Canadian Grain Elevator Discovery Center

Nanton and CPR

What would become the town of Nanton began to be settled by Europeans as they moved west following opportunities for homesteading and agriculture [1]. This area was particularly attractive to Europeans due to its proximity to Calgary and its location along a Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) line that was already in operation running between Calgary and Fort Macleod [1].

The first Europeans settlers began to arrive in the late 1800s and settlement continued into the early 1900s. By July 22, 1903 Nanton was incorporated as village. The village was named after Sir Augustus Nanton who directed firms that financed farms and ranches in Western Canada. Nanton is famous for his role in helping incentivize the settlement of Saskatchewan and Alberta [1]. Over the next several years had a Nanton veritable population explosion and the population of the village reached 500 people by 1906. The following year its designation was switched from a village to a town.

The growth of the town reflected the growth of its population. Businesses started included the post office, real estate offices, general stores, blacksmiths, hotels and boarding houses, restaurants, lumber yards, machinery dealers, bakeries, and more. Four Churches were erected, Nanton’s original schoolhouse was built, and of course the agricultural foundation of the town was reflected in the construction of multiple grain elevators along the CPR line [1,2].

 

The Nanton Grain Elevators

Grain elevators were typically spaced 8-13km apart. This was within a day’s haul with wagons or sleighs, depending on the weather, pulled by horses, mules or oxen. While some small towns may have only one or two elevators it was typical for many, such as Nanton, to have 5-6 elevators owned by different companies [2]. Today however only three still remain all operated by the Discovery Grain Elevator, these are an orange Pioneer elevator and the twin green Alberta Wheat Pool elevators [2,3].

Although the name has been painted over the Pioneer elevator, it is recognizable by the trade-mark day-glow orange paint used on all Pioneer elevators [3]. It is unknown exactly when this structure was erected but it was built and owned by the United Grain Growers (UGG) company. An annex was added onto the exterior of the elevator, and to the south is a coal shed which would have been used likely into the 1970s before being converted into a space for equipment storage [3].

To the north of the Pioneer elevator are twin Prairie Wheat Pool elevators. The first of these would have been erected in 1929. Although it was more expensive than adding an annex, sometimes companies would build a second elevator next to or attached to an already constructed one for increased storage and operation capacity. The second of these elevators was added to the first in 1939.

Various upgrades happened through the years as the elevators were a structural and social pillar for the town. In addition to storing grain the elevators were a community hub as the spot to buy coal and fertilizer, to socialize with elevator staff and volunteers over a game of cards, and even as a spot to buy hail insurance! The last Nanton elevator stopped operations in 2001 [2].

The Canadian Grain Elevator Discovery Centre

Out of the multiple grain elevators that have existed in Nanton, today only the Pioneer and twin pool elevators are still standing. This is a loss of structures reflected in prairie towns across Canada. Current estimates suggest more than 90% of Canada’s total grain elevators have been lost to development, disrepair, upkeep costs or natural disasters [5]. However, many towns, historical societies, and volunteer groups such as Nanton’s “Save One” society are rallying to try to preserve these sites (see the Ogilvie and Markinch grain elevators also digitally preserved by Capture2Preserve).

The original goal of Save One was to save the largest of the Nanton Grain elevators. Through hard work in this community, and funding provided by hard won restoration grants, the Canadian Grain Elevator Discovery Centre proudly has preserved all three of these elevator structures [2,4]. They even received a Provincial Historic Designation for this site in 2022 and continue to work tirelessly to upkeep these structures today [4].

 

Notes:

This site is located on Treaty 7 Territory of Southern Alberta, which is the traditional and ancestral territory of the Blackfoot Confederacy: Kainai, Piikani and Siksika as well as the Tsuu T’ina Nation and Stoney Nakoda First Nation. This territory is home to the Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3 within the historical Northwest Métis Homeland. We acknowledge the many First Nations, Métis and Inuit who have lived in and cared for these lands for generations. We are grateful for the traditional Knowledge Keepers and Elders who are still with us today and those who have gone before us. We make this acknowledgement as an act of reconciliation and gratitude to those whose territory we reside on or are visiting.

[1] Biard, Craig. 2021. The History of Nanton. Canadian History Ehx November 1. Electronic document, https://canadaehx.com/2021/11/01/the-history-of-nanton/, accessed May 31, 2024.

[2] Canadian Grain Elevator Discovery Centre. 2024. History of Nanton Grain Elevators. Electronic document, https://www.nantongrainelevators.com/our-history/, accessed May 31, 2024.

[3] Doering, Chris. 2021. Nanton Alberta, Elevators and Old Things. Exploring History. Electronic document, https://www.bigdoer.com/5814/exploring-history/nanton-alberta-elevators-and-old-things/, accessed May 31, 2024.

[4] Campbell, Quinn. 2022. Nanton Grain Elevators get Historic Designation. April 20 Global News. Electronic document, https://globalnews.ca/news/8773642/nanton-alberta-grain-elevators-historic-designation/, accessed June 19, 2024.

[5] Graveland, B. 2024. ‘Icons of the Prairies’: One Alberta Man’s Quest to Preserve Nanton’s Grain Elevators. Global News June 23. Electronic document, https://globalnews.ca/news/10583329/nanton-alberta-grain-elevator-restoration/, accessed June 28, 2024.

This photo gallery shows historic and modern photos of the Nanton grain elevators. Modern images are from the Canadian Grain Elevator Discovery Centre and historic images have been provided by Glenbow Library and Archives Collection, Libraries and Cultural Resources Digital Collections, University of Calgary.