Place Archive

Thunder Bay

The work covers Thunder Bay’s lakefront grain elevator district and its associated rail and industrial infrastructure, with recurring attention to the abandoned Saskatchewan Pool B complex and the working CN port facilities along Lake Superior. The Canadian Pacific Railway swing bridge over the Kaministiquia River and remnants of the Great West Lumber Sawmill also appear alongside details of pre-amalgamation municipal history, including cast iron infrastructure from the former city of Port Arthur.

8 photos

1906 Public Utilities Commission manhole cover from Port Arthur, Ontario, in the ground with “PORT” visible. — A 1906 Public Utilities Commission manhole cover from Port Arthur, Ontario, is set in the ground with the word “PORT” visible along the rim. The cast iron cover dates from before Port Arthur’s amalgamation into Thunder Bay in 1970 and is marked for the city’s municipal utilities.

Canadian Pacific Railway Swing Bridge in Thunder Bay, Ontario, spanning the Kaministiquia River. — The Canadian Pacific Railway Swing Bridge in Thunder Bay, Ontario, carries rail tracks across the Kaministiquia River. The steel swing bridge pivots to permit marine traffic on the route to Lake Superior.

Thunder Bay grain elevators in Ontario beside CN freight cars on the port rail line. — The Thunder Bay grain elevators in Thunder Bay, Ontario, stand beside CN freight cars along the port rail line on Lake Superior. The complex stores and transfers grain for shipment by rail and vessel, with the main elevator structures and conveyor systems visible above the tracks.

Abandoned concrete grain elevators in Thunder Bay, Ontario, beside Lake Superior. — Abandoned concrete grain elevators in Thunder Bay, Ontario, stand along the shoreline of Lake Superior. The cylindrical silos and conveyor structures are part of a former bulk grain-handling complex built for storage and shipping.

Former Great West Lumber Sawmill conveyor infrastructure in Thunder Bay, Ontario, with elevated chutes and catwalks. — Former Great West Lumber Sawmill conveyor infrastructure in Thunder Bay, Ontario. The elevated chutes, hoppers, and catwalks formed part of the mill’s lumber-handling system, including jackpine chip processing.

Abandoned Saskatchewan Pool B grain elevators in Thunder Bay, Ontario, with overgrown access roads. — The abandoned Saskatchewan Pool B grain elevator complex stands in Thunder Bay, Ontario. The former grain handling and storage facility was part of the city’s lakefront elevator district, which linked Prairie grain shipments to Great Lakes transport.

Saskatchewan Pool B grain elevator ruins in Thunder Bay, Ontario, with overgrown concrete walls and a yellow gas sign. — The Saskatchewan Pool B grain elevator ruins in Thunder Bay, Ontario, are partially obscured by vegetation. A yellow sign marked “Natural Gas to Saskatchewan Pool B” remains on the weathered concrete structure, which was built in 1928 as part of the city’s grain-handling and shipping facilities.

Rusted stairs and a doorway at the Saskatchewan Pool B grain elevator in Thunder Bay, Ontario, amid dense vegetation. — A rusted metal staircase leads to a doorway at the Saskatchewan Pool B grain elevator in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Built in 1928, the concrete elevator was among the largest cooperative grain terminals on Lake Superior and handled prairie grain exports. It ceased operations after deregulation of Canada’s grain-handling system and now stands abandoned amid dense vegetation.

Minneapolis Photographer