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A piece of Prairie history came crashing down in Davidson this week, but the demolition of the community’s last remaining wooden grain elevator delivered an unexpected jolt when the falling structure struck a live power line, knocking out electricity in the community and surrounding areas.
The Oct. 14 demolition marked the end of an era for Davidson, where wooden grain elevators once dominated the skyline and served generations of Saskatchewan farmers.
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Video of the demolition captured the towering wooden structure tipping over before a bright electrical flash appeared as it came into contact with nearby power infrastructure.
The flash was followed by a power outage affecting Davidson and neighbouring communities.
The incident also drew attention online as footage circulated showing the elevator’s final moments and the electrical flash.
The local Facebook page Davidson Days Gone By shared the demolition, reflecting on both the loss of the landmark and the unexpected outage.
“And it’s gone! We had a small power outage this morning but thank goodness, Sask Power was all over it,” said a post on the page.
SaskPower crews responded, and electrical service was subsequently restored. The exact number of customers affected and the full duration of the outage have not been confirmed. No details have been released identifying the company responsible for the demolition.
From seven elevators to none
For longtime Davidson residents, the loss represents much more than the removal of an old building.
At one time during the 1990s, Davidson was home to seven wooden grain elevators, including facilities operated by Pioneer, Saskatchewan Wheat Pool, United Grain Growers and Cargill.
The elevators formed a familiar part of the community’s landscape, standing alongside the railway and serving as important collection points for grain produced by area farmers.
They were also landmarks for generations of travellers moving through Saskatchewan’s agricultural heartland.
Over time, the traditional wooden structures were gradually replaced by larger, more efficient grain-handling facilities.
One significant change came in May 2016, when the Richardson Pioneer wooden elevator, originally constructed in 1928, was demolished.
The company had previously explained that older wooden elevators could no longer provide the capacity and efficiency required by modern grain producers.
That demolition left Davidson with just one remaining traditional wooden elevator.
On Wednesday, that final piece of the community’s historic elevator skyline disappeared.
Davidson’s disappearing elevators reflect a transformation that has taken place across Saskatchewan over the past several decades.
At one time, nearly every Prairie town along a railway line had at least one wooden grain elevator. Larger agricultural centres often had several, creating the distinctive rows of towering structures that became symbols of rural Saskatchewan.
As grain transportation and handling systems modernized, smaller country elevators were gradually closed or demolished in favour of high-capacity concrete terminals.
Davidson remains an important grain-handling location, with modern facilities operated by Cargill and Richardson Pioneer.
— with files from CJME News
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