Grain Elevator

This grain elevator (WDM-1983-NB-156) was built in just three weeks in 1928 by a team of 18 men, for a construction cost of $14,000. The elevator was originally located northwest of Hafford. A town soon grew around the elevator, and residents voted to name the town Keatley after the man who ran the local post office.  

The elevator stands 21 meters (70 feet) tall and has a capacity of 33,000 bushels of grain. The elevator was in operation until 1980 when it was decommissioned. It was moved to the WDM in 1983, but the annex, which had been added in 1952, was not moved with it.   

By the early 1930s, there were 5,758 grain elevators in Saskatchewan, the highest at any point in Saskatchewan’s history. The number has steadily decreased over the years and today fewer than 1,000 elevators remain.  

Specs:  

The red paint on the elevator was, along with white, the standard colour for Wheat Pool elevators until the 1960s, at which point other colours began to be used.  

38 power lines had to be cut to move the elevator to the WDM grounds. 30 SaskPower staff members volunteered to help with the move.