description:

			Twp	Rge	Mer
			54	25	4

Address:	4 C Meadowview Drive
Number:
Street:	N/A
Avenue:	Mission
Other:
Town:	St. Albert
Near Town:

Media

Type	Number	Date	View	Source

Architectural

Style:	Single Wood Elevator & Cribbed Annex(es)
Plan Shape:	Rectangular
Storeys:	Storeys: 4 or more
Foundation:	Basement/Foundation Wall Material: Concrete
Superstructure:	Wood Cribbing
Superstructure Cover:	Wood Metal: Sheet
Roof Structure:	Medium Gable
Roof Cover:
Exterior Codes:	Elevator: Logo: Other Elevator: Paint Colour: White Elevator: Associated Buildings: Annex Elevator: Associated Buildings: Outbuilding
Exterior:	Style: single wood elevator and cribbed annex. Structure Cover: galvanized sheet metal over lapped wood siding. Storage annex, with annexed outbuilding and detached outbuilding. Painted white with Alberta Grain Company logo in blue.
Interior:	Capacity 38,000 bu, 1064 tonnes.
Environment:	N/A
Condition:	Structure: Good. Repair: Good. 22 MAY 1980. Good (2009)
Alterations:	1937 - Rebuilt. Raised vertically in 1937 to increase capacity. Sheet metal siding added over original lapped wood.

Historical

Construction:	Construction Date:
Construction Started	1906/01/01
Usage:	Usage Date:
Grain storage Grain Elevator Historic Site	1906/01/01 1937/01/01 1992/11/15
Owner:	Owner Date:
Alberta Pacific Grain Federal Grain Co. Alberta Wheat Pool	1906/01/01 1967/06/17 1972/04/01

Architect:	N/A
Builder:	N/A
Craftsman:	N/A
History:	Previous address: 108 Mission Avenue Site: Alberta Grain Co. - St. Albert Statement of Significance : This traditional elevator is one of two extant traditional elevators built by the Alberta Grain Co. in 1906, but was, however, extensively rebuilt and remodelled in 1937. The 1906 St. Albert elevator is one of two extant traditional elevators built by the Alberta Grain Co. who also built one at Hobbema in the same year. This elevator was, however, extensively rebuilt and remodelled in 1937 to accommodate new equipment and to increase capacity, decreasing the level of integrity associated with its construction date and early operation. The Alberta Grain Co., founded in 1900 by Winnipeg grain man Nicholas Bawlf, was based in Calgary and grew quickly. At St. Albert the company's elevator was built even before the CNR line was in place. In 1912 Alberta Grain Co. merged with Alberta Pacific Elevator Co. to become Alberta Pacific Grain Company Ltd. and later from 1943 it was known as The Alberta Pacific Grain Company (1943) Ltd. In 1967 the elevator was sold to Federal Grain, who in turn sold their holdings to the Alberta Wheat Pool. The pool operated it until the point closed in 1989. Together with the 1929 elevator built by Alberta Pool Elevators Ltd., it forms a row of two complexes. The threat of demolition of the elevators in a rapidly changing St. Albert landscape gave the elevators cherished landmark value and preservation efforts ensured they were ultimately acquired by the City of St. Albert as part of a museum complex. Other observations: The elevators at St. Albert, owned by the City of St. Albert, were provincially designated as a Registered Historic Resource -1992/11/15. * * * RESOURCE Alberta Wheat Pool Elevators No. 1 and 2 ADDRESS 44 Meadowview Drive, St. Albert BUILT 1906 and 1929 DESIGNATION STATUS Registered Historic Resource HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE These two grain elevators were built in 1906 and 1929 respectively. The 1906 elevator was extensively rebuilt and remodeled in 1937 to accommodate new equipment and to increase capacity. Nevertheless, a construction date of 1906 makes this an early example of the tall, rectangular elevators which began to replace older flat warehouse facilities in Western Canada after 1881. Indeed this elevator was built just ten years after the first elevator of this type in Alberta was built by the Brackman-Kerr Milling Company in Edmonton in 1896. This early elevator was also built on Canadian Northern property, but before the rail line had even reached St. Albert. The 1906 elevator was owned and operated by a series of companies beginning with the Alberta Grain Company and its successor, the Alberta Pacific Grain Company. Alberta Pacific operated the elevator until 1967, when it was sold to Federal Grain, who in turn sold their holdings to the Alberta Wheat Pool. This gave the Pool two elevators in St. Albert since they had built the second of these two elevators themselves in 1929. Both elevators continued in use until 1989 when the Alberta Wheat Pool finally closed its operations in St. Albert. Threatened with demolition, they were saved by the City of St. Albert and the Musee Heritage Museum and made part of the museum complex. * * * D-1723 - ALBERTA GRAIN COMPANY ELEVATOR, ST. ALBERT HISTORICAL CONTEXT: When Father Lacombe established his Mission on the north bank of the Sturgeon River in 1861, he began not only a church which would evolve into an Oblate bishopric, he also initiated a settlement which would evolve into a town and, eventually, a city. By 1870, the population around the Church had increased to such an extent that the spread out community had become the largest settlement between Winnipeg and Vancouver. It was Lacombe's intent to have the Metis resident around his parish become farmers, and so he encouraged them to till the soil. By the time the St. Albert Settlement was surveyed in 1880, many of the river lots featured gardens and small fields of wheat, oats and barley. From this time until the middle of the 20th century, St. Albert was mainly a farming community. Initially, most grain grown in the fields around St. Albert was for domestic use, some as fodder for horses and cattle, some for the making of bread, with wheat ground into flour with domestic mills. Then, after the Calgary & Edmonton Railway arrived South Edmonton in 1891, some of the grain from the district began to be shipped to outside markets via this terminal. The 1890's also saw much land beyond St. Albert opened up for homesteading. The community itself therefore continued to grow and take on he appearance of a northern prairie farming town, and, in 1899, it was incorporated as a village with over 100 people. During these years, the St. Albert Trail saw many horse-drawn wagon loads of grain taken to the railhead in Strathcona, or to various mills in Edmonton or Strathcona. In St. Albert itself, a flour mill was built by a group of local businessmen called the St. Albert Company. In the fall of 1905, the Canadian Northern Railway entered Edmonton from the east, and, immediately, more farmland in the areas out from St. Albert was opened up for settlement. The year before, St. Albert had been incorporated as a town with over 200 people. The trip to sell grain at the elevators of Edmonton was also made much shorter. Some farmers, however, were now selling their grain at St. Albert's first grain elevator, built in 1906 by the St. Albert Company. Then, in 1909, on the strength of provincial government bond guarantees, the Canadian Northern Railway constructed a rail line from its terminal in Edmonton across the Sturgeon River to the west side of the town with the full intention of having it divide at this location, with lines eventually continuing on to Vancouver, the Peace River Country, and Athabasca Landing. With the completion of the Canadian Northern line to St. Albert, the town became immediately eligible for a railway grain elevator, and so one was built, probably in 1909. This was a typical prairie elevator with a capacity for 30,000 bushels, and was taken over by the Alberta Pacific Grain Company in 1912, when the Alberta Grain Company and the Alberta Pacific Elevator Company merged. This elevator continued to serve the St. Albert district until 1937, when it was extensively remodeled. By this time, it had been joined by Gillespie and Alberta Wheat Pool elevators. In 1967, it was sold to the Federal Grain Company, which, a few years later, would sell their holdings to the Alberta Wheat Pool. The Pool would continue to operate it along with its other St. Albert elevator until St. Albert was closed as a railway point for the export of grain in 1989. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The historical significance of the Alberta Grain Company Elevator in St. Albert lies in its service as a grain elevator to the district from about 1909 to 1989, although extensive rebuilding and renovations of the structure took place in 1937. As such, it was a focal point for the main economy of the district for most of the first half of the 20th century. ****** PROVINCIAL DESIGNATION RECOMMENDATION SUBJECT: Alberta Grain Company Elevator, St. Albert FILE: Des. 2173 (formerly Des. 1723) Description of Historic Place The Alberta Grain Company Elevator is a rectangular traditional elevator clad in sheet metal located on a 0.8 hectare parcel of land adjacent to the Canadian National Railway (C.N.R.) line along Mission Avenue in the City of St. Albert. Alberta Grain Company Elevator, St. Albert Heritage Resource Management Branch, 2004 Background 1. The Alberta Grain Company Elevator (formerly Elevator No. 1) in St. Albert was designated as a Registered Historic Resource on November 15, 1992. 2. The request to upgrade to a Provincial Historic Resource was received from the owner, the City of St. Albert, in March 2004. 3. Staff of the Heritage Resource Management Branch reviewed information on the site in November 2004. 4. It was determined that the Alberta Grain Company Elevator merits designation as a Provincial Historic Resource. An upgrade in the level of designation from a Registered to a Provincial Historic Resource is recommended. * * * * SIGNIFICANCE ASSESSMENT The Alberta Grain Company Elevator possesses heritage value as one of the oldest extant elevators in the province, built by one of its earliest grain companies. The elevator was built by the Alberta Grain Company in anticipation of the CN Line being extended west from Edmonton to St. Albert. It is one of two extant traditional elevators built by the Alberta Grain Company in 1906. It is pre-dated by only the 1905 Alberta Pacific Grain Company Elevator in Raley. The building, which operated between 1906 and 1989, represents the primary method of grain storage and marketing for the district of St. Albert. The elevator speaks to the opening of the area to agricultural settlement and the beginning of a profitable commercial grain trade in the pre-World War One era. The grain economy formed the main industry of central and north Alberta during the first half of the twentieth century. B. Institution / Person ASSESSMENT The Alberta Grain Company Elevator is significant for its association with an unusual number of grain handling companies which played leading roles in the province's grain economy. Although modified substantially in 1937 to move higher volumes of grain, the elevator at St. Albert is significant for its association with the Alberta Grain Company, one of the early major players in the handling of grain in Alberta. Built by the Alberta Grain Company in 1906 it was subsequently owned by the Alberta Pacific Grain Company (1912), Federal Grain Company (1967) and Alberta Wheat Pool (1972). Structural evidence of all four companies has all but disappeared from the Alberta landscape, especially the former three. The Elevator is one of two extant traditional grain elevators built by the Alberta Grain Company, which was founded in 1900 by Winnipeg grain man, Nicholas Bawlf. The Alberta Grain Company was based in Calgary and grew very quickly to become one of the larger grain handling companies in the province shortly after the turn of the twentieth century. In 1912, the Alberta Grain Company merged with the Alberta Pacific Elevator Company to become Alberta Pacific Grain Company Ltd. Later, from 1943, it was known as the Alberta Pacific Grain Company (1943) Ltd. C. Design / Style / Construction ASSESSMENT The 30,000 bushel, rectangular, gasoline-powered structure is one of the earliest extant traditional wooden grain elevators in Alberta. It is also a significant illustration of technological adaptation. Before the practice of constructing annexes became common, the elevator was renovated in 1937 to accommodate new equipment and raised vertically to enlarge the bins in order to move higher volumes of grain. As a result it remained operational until St. Albert was closed as a railway point for grain export in 1989. E. Landmark / Symbolic Value ASSESSMENT Wood frame grain elevators are perhaps the most significant architectural symbol of the grain growing region of western Canada. Since their construction throughout the twentieth century they have dominated, and in many ways defined, the character of the rural landscape of Alberta, Saskatchewan and parts of Manitoba. Grain elevators are "icons" of the prairie provinces and have extremely high landmark and symbolic value. While the Alberta Grain Company Elevator is not as visible as other similar elevators in more rural areas, it, along with the adjacent Albert Wheat Pool Elevator, are the remains of an elevator row which contributes greatly to the historic character of the province. INTEGRITY ASSESSMENT The Alberta Grain Company Elevator in St. Albert maintains the identity for which it is significant and retains the aspects of integrity that enable it to communicate its significance. The building has retained the character-defining elements, materials and equipment that relate to its significance as an example of an early crib-style elevator, built by the Alberta Grain Company in 1906 and uniquely remodeled in 1937 to increase its capacity. Additionally, the resource maintains authentic relationships with the river lots and the CN rail line. The City of St. Albert is committed to the preservation of the Alberta Grain Company Elevator and its neighbour according to the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada. RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING The owner, the City of St. Albert, is fully committed to the preservation of the Alberta Grain Company Elevator. Public support is very high for the preservation of the resource which, together with the adjacent Alberta Wheat Pool Elevator, is the remains of an elevator row that is a significant community landmark. The property has been designated the St. Albert Grain Elevator Park by the city and is managed by the Musée Héritage Museum. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE DESCRIPTION OF HISTORIC PLACE The Alberta Grain Company Elevator is a rectangular traditional grain elevator clad in sheet metal located immediately west of the Alberta Wheat Pool Elevator on a 0.8 hectare parcel of land adjacent to the CN rail line on Mission Avenue in the City of St. Albert. HERITAGE VALUE The Alberta Grain Company Elevator possesses heritage value as one of the oldest extant elevators in the province built by one of its earliest grain companies, the Alberta Grain Company. It is also significant for its association with an unusual number of grain handling companies that feature prominently in Alberta's economic history: the Alberta Grain Company, the Alberta Pacific Grain Company, the Federal Grain Company and the Alberta Wheat Pool. The construction of two rail lines to Edmonton - the Calgary and Edmonton Railway in 1891 and the Canadian Northern Railway in 1905 - opened up central-northern Alberta to agricultural settlement and spurred the growth of a grain economy in the region. In anticipation of the CN line being extended west to St. Albert, and caught up in the optimism about the area's prospects for development, the Alberta Grain Company built the elevator in 1906 (although the line was not extended for another three years). The 30, 000 bushel, rectangular, gasoline-powered structure is one of the earliest extant elevators in Alberta; indeed, the first elevator of this type in Alberta had been built only ten years before. The Alberta Grain Company Elevator also provides rare structural evidence of an unusual number of companies who played leading roles in the province's grain economy. The building was owned by the Alberta Grain Company, the Alberta Pacific Grain Company, the Federal Grain Company, and finally acquired by the Alberta Wheat Pool in 1972. The elevator was extensively remodeled in 1937 to increase its capacity, by raising the structure vertically in order to enlarge the bins. This was a technique for moving higher volumes of grain before the construction of adjacent annexes became common. Consequently the elevator was able to operate until 1989 when St. Albert was closed as a railway point for grain export. Together, the 1906 Alberta Grain Company Elevator and the 1929 Alberta Wheat Pool Grain Elevator form an elevator row that is a landmark for the community of St. Albert. Source: Alberta Community Development, Heritage Resource Management Branch (Files: Des. 1723 and Des. 2173) CHARACTER-DEFINING ELEMENTS The heritage value of the Alberta Grain Company Elevator lies in such character-defining elements as: - the form, scale and massing of the grain elevator and its ancillary structures; - the tall rectangular design expressing its grain handling function, with wooden crib construction, exposed structural members, sloping shoulder design, wood framing, and cupola; - metal cladding of pattern pressed galvanized sheet metal overtop of lapped wood siding; - in situ components of the grain handling systems, such as the elevator leg and distributor, weigh scale, hopper scale, and drive shed scale bed; control wheel and levers, electric motors, bins, hopper, belts and pulleys for the vertical conveyor belt; wood bins and chutes; man-lift; - fenestration pattern; -prominent corporate signage; - the external visual relationship between the site and the rail line, and with the 1929 Alberta Wheat Pool Grain Elevator. * * * Built in 1906 by the Alberta Grain Co. next to Canadian Northern Railway tracks in St. Albert. Raised vertically in 1937. Sold to Federal Grain, then Alberta Wheat Pool in 1967. Used until 1989 when St. Albert was abandoned as a grain export point. Acquired by the City of St. Albert, and designated a significant historic resource of HRV 1 in 1992. Currently incorporated within the St. Albert Historic Site Complex.

Internal

Designation Status:	Designation Date:
Provincial Historic Resource	2007/01/19

Register:	N/A

Links

Internet:
Alberta Register of Historic Places:	4665-1071