Prairie Landmarks in Reston - The Grain Elevators

Reston looking west - picture from Robin Lowrie here

Welcome to the first post of 2022 in Historic Reston Bricks and Boards! I’ve chosen to summarize what I can find about the history of Reston, Manitoba's grain elevators.  We all recognize the gradual disappearance of these prairie landmarks and the wooden traditional buildings are becoming few and far between. Gordon Goldsborough and the Manitoba Historical Society are attempting to record the history from these prairie giants before they are all gone and memories fade.  you can read more about the project here.   Most of the details for this post were found in the blue Trails Along the Pipestone from 1981 and corrections and additions are always welcome to ssimms@escape.ca .

The Western Canada Fire Underwriter’s Map below dated 1928, borrowed from the Reston Museum, is a helpful bird’s eye visual of the buildings on the streets in Reston at this time.  Elevator Row is shown in a green bar along First Avenue and then a closer view in the next 2 pictures. Coal and oil warehouses were also in the row to give ready access to the railway to get their stock. 

The first buildings the grain buyers used to store purchases from the farmers were flat warehouses where grain was shoveled in and then shoveled into boxcars or grain bags were transferred. Deyell, Mann, and Alex Dickie are names associated with grain buying in Reston in the early days before the turn of the century. Labour saving more efficient inventions were taking over everywhere as time went on.  This link takes you to a paper called The Architecture of Grain Elevators which gives clear explanations of how tall elevators work and great pictures of the parts of elevators.

Starting on the far west end north of the tracks was the Victoria Elevator Company’s 30,000 bushel facility. It was built in 1926 and was sold to Pioneer Grain, then McCabe and finally UGG before it was dismantled in 1948. 

About 1910 From Prairie Towns website here

The Lake of the Woods Milling Co had a 35,000 bushel space, and sat between Third and Fourth Streets. It was the first of the tall elevator buildings where grain was carried up on a belt of cups to be stored and gravity fed it down when it was time to load it in rail cars.  It was first built in 1893 and went from horse power to gas engine to electricity. Thomas Mutter was a long time agent and was followed by his sons Jack and Bert. The receipt shown is dated June 1943 and I assume it was for Five Roses Flour.  A 98 pound sack for $2.75? Baking bread and biscuits, cakes and pies at home would use a lot of flour.  The Lake of the Woods elevator was destroyed by fire in 1950 and not rebuilt. 

The United Grain Growers No 166 with a capacity of 28,000 bushels. It had been built in 1926 as a McCabe elevator and became a UGG in 1943. I'm not sure if this is the one below and I am not sure of the date of 1912 would be right when you see the power poles and wires.  The workers may be shingling and I can only admire their skill and courage to do that job!

 

Postcard from about 1912 at Peel's here

The Reston Cooperative Pool Elevator Association Ltd No 137 was built in 1928 enlarged over the years with annexes.  It is easy to identify in pictures having dark brown paint and a lot of white lettering.  Applying that paint would be another job not or he faint of heart!  The first manager was R. W. Trimble followed by Ted W. Ballance.  Next was local man, Charlie Caldwell who was followed by C.A. Guthrie, Ernie S. Westaway and John A. Williamson. Russ Ellis and Don Leadbeater also managed the elevator for a time.  The Cooperative Movement began in the 20's as a way for farmers to combat the low grades and prices they were receiving for their product and have a say in marketing the grain. 

 

In the late 1950's, a new United Grain Growers elevator was built at the end of Main Street. J.D. Bulloch was UGG manager in Reston for an amazing 38 years. W.E. Pierce, Oliver Chester, Wilbert Simpson, Bob Turnbull Sr., Gerry Clark, and Randy Boulton each spent time here as managers too.  

Seed, spray and fertilizer sales were added to the operation over the years.   This elevator was overseen by a local board of directors from 1916 forward. Annual company conventions were held and a delegate from Reston was sponsored to attend.  The buildings were demolished in a cloud of grain dust in 2001.

The picture to the right is from 1971 and more photos can be found here on the Manitoba Historical Society webpage. 

In 1976-77 the Pool elevator built a modern facility south of the tracks and is the only one still standing. My husband Randy was employed as a teenager on the crew to help build it!  Private owners -Elliott Brothers- purchased it to store their grain in 2001.  Local farmers served on the board and had decision making power to an extent but it gradually faded as small rail points were not part of new business models for the rail or grain companies.

In 1922, there was a thriving life going up and down the tracks and to the businesses on elevator row.  One hundred years later it is a very different picture but Reston continues to grow and adapt to the changing times.