Spruce Grove Grain Elevator Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 1995 |
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| Location | Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada |
| Type | Farm history, farmers market, museum. |
The Spruce Grove Grain Elevator Museum is a special place in Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada. It used to be a big building called a grain elevator. This elevator was once owned by the Alberta Wheat Pool. Now, it's a museum run by volunteers. These volunteers are part of the Spruce Grove and District Agricultural Society. The museum is right next to the Canadian National Railway tracks. It's the last grain elevator you'll see when traveling west on the Yellowhead Highway.
Contents
History of Grain Elevators
In 1933, there were about 1,800 grain elevators in Western Canada. These tall buildings stored grain from farms. Over the years, many of them were taken down. By 2003, only 389 were left. The number has continued to go down since then.
In Spruce Grove, there were once three grain elevators. Two of them were destroyed in 1987 and 1991. The last one was saved by the Spruce Grove and District Agricultural Society. They bought it from Alberta Wheat Pool for just $1. They also bought the land it sits on, which is about 1 acre (4,000 square meters). This cost $35,000.
The Ag Society uses donations and grants to keep the museum running. For example, in 2012, they repainted the outside of the elevator. This project cost $70,000 and was paid for by community donations and government help.
Spruce Grove and District Agricultural Society
The Spruce Grove and District Agricultural Heritage Society is a group of volunteers. They work to preserve the history of farming in the area. In the past, they built the Spruce Grove Agrena. This building is still used today, even as a hockey rink! The Ag Society also organized the Agra Fair for 30 years. It became one of the biggest events of its kind in Western Canada.
After the fair ended, the Ag Society started working on the grain elevator. They also helped save the old town water tower. The main goal of the Ag Society is to attract visitors. They want to teach people about farming history. They also share information about the heritage of the Prairie region.
The Historic Water Tower
In 1957, a very large water tower was built in Spruce Grove. It could hold about 41,000 imperial gallons (186,000 liters) of water. In 1978, the city started getting water from Edmonton. So, the water tower was sold and taken apart. For many years, it was forgotten in a farmer's field.
In 2010, the Ag Society volunteers rescued the water tower. They moved it to the grain elevator site. Local businesses and a kind donation helped start the restoration. In September 2011, work began on cleaning and painting the tank.
A local artist named James MacKay helped create a mural. This mural shows what Spruce Grove looked like in 1958. It was finished in October 2011. On November 8, 2011, the historic water tower was put back up in Spruce Grove. It helps tell the story of the city.
See also
- List of grain elevators
- List of museums in Alberta
