Ogilvie Flour Mill in Medicine Hat

This century old flour mill was constructed in 1912, and received a good deal of press last year when it celebrated its 100th anniversary. Sadly, that news has since been outweighed by the announcement at the end of January that the plant will now be closing in just a few months at the end of May.

Ogilvie has been the largest mill in Medicine Hat for decades.  The company bought out the Lake of the Woods Milling Company in the 1950s and acquired the other famous mill in town, along with their Five Roses Flour brand. This mill underwent a massive expansion shortly after that. 

Despite the success of this facility, the company is consolidating their efforts by moving production to their larger facility in Calgary. It goes without saying, but obviously it's a shame to lose such a defining business in the community. For the sake of my Around the Hat photo series and the century following the boom in the early 1910s, this seems particularly poignant in the timeline I've been documenting.

Ogilvie Mill construction in Medicine Hat ca. 1912

Ogilvie Mill ca. 1920s. Notice how the city hasn't grown onto the hill.

Ogilvie Mill construction in Medicine Hat ca. 1912