If you’re driving down Provincial Road 366 (2 miles east of Hwy 83 between Russell and Roblin) and look to the south, you’ll be able to see the 5 prairie giants that stand guard over the community of Inglis.

Inglis hosts the National Historic Site of having the last row of wooden prairie grain elevators in the world, the iconic buildings dating back to the early 1920’s. 

It’s been a 6-year project to repaint the grain elevators with the fifth and final elevator receiving its final coat of paint this month, thanks to a $25,000 grant from the Heritage Resources Conservation Grant.

The Inglis Area Heritage Committee Volunteer Board were elated to hear this week that they received this significant grant from the Province.

Committee Chair, Judy Bauereiss, says the funding will go towards replacing the wood siding and repainting the entire Northern elevator, the last elevator to be repainted.

The Inglis Elevators became a National Historic Site in 1996, the same year that the last train graced those tracks running adjacent to the Patterson Elevator, the UGG Elevator, the National Elevator, and the two Reliance elevators, all standing in a row. 

1922 was a milestone year for the town of Inglis.

In 1922, 101 years ago. the United Grain Growers started the series of elevator builds that year by being the first to construct an elevator at the southern-most end of the row. However, a devastating fire destroyed the original, and it was replaced in 1925. 

Judy Bauereiss shares more of the history of these iconic buildings that salutes agriculture in the Prairies.

Initial restoration of the 5 elevators took place in 2006.  “Because they were wood, 20 years down the road we had the task of having to restore the 5 elevators,” explains Bauereiss.  “Because we are a historic site, we have to pay some attention to historic detail.”

Five years ago, the Board came up with a 5-year plan to preserve these wooden structures.  Bauereiss says it was a monumental task for their local committee to raise the funds and the manpower to accomplish the restoration project.  To restore just one of the great grain storage buildings costs between $65,000-$80,000.

A highlight for the community was a visit from CBC’s Rick Mercer in 2017 who featured the Inglis Elevators on The Rick Mercer Report - and took his turn on the scaffold to join the crew that painted the UGG elevator!   Bauereiss says that video can be enjoyed by visiting their website.  As well, one can see the various stages as each elevator took it’s turn in the renovation process.

“I’m happy to report that as of September of this year we will have repainted and restored all of the elevators,” she says.  “It’s amazing!”

Fundraising efforts range from golf tournaments to family Bar-B-Que’s, local meat Bingos to 50/50 draws, as well as annual school fundraising projects that included pie baking and cross-generation interviews.

“Of course, a big part of this was going after grants,” she notes, “and that takes an enormous amount of work.  But if you persevere it works!”

The Inglis Grain Elevator Row is one of 51 projects that received funding this month, totaling close to $700,000.

‘The Manitoba government has provided $683,740 to support local, community-based projects for the preservation and enhancement of Manitoba’s heritage sites, Sport, Culture and Heritage,’ announced Minister Cathy Cox earlier this week.’

“Receiving the $25,000 Heritage Resources Conservation Grant was huge,” states Bauereiss, “because that means that we will get this done this year and we won’t have to take a loan out to do it!”

  Visit https://ingliselevators.com/ for more information on the Inglis Elevators National Historic Site. 

 

The following projects in the Westman Region also received funding this month through the Heritage Resources Conservation Grant:

  • Display Building Number II, Brandon –$10,000 for exterior painting
  • Dolmage House, Souris – $11,225 for repairs and restoration
  • Former Canadian Northern Railway Station, McCreary – $21,255 to install cedar shingle roofing
  • Fraser Block, Brandon – $21,535 for masonry repair
  • Paterson Matheson House, Brandon – $2,495 for veranda repairs
  • Prairie Skills Centre (former Presbyterian Church), Deloraine – $13,750 for window replacement and interior repairs
  • Stone Fence, Brandon – $16,400 for masonry restoration
  • Stoney Creek School, Neepawa – $20,310 for cedar shingle roofing and painting
  • Centreville School, Austin – $12,500 for roofing repairs