Vermilion County, IL: Interesting Grain Elevators

(Update: if I ever do a field trip to this county to get photos of these elevators, I need to also check out the P&E Trestle over the Middle Fork Vermilion River.)

Melissa Merli posted
My favorite grain elevator. Near no-longer-used railroad tracks in Vermilion County. The area around this structure is well-maintained. It’s a nice landmark.
David Charles Morgan I would call that building “The Grater”
[It is here.]

Dennis DeBruler shared
I was able to find the location of this elevator on a satellite map:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer…

A street view:
https://binged.it/30PAu4J

Bob Summers This is really unique. Maybe someone's experiment? Is it wood or concrete? Obviously could not hold grain with the holes in the part above the driveway, so I wonder if was a "corn crib" structure for corn to dry before being shelled or removed from the cob? Used to see short structures like a small grain bin, but with wire mesh walls, on farms, for that purpose, in the upper midwest corn belt states. This was in the '50's and '60's when driving to Minnesota to sail the boat seen over my shoulder in my fb photo.
Dennis DeBruler If you click the photo, it will show the comments on the original post. One of them answers a wood vs. concrete question as concrete. Whether it is a corn crib or a grain elevator or both, it certainly is an unusual design.
Dennis DeBruler Corn cribs are another "farming structure" that I pay attention to.
https://industrialscenery.blogspot.com/.../more-corn...

Dean Taton Surely something to do with grain drying.

David Cenci Could be drying..or just ventilation over the drop pit.

I couldn't confirm the location with Google's street view because US-150 doesn't zoom down into street view mode. Normally, US highways in Illinois have street view info. Fortunately, Bing Maps does have street views.

Bing Street View

Jacqueline Reimer posted two photos with the comment: "Interesting grain elevator. I know nothing about such a facility.  Fithian, Illinois today."

1

2

That posted Facebook group has a policy of not allowing a specific location to be provided because some people trespass on or vandalize abandoned property. The shared Facebook group has a policy of specifying a location. While looking for the elevator on a map of abandoned railroads, I found some other interesting old elevators in Vermilion County.

Street View, looking North in Jamaica, IL; C&EI
[Bolted steel on top of welded steel?]

Street View, looking South in Jamaica, IL; C&EI

Street View, Fithian, IL; P&E
[This is the first time I have seen "farmer silos" used in a commercial grain elevator. And it is another elevator with an oval, metal extension on top.]

Street View, Allerton Supply, old bolted steel silos and a new grain dryer; P&E

Fisher Farmer's Grain & Coal in Gifford along the IC (west of Vermilion County)

I hope to make a field trip to this county to get my own photos of these elevators.