RESEARCH

THE WOODEN GRAIN TOWERS OF WESTERN CANADIAN PRAIRIE AND TOWN

ANNA WEGIERSKA MUTIN

Abstract

In almost every Western Canadian prairie town groups of large, bold in color grain elevators stood. Their forms punctuated the landscape, defined the space, and in town, focused town activity unto themselves. Central in role, position and visual power they became the icons of the prairie. Their numbers dwindled recently- from over five thousand at a high point in the 1930’s only over two hundred now remain.

The research focuses on all the aspects of grain elevators presence - first on the forces that shaped development of the western Canadian prairie beginning in the latter third of the nineteenth century: the survey and sub-division of the land and onset of settling the prairie, the rise of grain enterprises operating in the prairies which made the storing and marketing of grain possible, and the expansion of rail networks and the role of the railroads in the formation of towns serving a grain economy. Following, it focuses on the development and form of the grain elevator, it’s construction, the mechanics of it’s operation, it’s tallness, scale and boldness of color. Next, it focuses on town typologies, the alignment of the railroad in relation to the layout of the town, and the orientation of the main street for business in relation to railroad avenue where the grain elevators were situated. Finally the focus is on the siting of the elevators in town and in the prairie, and importantly on the tremendous sense of place formed by the elevators, the capacity to generate the activity associated with that presence, resting finally to pause and reflect at the resulting factors of elevators demise including, importantly the depiction of the elevators, prairie towns and prairie life in art.