Former General Mills Fertilizer Elevator - Choteau, MT
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member T0SHEA
N 47° 48.706 W 112° 10.913
12T E 411517 N 5296055
Used since 1968 as a fertilizer storage elevator, this one is substantially older than its nearby neighbours.
Waymark Code: WM106PC
Location: Montana, United States
Date Posted: 03/08/2019
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member wayfrog
Views: 1

This elevator was built in Bynum in 1914 by Bruce Brusven, a Minnesota contractor who later sold it to the Rocky Mountain Elevator Company. Still later the Rocky Mountain Elevator Company was taken over by General Mills Inc. In January of 1968 the elevator, then owned by General Mills, was moved south about 13 miles (21 km) to a spot just north of its main elevator in Choteau and used to store fertilizer. In March of 1986 the elevator was leased by Choteau Feed & Seed and continued in use as a fertilizer storage elevator. Still in operation as a fertilizer storage and blending plant, sporting an Elephant Brand Fertilizer sign, we don't know who operates the elevator today.

Prior to its being leased to Choteau Feed & Seed, General Mills place a series of ads in the local newspaper, the Choteau Acantha, advertising its fertilizer sales. The majority of these ads were placed around the year 1969. The single major advertisement placed concerning the elevator was published in May of 1968 to advertise the opening of the fertilized plant.
Ad goes Here
General Mills Fertilizer Plant
Now in Operation in Choteau
May 23, 1968 | Choteau Acantha
Ray Ballantyne, manager of the General Mills elevator in Choteau, announced this week that the company's new bulk fertilizer plant has been completed and is now in use. The plant is housed in an elevator moved to Choteau from Bynum last January. Since its arrival in Choteau the elevator building has undergone considerable renovation and a warehouse addition has been constructed adjoining the elevator.

Ballantyne told the Acantha that the Choteau fertilizer plant is now one of the most modern in the state. Farmers needing several tons of fertilizer can be accommodated in a matter of minutes with no back-breaking loading of sacks. All fertilizer is transferred by conveyor belt with no augers in use in the elevator. The new plant is capable of holding 700 tons of bulk fertilizer.

Another feature of the plant is the capability of making any fertilizer formula the customer desires. This was made possible by the installation of a new three-ton Munson Batch Mixer.

The final phase in construction is now under way according to Ballantyne. A water standpipe is being installed inside the elevator and in the event of a fire a hose can be connected to the outside of the building and sprinkle the interior through a large pipe that will run to the top of the elevator.

Ballantyne invites all interested persons to look over the new facility and assures his customers the best of service.
From the Choteau Acantha
Currently used as a grain elevator: yes

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