Blown Away Memories
The guardian grain elevator in Reed Point photographed in October of 2025.
The same roofless elevator after a fierce winter wind storm in March 2026.
The power of the photograph
The landscape has always been the draw. The early settlers arrived in Big Sky Country with a dream to transform those wide open landscapes. They brought their dreams to Montana for a better life. My ancestors (from West Virginia and Switzerland) came to this place called Montana for the very reason —to live on the land. They saw a promise and a life. I can only imagine how the big country encouraged them to put down some roots. Many did. Many left due to the hardships or trying to make a living on the unforgiving lands of Big Sky Country.
Those dreams gone right and wrong are everywhere. The old grain elevators and old barns can still be found in Montana. This grain elevator in Reed Point, Montana has stood along the railroad tracks since the 1930s. Along with a second elevator, these towering relics have been the pride of Reed Point for years. Most small Montana towns like Reed Point thrived with the grain elevators.
That changed in early March when a huge windstorm blew off the roof to one of the elevators. From the news reports, locals were stunned and saddened to see their landscaped changed. Nothing stays the same.
Sometimes you get lucky. Last fall a morning rain passed through Reed Point. I pulled off just to take a look and snap a couple photos of the elevators. They always seemed to fit the skyline of this small town. Little did I realize how the scene would change. A roofless elevator and a future of unknowns. I am just glad to have a few photos of the landmark.
It doesn’t matter the brand of camera or the lens. A photo is a photo. We are overwhelmed with images, reels and content from social media. They don’t really matter in our world of instant moments. Sometimes the photos are bigger and more important than we realize. Life moves on, things change, our interests take detours. The markers of our lives are influenced by the photos.
Go out and take a picture…
S
