Alberta Wheat Pool Elevator

After lots in the Benville Townsite began to sell in 1916, the community, which would eventually be renamed as Sexsmith, began to emerge as an important farming center. By 1929, when it was incorporated as a village, it boasted seven grain elevators and was the largest shipping point for both grain and livestock in northern Alberta. During 1938-47, it led all inland terminals in Canada for the export of grain and so took on the proud sobriquet of “Grain Capital of the British Empire.” When the main (left) part of this structure was built in 1961, nine such elevators dominated the skyline. This elevator was built by Dennis Johnson for the Alberta Wheat Pool, a collective to which many district farmers belonged, the annex (right) was added in 1976. During the 1980s, few wood-frame elevators were being constructed in western Canada, the grain companies coming to prefer large, concrete facilities located outside settled communities. This building is the last surviving wood frame elevator in the Peace River Country to retain its internal fixtures and remain on its original site.

The Sexsmith & District Museum Society, in partnership with the Alberta Historical Resources Foundation, is currently working to preserve this last elevator in Sexsmith. Through Grants and fundraising efforst, the new roof was completed in the summer of 2019 by Heritage Roofing. The painting was completed in the summer of 2020 by Kris Jennings and his team. The next phase of restoration will involve cleaning/dust removal and setting up exhibits in the elevator. The elevator was designated a municipal historical resource byn Alberta Culture in December 2020.

We were featured in Checkered Owl Media's film titled "Wooden Giant", please click on the video link to check it out.