Ransom Elevator
506 S. Vermont, Box 246
Ransom, KS 67572
785-731-2275 Grains Handled: Wheat, Milo, Corn, White Wheat
Hours of Operation: 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. In August 1918, the Ransom Farmers Cooperative Union was incorporated. The union purchased an elevator from D.E. Bondurant which was originally built in 1900 by Fred Johannes. Fred in turn sold the elevator to Ben Fulton in 1906, who sold it to Albert Johannes, who operated the elevator until he sold it to D.E. Bondurant in 1910. Mr. Bondurant operated the elevator until he sold it to the Union in 1918. The Union handled grain and other commodities, including potatoes, apples and coal. The first few years, the grain was loaded into railroad cars right off the farmer’s wagons. In May 1929, it was decided to tear the old elevator down and build a new one. Before the end of the month, the old elevator had been razed and construction had begun on a new frame building. With harvest only a couple of months away, workers were rushed to complete the new elevator and be ready for the new crop of wheat. The cement work was completed and the frames were put up by the first of June. By mid-June, the walls were up and the metal siding was completed. By the end of June, the electricians were busy wiring the elevator. All of the machinery was installed and the building was ready to accept grain and to unload grain into the railroad cars by the first of July. The new elevator had lots of bin room, high drop, large conveyors and an air dump. They were able to load a railroad car in one hour without shoveling. Additional storage for 75,000 bushels of grain was built in April 1950. This gave the Union a capacity of 100,000 bushels. The new storage consisted of four tanks and three “fans”. In February 1955, more storage was added. This time, an additional 200,000 bushels was added. Again, in February 1958, the board decided that a 222,000 annex would be built. This addition was made to the east of the existing elevator and was completed in June, just in time for harvest. In June 1971, the Ransom Farmers Cooperative Union purchased the R-A Grain Company. Both elevators were then operated by the Co-op Union. An additional 100,000 bushel storage granary was built in the Spring of 1977. This was built to the east of the east elevator. Alan Mishler and John Dietterich purchased the old wooden elevator which had served the R-A Grain for many years. They had the old elevator torn down and used the lumber to build a new house for Alan. With this elevator out of the way, an additional storage bin was built east of the former R-A Grain concrete elevator. This bin was a 60,000 bushel bin. Two more steel bins, each with a capacity of 80,000 bushels were built later; one in 1979 and the other in 1982. With the addition of these bins, the Ransom Co-op had a total capacity of 1,133,000 bushels of storage. The Ransom Elevator became a part of the Garden City Co-op on June 1, 2007 when it was purchased by the Garden City Co-op. | |
