Sunday, January 22, 2006

United Grain Growers (UGG)



The United Grain Growers company was formed from amalgamation of the Grain Growers' Grain Company and the Alberta Farmers' Co-operative Elevator Company.

The company started operation in Sepetember 1, 1917. The company owned or controlled 146 elevators in Alberta.

UGG amalgamated with Agricore (Formerly Alberta Wheat Pool and Manitoba Wheat Pool) November 1, 2001 to form Agricore-United. The last of the wheat pools is now gone to the pages of history.

UGG had approx. 354 in Alberta. As of 2006, there are only 7 known abandoned UGG elevators left standing in Alberta, and 6 are privately owned.

ALTARIO:


Altario is located in East Central Alberta, near the Saskatchewan Border, and used to be on the CPR line. It was built in 1966, and closed between 1996-1997.

BENTLEY:


Bentley is located west of Lacombe, and is on the CPR line from between Lacombe and Blackfalds to Homglen, NE of Rimbey. It was built in 1918 as an Alberta Pacific. It was closed in 1999.

FALHER:



Falher is located in the Peace River Country of North-West Alberta. I don't have any info on when this elevator was built, but I think it was closed in 1996.

FORT MACLEOD:


Fort Macleod is located in Southern Alberta. I have no info on this elevators history, but may have been closed in 2001.

HUSSAR:


Hussar had 2 UGG elevators... The orange one (obviously a Pioneer before UGG took over) was destroyed in 2004.


The other UGG was built in 1981 after its elevator was destroyed in 1980, and was partially rebuilt in 1981, but burned again. It is the only elevator left in Hussar.

KAVANAGH:


Kavanagh is located south of Leduc, but the elevator was moved to a farm west of Leduc. It was closed between 1971-1981.

KILLAM:



KIlliam is located east of Camrose on the CPR line. It has two UGG elevators that are still standing.

KINUSO:




Kinuso is located on Highway #2 west of Slave Lake, on the McKenzie and Northern Railway Line. It is the only UGG elevator with the original UGG logo left in Alberta. It was built in 1951 by Midland Pacific, and closed in 1973.

KUUSAMO:


Kuusamo is WSW of Sylvan Lake, and is on the CN line from North of Red Deer to Rocky Mountain House. It was closed in 2002, and is privately owned.

RYCROFT:


Rycroft is on the Savage Alberta Railway, which was ealier owned by the Northern Alberta Railways (NAR) and CN. This elevator is now owned by the Peace River Seed Co-op, and was originally closed in 2000.

SMOKY LAKE:


Smoky Lake's UGG is now located at the Smoky Lake Hutterite Colony, which is located about 5 miles South of Smoky Lake. The town was on the CN line from Kernesky to Grand Center in NE Alberta.

TROCHU:



Trochu is located in Central Alberta, and is on the CN (formerly Grand Trunk Pacific) Line which runs from Camrose to Calgary. This elevator was closed in 2002, and may be privately owned.

VALENTINE:



Valentine's elevator was a interesting one to find. The elevator was originally located between Kiron and Kelsey on the Camrose - Alliance CN rail line. The town of Valentine was located about 2.5 miles south of the tracks , and has all but disappered. The elevator was moved to a farm NW of Ryley in the mid 1970's.

WETASKIWIN:


Wetaskiwin is located south of Leduc on the main CPR line between Calgary and Edmonton. I have no information on this elevator's history, except it was closed in 2001.