The work for this gallery was carried out in 1987 and 1988
using a large format view camera. It was motivated by the fact
that the original country elevators were being demolished at the
rate of 50 or more per year in Alberta alone. These ubiquitious
sentinels were the dominant prairie structures for the most part
of the twentieth century and were now rapidly disappearing. Located
approximately ten miles apart on the rail lines they provided
a temporary storage point for farmers' grain prior to pick up
by the major railroads and subsequent delivery to large grain
terminals at Canadian ports.
The relatively close spacing of the country elevators was required
in the early part of the century because it was a practical distance
that farmers could haul grain from their farms using horses and
grain wagons over primitive roads. As roads and trucks improved
in the latter part of the century it became more practical to
construct larger and more widely spaced country elevators. Both
the older and the later types of country elevators are seen in
this gallery. Many communities disappeared while the wider spaced
remainder generally became more prosperous. Examples of these
are also seen.
Some of my prairie photographs and new creative prairie art are available for sale. Go to Art of Harry Palmer at arthp.com to make your selection.