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Harmony Grain Elevator Preservation

Harmony Grain Elevator Preservation

Harmony Grain Elevator Preservation Project

History of the Harmony McMichael Grain Elevator

  • Built (circa 1879) for the A. & T. McMichael Grain Co. of McGregor, Iowa.
  • The company owned and operated several grain elevators and warehouses in Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, and North & South Dakota.
  • Included the elevators in Preston, Mabel, and Canton, Minnesota.
  • Elevators needed near railroads to process and store grain and move it to large freight cars for transportation.
  • Purchased by Joel Wolsted in 1914.
  • Later operated by his son Ron Wolsted as Harmony Feed and Fuel
  • Gifted to the City of Harmony and the Harmony Area Historical Society by Jeff and Barb (Wolsted) Soma of Harmony Agri-Services Inc., in 2019.
  • Of historical significance to agricultural and economic development of Fillmore County and the state of Minnesota.
  • Critical to Harmony’s development and a monument to the community’s agricultural history.

Mission Statement

  • The Grain Elevator Project will:
  • Help preserve the historic structure of the elevator and its historical context.
  • Highlight the significance of agriculture to Harmony and our area.
  • Offer a valuable future interpretive site.
  • Create an attractive entrance to Harmony at the juncture of three highways.
  • Place the grain elevator on the National Register of Historic Places.

Preservation Plan

This effort is expected to be a multi-phase (multi-year) project.

PHASE I = DEVELOPMENT PLAN

This phase I goal is to define a detailed development plan to save and restore the elevator, preserving it as a key piece of Harmony’s history.  A number of these goals have already been realized.

PHASE I GOALS

  1. Form a preservation committee (goal completed)
  2. Establish a development agreement with the City of Harmony (goal completed)
  3. Finalize Phase I details and budget (goal partially completed/in progress)
  4. Identify funding sources – near and long-term  (goal partially completed/in progress)
  5. Survey and acquire property (goal completed)
  6. Identify/perform any critical work needed  (goal partially completed/in progress)
  7. Research elevator history to assess feasibility of submission for inclusion on the National Registry of Historic Places  (goal partially completed/in progress)
  8. Develop plans for project promotion/awareness
  9. Develop specific goals for Phase II – IV

PHASE II = EXTERNAL DESIGN/SPECIFICATIONS

PHASE III = EXTERNAL RENOVATION

PHASE IV = INTERPRETIVE SITE

A collaborative effort with:

  • Harmony Area Historical Society
  • City of Harmony
  • Owner of Harmony Agri-Services
  • Interested community members and organizations
  • Local businesses
  • Area agricultural partners
  • Harmony Area Community Foundation
  • Minnesota Historical Society

Elevating Harmony’s History

Please consider becoming a part of this historic preservation effort by donating to this project.

By working together, we can sow the seeds of our shared dreams, helping our community to grow and flourish.

No matter the size of your donation, your contribution will increase our yield and help this preservation project come to fruition.

All gifts to the Harmony Area Historical Society are an investment in the future of the Harmony Area.

Donations are tax deductible and anyone may give any amount.

  • Tilling ($35 – $99)
  • Planting ($100 – $499)
  • Fertilizing ($500 – $2,499)
  • Growing ($2,500 – $4,999)
  • Harvesting ($5,000 and up)

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