Repurposed Grain Elevators
Read about our efforts to save and restore our own Teweles and Brandeis Grain Elevator.
Atlanta, Illinois - J.H. Hawes Grain Elevator and Museum
Illinois’ only fully restored wooden grain elevator listed on the National Register of Historic Places. An outdoor, self-guided interpretive tour allows visitors to experience the Hawes Grain Elevator Museum anytime.
See the sweet grain elevator animation at their website:
J.H. Hawes Grain Elevator & Museum Official Website
Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin - Proposed Center For The Arts
Preliminary concept drawings, October 2017, Center For The Arts
(credits: Sara Powers)
The CFTA Exploratory Committee has worked diligently over the past four months to develop plans for a new community and arts center on the westside waterfront. Our committee believes that the Granary is a treasure to our community because it symbolizes the proud efforts of past generations to till the land and distribute the fruits of their labor around the country. It symbolizes the agricultural foundation of our community, and with it the spirit of the people that settled this land. We feel indeed fortunate to have such an iconic structure right in our midst and believe that thorough efforts should be taken to protect, restore, and preserve the granary. Our plans for a possible CFTA in this particular location were inspired by the opportunity to celebrate history through creativity. Our motto is “…where community and creativity meet…” and to celebrate creativity and community with a restored historic icon in our midst would indeed raise Sturgeon Bay to another level.
Bangor Elevator, Bangor, Michigan (between Kalamazoo and South Haven)
"Our historic grain elevator was built in 1873 and by 2004 it was not hard to see that the structure was in dire need of some TLC. The building was actually going to be torn down at one point. However, an agreement was reached and plans were drawn up for a lease with an option to buy, between the DDA and a partnership consisting of Mike Fritz (representing Michigan Summer Blueberries, Inc.) and Bob Emmert.
The massive restoration effort was completed in 2009, and the Bangor Elevator is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The restoration was done in accordance with stringent requirements to ensure historical accuracy, and it received the Governor's Award for HIstoric Preservation in 2009.". See Bangor Elevator website.
Lemont, Pennsylvania
“It’s beautiful, and I think that’s why we call it the crown and jewel of Lemont. . . . It’s a gathering place. It’s a great place to have, because there is a great sense of community in Lemont.”
That's what the chairperson of the Lemont, Pennsylvania Village Association has to say about their town's granary, which has been gradually and painstakingly restored since the town bought it in the mid-'90s. This beautiful building has become a central community gathering place. They have an annual Christmas market with music, spirits, and local artists' wares! Haunted houses! Weddings! Concerts! Gourmet dinners! A 5K run! All taking place at--and funding the restoration of--this beautiful granary.
Salt Lake City, Utah - Granary District
Bellingham, Washington - Reenvisioned Waterfront
Restoration work underway
Hermann, Missouri - Historic Grain Elevator
Paradigm Architects, LLC was hired originally in 2005 to provide design and master-planning assistance for several key projects at the heart of Hermann, Missouri’s downtown historic district. All of these projects were driven by owners Jim and Mary Dierberg’s passion for the community and desire to make this a tourist destination built upon the significant agricultural, architectural and cultural contributions of Hermann’s German-immigrant founders.
Historic Preservation of Hermann, Inc. had long wished to incorporate the town’s historic, late-19th century grain elevator into the mix of renovated / adapted structures, but the questions had long been, “how can the complex of connected buildings best be used?” and “how feasible is restoration of such a challenging, maintenance-deferred structure?”
The initial focus was on stabilizing and restoring the basic structure so that it remained sound and contributed to -- rather than detracted from -- the district. The entire original heavy-timber-supported central tower was lifted in place so the badly damaged stone foundation, rotted sill and other timber members could be repaired and/or restored; walls that in many cases were nothing more than a sheet of tin on a few damaged studs were replaced with thermal- and weather-protecting construction; once repairs were complete, the tower was re-set at an elevation complying with current regulations governing construction in the Missouri River flood plain.
With Phase I of restoration complete, the complex is being used as an event space for seasonal festivals, like Octoberfest, Maifest, and the annual Christmas market. Amenities include approximately 5,900 square feet of enclosed, conditioned space (with new toilet facilities), 1,500 square feet of covered space, and generous exterior, connected patio areas. The covered service drive that once carried vehicles conveying grain to and from the elevator now serves as a walkway that provides visitors a glimpse into one important part of Hermann’s significant agricultural past.
British Columbia - Dawson Creek Art Gallery
Art gallery located in a renovated grain elevator in Dawson Creek, British Columbia. Grain elevator was moved from its original location into Northern Alberta Railway Park seen here. Photo taken in August 2005, Author Maclean25
Inglis, Manitoba - Inglis Grain Elevators National Historic Site
A group of five grain elevators in the village of Inglis in the Rural Municipality of Riding Mountain West is one of the last remaining examples of a once-common prairie icon. Now preserved as a national historic site and a provincial historic site, the Inglis site represents an important period in the development of Canada’s grain industry from 1900 to 1930.
The history of the five elevators located at Inglis reflects the changes in the grain-buying industry over the last century. Very little major renovation or modernization took place on any of the structures over the 70 years of their commercial existence, but in the same period, the number of grain companies operating in Manitoba shrunk from 67 to eight. In Inglis, this consolidation left five grain-buying facilities in the hands of two major companies. Eventually, when the adjacent railway line was abandoned, those companies transferred ownership of the elevators to a local group which is maintaining them as a museum.
Woodbine, Iowa - Historic Grain Elevator / Public Art Project
Rehabilitation of historic grain elevator at the entrance to the City of Woodbine, with the addition of LED-lighted public art to its facade.
$200,000 project cost ,Construction Completion August 2011
Netherlands - Zwarte Silo
A disused grain silo has been brought back to life as a food market in the Netherlands. Designed by Eindhoven-based studio Wenink Holtkamp Architecten, the adaptive reuse project preserves the Zwarte Silo's historic character and architecture while imbuing it with a new civic purpose and contemporary elements. Located on the harbor in the city of Deventer, the building renovation was commissioned by BOEi, a foundation that specializes in repurposing cultural heritage sites.
Alberta, Canada - St. Albert
While grain elevators are rapidly disappearing from the Prairies, the St. Albert Grain Elevators have been restored and brought back to life for future generations to enjoy and experience. St. Albert’s 1906 and 1929 Albert Wheat Pool Elevators were constructed in the golden age of Canada’s grain trade. After significant restoration, St. Albert’s grain elevators remain distinctive symbols of our heritage and stand as icons of a way of life and of the province itself.
The grain elevators reopened to the public in 2011 after a year-long restoration. The restoration project included repairs and stabilization of the foundations, roofs re-shingled, metal cladding secured and repainted, rotten timbers replaced and windows restored. Work continued into 2011 on the 1929 elevator—which had considerably more rot than the 1906 elevator—and restoration included residing and repainting the elevators with the Alberta Wheat Pool colour and logo. Throughout the project, the City of St. Albert, Arts and Heritage, HIP architects and Delnor Construction worked closely with the Provincial Heritage Advisor to ensure all restoration work complied with the Standards and Guidelines for the Preservation of Historic Places in Canada.
Montana - Save The Teslow
New Roof being installed as part of restoration
