Bladworth, Saskatchewan

We drove by Bladworth again this June (2012) and I thought I'd update my photo of the elevator still standing. I like the gravel road and the telephone poles all leading towards the elevator. I took this shot from a ways back to give a sense of perspective and relative distance that's so common on the wide open prairies.
In my research of Bladworth I found a history book of the village that's been scanned and put online. It's a fun read with lots of photos. If you're a history buff it's an interesting find. It's easy to navigate by using the drop-down menu to pick a section or photos, etc.

Bengough, SK

 Bengough is another southern Saskatchewan town that still has an elevator remaining to mark its existence along the flat rolling plains. We stopped in Bengough to ask how to get to the Big Muddy Badlands. We only had to drive another 20 kms south and we were there. If you want to see part of the world that seems to be in the middle of nowhere, this is worth the drive. Only an hour and a half south of Regina and about half an hour north of the Montana border and you're in Begough.
Here's how the grain elevators looked in June, 2012.

Avonlea, SK

We were surprised to find an elevator still standing at Avonlea on our travels south of Regina this past June (2012). I searched online for Avonlea and found a great historical site about this small town and area. I would highly recommend going to it by clicking here. After reading the history of the town and area, click on Gallery and view the old photos and videos as well as listen to audio recordings of some pioneers.  I once again gained an appreciation for the hardships the first Europeans endured in order to begin life there. There were up to four elevators in Avonlea at one time! Now only one remains.

Assiniboia, Saskatchewan

On our recent travels to Saskatchewan we drove south of Regina, stopped at the Big Muddy Badlands to see Castle Butte, and stayed overnight in Assiniboia. Even though I was born and raised in Saskatchewan I still marvel at the wide open areas in this part of the province. The joke about being able to watch your dog run away from home over the period of a few days comes to mind. We got the impression that time has stood still here in many ways, even though the farm equipment is modern and the internet is available. Fascinating to visit, but not sure I'd want to live here. They still have a standing wooden grain elevator. We stayed in a motel just across the street from it. I took this photo as the sun was sinking in the western sky. Sunsets are often grand on the prairies. This time there were too many clouds but the sun peaked through enough to cast a pink light. It had rained quite a bit so I was able to take advantage of a puddle to reflect the name of the elevator.