Ogilvie’s Wrentham

The Ogilvie Flour Mills firm once had a good sized network of rural grain elevators scattered across the Canadian Prairies. At the peak, latter half of the 1920s, there was a couple hundred such places (and change) in three provinces, with roughly a quarter of the total in Alberta. Had you visited Seven Persons, Spring Coulee, Arrowwood or Hilda back in the day you’d see a towering “prairie sentinel” just like the one here, emblazoned with the Ogilvie logo. When compared to the big guys (The Alberta Pool around here was king) they were minor league, but still they moved a lot of grain.

Ogilvie Flour (Royal Brand) and cereals were big sellers and these locations fed a number of massive company owned mills found at various strategic locations. We did a then & now piece on one of the latter that still stands in Medicine Hat – scroll own for the link. Present day that facility and a single grain elevator in the tiny Southern Alberta Community of Wrentham is all that’s left in this province to remind us that company ever operated here. Now come get to know the little Ogilvie.

The elevator dates from the mid-1920s and was a late addition to the firm’s network, most of which were from the decade before. Ogilvie rid itself of these in the late 1950s, with all in Alberta, this one included, being acquired by the Alberta Wheat Pool (remember them?). Less than a decade later, on the completion of a larger more modern elevator just to the east (still here – the blueish/green one seen in photos), they sold this building to a local farmer who for decades used it for grain storage. Functioning in that capacity into the early 2010s, and by this point the last wood Ogilvie outside of Manitoba (there’s a couple still standing there), it was then acquired by a group who hopes to turn it into an historic attraction. In that respect, it’s has great value.

There’s lots of work ahead and in the meantime there’s upkeep and maintenance. The building is in remarkable shape, a bit battered looking but with good strong bones. That it was in use till recently means it’s mechanically intact and that it was never upgraded, means it’s a literal time capsule. What a great example of 1920s tech.

On our arrival…

The people behind preservation of the Ogilvie, a most dedicated group, could sure use your help. It takes a lot of elbow grease to maintain the building – we know, we’ve helped out – and of course there’s money needed for who knows what that’s always in short supply. With everything that needs attention it’s often a hit to the wallet too. Why not connect with them and offer your support. Here…Ogilvie Wooden Grain Elevator Society.

Note the old faded signage, one side advertising the firm’s Miracle Feeds Line. In addition to flour, they made all kinds of ground-grain products, animal feed included. The Pool never added their logo to the building, knowing very well they’d not be using it for long. The Ogilvie company, by the way, ceased to be in the 1990s as did the Pool.

The elevator is very typical of the era, albeit on the small side and looks like every other, of the many thousands that once dotted the prairies. There’s a driveway marked by big doors where the grain was unloaded – in the early days one could fully expect to see horse-drawn wagons making a delivery here. Wow! Separate from the building and connected by a walkway is an office that also housed the drive engine, a fire hazard that needed to be kept well away from burnable stuff (grain dust can be explosive).

You’ll note the metal siding on the building. Some companies preferred to clad theirs this way as a fire mitigation measure. It was the more costly thing to do, but it did help cut down the odds of disaster happening and so was a reasonable insurance policy. Still, most elevators were bare wood.

The majority of former Ogilvie elevators in Alberta did not last long under Pool ownership. These inherited facilities were small and outdated (most we’re from 1920 or before) and therefore of limited use with the ranks quickly thinning over the next couple/few decades. Had this one not be bought by the farmer, we’re certain it would have gone bye-bye. Incidentally, the Saskatchewan and Manitoba Pools acquired the Ogilvies in their respective provinces and while some of their former elevators had a good service life, others we’re quickly disposed of (torn down, sold off). This suggests no one wanted the Ogilvie infrastructure, just the business that came with it.

The other elevator (in Pool colours) that replaced the Ogilvie dates from the late 1960s. On closing, around the turn of the century, the Pool (then Agricore something or other) similarly sold it to a local farmer. Being converted to a glorified granary was the fate of many surplus elevators. But then again, this saved a lot of historic buildings from being torn down.

In the past, other grain firms operated in Wrentham, but these elevators were all gone by the early 2000s.

The railway line in front still sees limited use. Built by the Canadian Pacific Railway in the early 1910s, the track remained in use into about 2000-ish (so concurrent with the closing of elevators on the line). It was always a lightly traffic grain branch, the trains running rather sporadically at times, especially near the end. For some reason, they never pulled the up the rails and in 2016 service was restored, this time under owner Forty Mile Rail who runs from Foremost, west through Wrentham to a CPR connection at Stirling. While they move some grain and did a stint hauling wind turbines, lately they mostly use the track for rail car storage, not necessarily a bad business to be in pay wise these days. There’s a real surplus of cars and not a lot of places to put them so someone with spare track can do well. On our trip in, we saw long strings of tankers to the east, just sitting there and stretching off to the horizon.

Back when, there used to be a siding for the grain elevators here in Wrentham. The Ogilvie last loaded grain cars in the 1960s, but others elevators using the same track did so right to the end of CPR service.

The building’s been here close to a century.

The following communities in Alberta once had an Ogilvie Grain Elevator, all but Wrentham’s long since relegated to history. Thanks to Jason Sailer for help in compiling this list. Most Alberta Ogilvies we’re concentrated in the south and included ones in Herronton, Arrowwood, Cluny and Bassano in the Calgary area; then in and around the Medicine Hat and Lethbridge regions (take a deep breath) there’s Hilda, Schuler, Irvine, Tilley, Cecil, Grantham, Enchant, Lomond, Vauxhall, Travers, Retlaw, Turin, Iron Springs, Monarch (gasp); plus Glenwood, Hill Spring, Cardston, Spring Coulee, Magrath, Welling, Wilson, Stirling, Craddock, Warner, Milk River, Taber, Purple Springs, Grassy Lake, Burdett, Bow Island, Winnifred, Whitla, Seven Persons, that mill in Medicine Hat we’ve spoken of and finally the last of wooden ones, the nice little Ogilvie seen in this report, in Wrentham Alberta (I need air!). That quite a list and hopefully we haven’t missed any.

They had a handful up north, including one in Edmonton (a mill we think) along with elevators in Bremmer and Lamont. Strange these were so separated from the rest in Alberta. Interestingly, with perhaps an exception or two, these were all found along Canadian Pacific Railway lines. If we added MB & SK elevators to this list above, it’s blow up this post (and our head) – but they’re another story.

Wrentham was founded with the coming of the railway. It’s a small community, always was, and today is home to a handful of people and no open businesses.

For a more in-depth history of this elevator, go here: The Last Wood Ogilvie.

This is the Ogilvie Flour Mill in Medicine Hat, a humongous plant made of concrete. Medicine Hat Then & Now – Ogilvie’s.

Here’s a post dedicated to a late friend whose passion was documenting historic grain elevators and who remains an inspiration. This: For Jim…

To see some prairie sentinels strangely out of place in the mountains of BC, go here: Creston BC Grain Elevators.

The Ogilvie Wood Grain Elevator Society sure could use your support. Here: Ogilvie Wooden Grain Elevator Society…or contact us and we’ll help you along.

Here’s some suggested Google search terms if want to know more: “Ogilvie Flour Mills” “Ogilvie Wooden Grain Elevator Scociety” (or “OWGES”) & “Jim Pearson Vanishing Sentinels” (he was THE knowledge on the subject).

Until next time!

They’re saying…

”Chris and Connie explore places most of us never have heard of, let alone seen! Outstanding pictures and stories and a generous spirit in sharing. I admire their determination to tell the whole story. I love the site!” Hans Schoendorfer.

More ‘vators…
This is Shonts – Dirty Shorts!
Grain Elevators of DeWinton – One’s a real oldie.
Whitepool – Forgotten & abandoned.
Prairie Sentinels – Neidpath Saskatchewan – A photogenic pair.

If you wish more information on what you’ve seen here, by all means contact us!

Date of Adventure: June, 2020.
Location(s): Wrentham, AB.
Article references and thanks: Ogilvie Wooden Grain Elevator Society, Jason Sailer, Cody Kapscos, Dan Overes, Jim Pearson (RIP), Online – Manitoba History: The Flour Milling Industry in Manitoba Since 1870 @ mhs.mb.ca (it also touches on Alberta operations).
BIGDoer.com was on site with permission. If you visit the Ogilvie Elevator it photographs nicely from the road or the lot to the east. Then post your Facebook photos mentioning @BIGDoerOfficial or @ChrisDoering so we can comment and share them around.

Keeping it company, a more modern elevator.

We’re in the little community of Wrentham Alberta.

Small building (right) housed office & drive engine.

Amazingly, it’s was used into recent times.

Capturing the previous shot.

It’s very much original as built.

There’s a rumbling off in the distance.

1920s tech to keep track of what’s in what bin.

The old scale still functions.

Sometimes it’s the little details.

Old signage can be seen.

This rail line still sees limited use.

Behind the scenes.

You’re looking at the last wood Ogilvie in the province.

It’s been saved by the OWGES – browse post to know more.