Collection 0183 - United Grain Growers Local #432 collection

"The first listing of grain delivery points on the E.D. & B.C. Railway is for the crop year 1915-1916 when there were only three on the line: High Prairie, Spirit River and Bon Accord. Sexsmith first appeared in 1916-1917 with two companies on the market--Gillespie Elevator Company and Alberta Pacific. United Grain Growers built in 1925 to be the third elevator at Sexsmith. "U.G.G. opened for grain on August 6, 1925 with Manager R.H. Baker in charge. He continued as manager until July 8, 1940. Unusual for those years, a flat type of balloon annex was added in 1928. A wartime emergency storage annex was built in 1940 to store grain which could not be moved overseas under restricted ocean shipping due to the war. In 1952 a new elevator was built next to the 1925 one and the latter converted to an annex. A second U.G.G. elevator at Sexsmith came by purchase of all assets of Midland and Pacific Grain Company in February 1954. This elevator had a short life as U.G.G. as it was destroyed by fire on November 13, 1961. A third elevator was purchased from Canada West Grain Company in July 1961 some 5 months before the fire. This plant had large capacity (147,000 bushels) consisting of the elevator and three annexes. A new elevator was built next to it in 1964 with the old Canada West converted to a permanent annex.";The U.G.G. Local #243 was formed in March 1926 and the first board consisted of Alfred Ward, W. Spry, W. Alexander, R.J. Higginson, A. Abrahamsen and H.A. Tuffill. From the beginning the venture was a success.