Author Archives: danocan

A Brief History of the Big Ditch and Ronalane Bridge in Southern Alberta

Posted on June 30, 2025 by danocan

If you search for “Ronalane” using Google Maps, you will find yourself looking at a dot in the middle of an empty prairie landscape. But, zoom out a bit. What do you see? Large tracts of undeveloped land, set next … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged abandoned, Alberta, Big Ditch, bridge, Canada, canals, history, prairie, Ronalane, Southern Alberta Land Company | 1 Comment

Restoring Alberta’s Prairie Sentinel: The Dorothy Grain Elevator Rises Again

Posted on June 14, 2025 by danocan

In the world of historic grain elevators, good news is rare. If an elevator makes the news, it usually means it was either destroyed by fire or demolished. But today, we bring you a success story: the iconic grain elevator … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged abandoned, Alberta, Alberta landmarks, Alberta Pacific Grain, Canada, DJI, DJI Mavic Pro, Dorothy, ghost town, ghost towns, grain elevator, history, prairie, prairie history, prairie icons, prairies, restoration | Leave a comment

Sharples: An Extremely Endangered Grain Elevator

Posted on June 7, 2025 by danocan

It’s never a good thing to learn another grain elevator is on the endangered list. It is especially bad when that elevator is one of the most-photographed elevators in the entire province of Alberta. Not only is the 1923 elevator … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged abandoned, Alberta, barn, Canada, CPR, grain elevator, history, Kneehill County, P&H, railroad, Sharples | 4 Comments

Kicking Off Camping Season: Red Lodge, Gleniffer Lake & More

Posted on May 28, 2025 by danocan

Spring is here, which means it’s time to bring Bella the Boler out of hibernation and hit the road! Bringing Bella Back to LifeEvery year, there’s something magical about that first camping trip of the season. This time, we took … Continue reading →

Posted in Boler, Travel | Tagged Alberta, Bella the Boler, Boler, Boler 1700, camping, Canada, ExploreAB, ExploreAlberta, Red Deer County, Red Lodge Provincial Park, vintage trailer | Leave a comment

The Last Prairie Giant Falls – Saying Goodbye to Vulcan’s Grain Elevator

Posted on April 27, 2025 by danocan

On a quiet April afternoon, I took a drive to Vulcan, Alberta, to witness a moment in history—the demolition of the town’s last remaining grain elevator. These towering landmarks, once an unmistakable symbol of the prairies, are disappearing at an … Continue reading →

Posted in History | Tagged agriculture heritage, Alberta landmarks, Canada, Canadian history, Canadian Prairies, disappearing landmarks, educational content, grain elevator, historic demolition, historic preservation, history, history vlog, Nanton, nostalgia, prairie history, prairie icons, railway history, rural Alberta, short film, small town stories, Western Canada, Western Canada history | 2 Comments