Sunday, August 9, 2026

Ortonville, MN: Wood Grain Elevator, 2002 Ethanol Plant and 1975 475mw Otter Tail Power

Wood: (Satellite)
Bioplant: (Satellite)
Power Plant: (Satellite)

Street View, Jul 2024

Wesley Peters posted
Grain Elevator Photography Trip 2, North Dakota/South Dakota/Minnesota.
Ortonville, Big Stone County, MN.
Farmers Co-op Elevator Co. Early history unknown.
Photographed on 7/20/2025.
Photo courtesy of Wesley Peters.
John Harker: Was a very well Maintained Wes Con Facility.
Did a lot of work there.
Now farmer owned

poet
"The [ethanol] plant produces 105 million gallons of bioethanol per year."

The power plant has one 456mw unit, and it burns subbituminous coal. It started in 1975, and it is subcritical. [gem]
otpco

The railroad was the Milwaukee.
1953/55 Ortonville Quad @ 62,500

The route to the north is abandoned, but the rest is now owned by BNSF. I found the ethanol and power plants when I spotted the industrial spur with a loop of track at the end. The loop of track handles unit trains.
National Rail Network Map

The elevator has its own locomotive, but I don't see a fall protector over the siding.
Street View, Jul 2024

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