D I S T I N C T L Y M O N T A N A M A G A Z I N E • F A L L 2 0 2 0
46
wooden elevators, holding 10,000 to 30,000 bushels became too
small and needed too much upkeep.
Another factor contributing to their demise came with the advent
of economical trucking. Grain was hauled out by truck rather than
rail. Eventually, the elevator's operator brewed the last pot of coffee,
boarded the windows, and closed the doors of the farming commu-
nity's gathering place. Some elevators eventually fell where they
once stood tall.
Others were dismantled by reclamation companies eager to reuse
or sell the high-quality lumber. The large quantity of wood sanded
smooth by grain kernels made salvage for use in flooring and doors
worthwhile. And the massive, #1 grade 12 by 12-inch square and the
larger 12 by 14-inch beams became a hot commodity, since beams of
that quality and size are hard to come by.
For the elevators that remain, it is easy to take them for granted,
to never really see them when you live in their shadows—that is until
disrepair and a gust of wind threaten their very existence.
BNSF planned to demolish Hobson's languishing elevators. The
FOR THE ELEVATORS THAT REMAIN,
IT IS EASY TO TAKE THEM FOR GRANTED,
TO NEVER REALLY SEE THEM WHEN YOU LIVE IN THEIR SHADOWS
ZURICH
SIPPLE GRAIN ELEVATOR NORTH OF JUDITH GAP
