Grain Elevators that have their own notes:
Buffalo used to have several huge elevators to transload grain from Great Lake boats (lakers) to Erie Canal barges. But that business was killed by the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1959. But some still appear to transload from Lakers to trucks and/or railroads. And ADM still grinds flour here.
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| Brian R. Wroblewski posted Here's a refresher on the elevators here in Buffalo. There's also 2 not pictured- the Cargil Pool & CRH Cement out on the lake. Of all of them, 5 are still active for commerce (2 for grain & 3 for cement) & 1 is in caretaker status & could be opened back up for grain. -ADM Standard Elevator, active, receipt of grain by lake ship -LaFarge, active, receipt of bulk powdered cement by lake ship & tug-barge -Lake & Rail elevator, inactive, Caretaker Status, last used in 2017, recently reverted back to previous owner after Riverland Ag shut it down, last of the empty elevators left in Buffalo that could still be used for grain storage with minimal restoration if need be while still secure from stripping & vandalism -St. Mary’s Cement, elevator in receipt of bulk powdered cement by truck (company owns a fleet of cement carrying tug-barges but does not use them here due to their own internal operational logistics). City Ship Canal: -General Mills Frontier Elevator, active, receipt of grain by lake ship Outer Harbor: -CRH Cement Elevator, elevator in receipt of bulk powdered cement by truck. Dock on Union Slip was last used by previous owner (St. Lawrence Cement) in 2003 for a barge load of cement |
Brian R. Wroblewski commented on a post concerning the date of the above sketch: "the way this is drawn, this would have been how it was from the 1960s era just after they tore down the Delwood Elevator (since it's missing here) to the modern era (minus the Great Northern & Electric, both since demolished). It was drawn in 1984."
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| Dennis DeBruler commented on Brian's post https://www.google.com/.../data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4... |
Brian's photos that used to be here of a marine leg has been moved to the Marine Leg Notes.
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| HAER NY,15-BUF,28- (sheet 1 of 1) |
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| Buffalo Harbor Cruises posted Where are all the history buffs? Roughly 40 years ago, we partnered with the Industrial Heritage Committee and created the Historic Buffalo River Cruise. We carried thousands of passengers up the Buffalo River, where they learned the storied industrial history of Buffalo, including the silos! While that cruise ended during 2020, we are so excited to announce a return of sorts! We are cruising back to the future!!! Rollin’ on the River will take you up the Buffalo River for a Buffalo: Then and Now cruise! There will be photos, maps, books and memorabilia for your viewing pleasure and of course trivia! Join us every Saturday at 11am for this amazing adventure with Marla! ⛴️ Starting 6/15! Tickets available here: https://tinyurl.com/3bd6yy7f Justin J. M. Higner shared |
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| James Cavanaugh Photography posted From my Archive. A 2006 view over Buffalo's Old First Ward looking down Katherine Street towards the Buffalo River and the Outer Harbor. Jim Cavanaugh shared |
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| Paul Bauer posted, cropped |
And before the concrete elevators, there were big wood elevators
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| BuffaloHistory.com posted Historic Photographs - Watson Silhouette, Grain Silos on the Buffalo River - c1900 At one time in Buffalo's history, the grain elevators dominated the skyline of the waterfront and served as a symbol of Buffalo's industrial importance as the largest supplier of grain in the world. The elevators also developed interesting architectural highlights such as a cupola on the roof. The Watson Elevator was unique in that it had a slip directly underneath it allowing canal boats to dock under the bins and have the grain dropped directly into the boat's hold using only the force of gravity. In 1843, merchant Joseph Dart and engineer Robert Dunbar built the first steam-driven grain elevator in Buffalo. Its design was later mimicked throughout the region. The elevators consisted of a “marine leg” that scooped grain from the hulls of ships into a large silo, as well as offices and testing facilities. The Watson Elevator, built in 1862, was unlike others in the city, allowing ships to dock directly beneath the silo for faster loading. Jane Wernicki: In 1900 Buffalo Was The 8th Largest City In The US |
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| BuffaloHistory.com posted Along the Buffalo Creek, c1900 As East Coast cities grew during the 19th century, so did the demand for grain. But the trip from midwestern farms to eastern cities once involved a perilous land journey. When the Erie Canal opened in 1825, Buffalo became the hub that connected the coast to Great Lakes shipping. Then, when grain elevators began automating the loading processes, Buffalo became the world's largest grain port. Jim Myers shared |
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| PiegeonRoost Grain elevators at foot of Main Street in 1900. These first generation wood elevators have been replaced by the modern cement cylindrical elevators. Credit: Detroit Publishing Co./Library of Congress "In the 1800’s, grain came from the Midwest and was milled into various food products in Buffalo. To process the large amounts of grain pouring into Buffalo Harbor, Joseph Dart invented the grain elevator. These large structures remain a prominent feature on the city’s waterfront." bygonely, 8th photo |
This is what the foot of Main Street used to look like.
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| Frank Sander posted Old photos of Buffalo incredible Brian R. Wroblewski shared Looking up the City Ship Canal, the old Connecting Terminal elevator on the right, Dakota on the left. |
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| Brian R. Wroblewski commented on Frank's post Camera angle. |
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| bygonely. 6th photo |
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| bygonely, 12th photo Washburn-Crosby Co. flour mills, Buffalo, New York, circa 1910 |
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| bygonely, 14th and 34th photos The Buffalo River, city ship canal and flour mill elevators circa 1911 |
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| bygonely, 35th photo Eastern elevator, Buffalo, New York.” Ship: The Frank L. Vance. |
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| bygonely, 38th photo |
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| bygonely, 45th photo, circa 1900 |
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| PiegeonRoost Buffalo’s winter grain fleet anchored in outer harbor during winter to supply wheat for milling. This annual sight vanished in the early 1970’s. Credit: https://www.wnyheritagepress.org/content/lake_ice_and_lake_commerce/index.html |
As a bonus, here is an overview of the steel mills.
Brian R. Wroblewski posted two images with the comment: "Here's a re-run just for fun. It's a map I did showing all the different iron & steel producers in Buffalo & Lackawanna over the years & a bonus shot of the Goodyear Slip/Union Canal being dug at the time the B&S plant was being built."
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| Jim Cavanagh posted From my Archive. Another from the November 2004 series of Buffalo's Waterfront. This view from above the Erie Basin Marina looking south-south east towards the Buffalo River and the Outer Harbor to the right. |
I zoomed in on the grain elevators.
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| Digitally Zoomed |
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| James Cavanaugh Photography posted From my Archive. A 2005 view of silos and elevators along the last major bend in the Buffalo River just east of Ohio Street. Jim Cavanaugh shared |
Lloyd Schrack posted three photos with the comment: "Buffalo’s interesting waterfront."
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| 1 Dinga Walton: Where? Dennis DeBruler: Dinga Walton Marine "A" in the foreground, https://www.google.com/.../@42.860791.../data=!3m1!1e3..., and Lake & Rail in the background. Justin J.M. Higner shared |
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| Dennis DeBruler commented on Photo 2 It is this part of the river, https://www.google.com/.../@42.8628416.../data=!3m1!1e3..., but I have not been able to determine the names of these elevators. Different maps don't agree with each other and none of them agree with today's satellite images. |
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| 3 [I could not find this one.] |
Brian R. Wroblewski posted six photos with the comment: "Here's a series of shots taken from a tour of the American Elevator."
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| 1 The old & the new. To the left, the old marine leg unloading tower stands silent sentinel, waiting for a boat that will never come while the blue hopper has replaced it, being able to take grain from self-unloaders. |
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| 2 Marine 'A' to the left & the American Elevator to the right. |
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| 3 The Pero/Peavy & the Lake & Rail. |
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| 4 The American in the foreground, the Electric Extension in the background, & the Standard to the right. |
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| 5 Headhouse on top of the American Elevator showing traveling cart for loading grain into individual bins through steel hatches on the floor. |
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| 6 View looking North-East from the American elevator at the old 1st Ward & the Lake & Rail. Emily Lowrey I'm so jealous. I look up there at night and wonder what it looks like in those metal structures on top of that elevator because the lights are always on. We live at that large cluster of trees and we're building a house from shipping containers on that triangle that pokes out by the tracks. Brian R. Wroblewski A few random thougts: Well, not to sink it in any deeper, but I took about 20 or 30 other shots that day, I can post them here if you'd like to see more from up there. Let me know on that. Containers huh? Are you getting any stress from the neighbors on that? Just curious. Lastly, when that Manitoulin shows up, I'd wander over & take a look, I bet you'l be impressed. She's brand new, modern, & a LOT different than anything else you might have seen up there before. I've been parking along the curb on that side street where your container-house will go for 25 years worth of shooting boats at the Standard. |
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Joseph Rennie caught a couple of pictures of the English River being towed up the Buffalo River.
The stern view above is the last in a set of pictures. The comment for this overview picture was of interest because it indicates the length of the freighter was 660 feet.
Another posting about the Manitoulin. In a related posting there were the comments:
Lukas Irons: The Great Lakes are not the Atlantic Ocean. How are they going to get deep draft vessels over a shallow Lake Erie? By dredging the entire west end?
William Littrell: Eventually the St Lawrence Seaway & Welland Canal will be deepened and widened allowing all sorts of maritime craft and ecological disaster.
A photo essay by Brian R. Wroblewski about self-unloading boats.
Brian R Wroblewski posted five commented photos of different elevators as the laker Manitoulin was towed up the Buffalo River.
Brian R. Wroblewski posted ten commented photos along the Buffalo River.
April Wells has taken some sequences of photos as boats go past her window. I copied this overview because I found it useful in placing the other photos.
April 10, 2017. In addition to the passage of a boat, you can see some railroad lift bridges going up and down.
April 12, 2017. "Dorothy Ann and Pathfinder making their run back to the lake."
April 12, 2017. H Lee White going both upstream and then later downstream. It must have some bow thrusters because I don't see any tugboats helping it make the tight turns.
A video of a bridge going up and a boat going around a corner to get under it. You can see both bow and stern thrusters help the boat make the turn.
A video of a boat making a sharp turn (source). Since there are no tugs assisting it, I would expect the bow thrusters which we can see working full thrust during most of the turn. It also appears to have stern thrusters.
"By 1931, Buffalo had 38 elevators with a total capacity for 47 million bushels of grain." Buffalo was the largest inland port when the Seaway was being constructed in the late 1950s. The businessmen expected to Seaway would increase their business just as the Erie Canal had done in the previous century. [Abandoned]
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And he has a video of "American Steamship's American Mariner on her way to General Mills
Elevator to drop off a load of grain."
Elevator to drop off a load of grain."
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| Antonio Medina posted Site of the Washburn-Crosby Elevator, Buffalo NY Probably late 1800s Patrick Leffler: Where General Mills is now? Antonio Medina: Patrick Leffler Correct |
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| This photo has been moved to "General Mills Grain Elevator and Cereal Plant" |
This video of the English River taught me that it carries powdered cement.
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| This photo has been moved to "ADM Standard Grain Elevator" |
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| This photo has been moved to "ADM Standard Grain Elevator" |
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| Another Brian photo |
Another posting about the Manitoulin. In a related posting there were the comments:
Lukas Irons: The Great Lakes are not the Atlantic Ocean. How are they going to get deep draft vessels over a shallow Lake Erie? By dredging the entire west end?
William Littrell: Eventually the St Lawrence Seaway & Welland Canal will be deepened and widened allowing all sorts of maritime craft and ecological disaster.
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| This photo has been moved to "ADM Standard Grain Elevator" |
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| This photo has been moved to "ADM Standard Grain Elevator" |
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| This photo has been moved to "ADM Standard Grain Elevator" |
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| This photo has been moved to Concrete-Central |
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An aerial photo that shows several of the elevators along the river. Brian R. Wroblewski Top to bottom: Concrete Central, Cargil Superior, Norris Marine 'A', Lake & Rail, Pero Malting, American, Electric (extension), Standard, LaFarge (Huron). A tow all the way up to the head of navigation is 6 miles by water (3 miles by line of sight) & takes about 2 hours or so. Video of "Tug Washington towing the Herbert C Jackson outbound from the ADM Standard elevator & down the Buffalo River through the Ohio St. Bridge for Lake Erie. 8-24-14." (That tug seems small compared to the towboats I'm used to seeing on the Illinois, Mississippi, and Ohio rivers.)
A photo essay by Brian R. Wroblewski about self-unloading boats.
Brian R Wroblewski posted five commented photos of different elevators as the laker Manitoulin was towed up the Buffalo River.
Brian R. Wroblewski posted ten commented photos along the Buffalo River.
April Wells has taken some sequences of photos as boats go past her window. I copied this overview because I found it useful in placing the other photos.
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| Third photo from April Wells posting |
April 10, 2017. In addition to the passage of a boat, you can see some railroad lift bridges going up and down.
April 12, 2017. "Dorothy Ann and Pathfinder making their run back to the lake."
April 12, 2017. H Lee White going both upstream and then later downstream. It must have some bow thrusters because I don't see any tugboats helping it make the tight turns.
A video of a bridge going up and a boat going around a corner to get under it. You can see both bow and stern thrusters help the boat make the turn.
A video of a boat making a sharp turn (source). Since there are no tugs assisting it, I would expect the bow thrusters which we can see working full thrust during most of the turn. It also appears to have stern thrusters.
"By 1931, Buffalo had 38 elevators with a total capacity for 47 million bushels of grain." Buffalo was the largest inland port when the Seaway was being constructed in the late 1950s. The businessmen expected to Seaway would increase their business just as the Erie Canal had done in the previous century. [Abandoned]
Buffalo had not been prepared after the St. Lawrence Seaway opened in 1959. There were no deepwater ports for the new massive ships that barreled down the new seaway and many opted to bypass the city to unload goods at ports closer to the Midwest. The Port of Buffalo, which had handled 24 million tons of cargo in 1957, dropped to 16 million tons by mid-1960’s and just 9 million by the 1970’s. Bethlehem Steel’s decision to close its steel mill in Buffalo in 1982 all but eliminated the Port’s traffic. [Abandoned]
Brian R. Wroblewski posted eleven photos with the comment: "These are some random shots I’ve taken in Buffalo over the last month or so showing a bunch of different elevators. I always try to work them into my photos as some are no longer used."
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| 1 LaFarge Cement |
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| 2 LaFarge with the new lake cement carrier Argonaut. |
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| 3 Tug passing the GLF elevator. |
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| 4 Kellogg elevator, now used (partially) by St. Mary’s cement & a private owner. |
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| 5 Larger section of the Kellogg is empty. |
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| 6 Penna. RR’s abandoned Connecting Terminal elevator. |
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| 7 ADM’s Standard elevator on the left & the abandoned American elevator on the right. |
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| 8 LaFarge elevator. |
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| 9 ADM’s Great Northern. |
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| 10 General Mills Frontier elevator. |
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| 11 From left to right, American, LaFarge, & Standard elevators. |
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| This photo has been moved to "General Mills Grain Elevator and Cereal Plant" |
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| This photo has been moved to "General Mills Grain Elevator and Cereal Plant" |
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| This photo has been moved to "General Mills Grain Elevator and Cereal Plant" |
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Jim Gates posted two photos with the comment:
Two different views, of the abandoned Connecting Terminal, in Buffalo NY. Both pictures, are from August 2016, the silos are used as a screen, for a nightly light shows! Future plans include access to the roof, with a restaurant! The fifty foot tall rubber duck, was part of a harbor front festival!
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| Justin J. M. Higner posted Hi, all! So, this is an unpublished picture I found years ago and is reposted here. It is of "The Harvester" in Buffalo (?), c. 1930. Built in 1911, scrapped in 1977. Facinating history. Photographer unknown-- Justin JM Higner Library. https://www.greatlakesvesselhistory.com/.../h/harvester-the Jim Nemecky Tied up there many times unloading Oats, wheat and barley. Dennis DeBruler It looks like "there" is here. Dennis DeBruler IH had two ships. The sister ship was named "The International." I did not realize they carried cargoes other than iron ore. https://www.facebook.com/groups/120664941289363/permalink/1884950881527418/ Peter Ulrich Dennis DeBruler she may be heading up river to the Republic Steel ore docks . Dennis DeBruler Peter Ulrich Thanks. That makes more sense. [The Republic Steel site has been cleaned up by the Federal Government and reused. info Note the three photos at the top of the "info" page.] Dennis DeBruler This photo also shows the remnants of a roundhouse in the lower-left corner. http://wikimapia.org/178.../Former-Site-of-Republic-Steel... Eric Saed I would guess 1950's as the "IH" logo is post-WWII |
This posting of Around 1900, electricity and concrete were advances for Buffalo’s elevators has some more photos as comments.
Marc Mcclure shared the link: Early grain-storage leader Buffalo experienced the boom in full.
Brian R. Wroblewski posted 24 photos with the comment: "Yesterday [Aug 14, 2020] I chased the tug-barge unit Petite Forte - St. Mary's Cement up the Buffalo River to the LaFarge plant. Here's a photo essay of all the elevators they passed on the way in as I managed to work them into the backdrop at every chance I could. Captions on each."
There is a really nice overview photo in this article about redevelopment that was posted by John Lucas.
Michael Schwiebert So the property in question is already vacant. How long has it been that way? If it’s been a while, perhaps there’s no interest from anyone that would use it as built.....
Bryan Littrell Michael Schwiebert you obviously don't know Western New York, interest was plenty.
The proper connections so that the right people profit, no.
Western New York is a community of "made" people, if you are not part of the old guy/gang network you are not going to succeed with any project.[Evidently Circle Street has been renamed Silo City Row. They are talking about converting an existing mill building. Evidently people still haven't figured out what you can do with silos.]
There is a really nice overview photo in this article about redevelopment that was posted by John Lucas.
Michael Schwiebert So the property in question is already vacant. How long has it been that way? If it’s been a while, perhaps there’s no interest from anyone that would use it as built.....
Bryan Littrell Michael Schwiebert you obviously don't know Western New York, interest was plenty.
The proper connections so that the right people profit, no.
Western New York is a community of "made" people, if you are not part of the old guy/gang network you are not going to succeed with any project.[Evidently Circle Street has been renamed Silo City Row. They are talking about converting an existing mill building. Evidently people still haven't figured out what you can do with silos.]
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| 3D Satellite |
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| 3D Satellite |
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| This photo has been moved to "1930 Cargill/Canadian Pool Elevator." |
Deborah Brown posted eight photos with the comment: "Kelly Island is a man made peninsula running from Michigan St. to Ohio St., Buffalo NY. carved in 1850, when the Blackwell Canal later renamed the City Ship Canal, was dug between the Buffalo River and Lake Erie leaving a thin strip of land, Ganson St. runs up the middle of the the island. Today that strip of land is home to General Mills, River Works and those giant Labatts cans 🦬"
[Some comments point out that it is not actually an island.]
Jim Myers shared
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Dave Bogan Photography posted two photos with the comment: "It's not every day you see a new freighter sail into Buffalo. The Mark W. Barker embarked on its first voyage from Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin on July 27th. It's the first freight ship to be built on the Great Lakes in almost four decades. The cargo ship was docked along the Buffalo Canal. You can see the mounds of sand unloaded from the vessel."
Interlake Steamship Company shared with the comment: "We love these photos of our new ship in action!"
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| Timothy Terry commented on Dave's post |
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| Timothy Terry commented on Dave's post |
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| Antonio Medina posted Widening the Buffalo River at Ohio St Bridge, Buffalo NY March 3, 1959 |
According to the map at the top of these notes, the elevator on the right was F: Cargill Electric and the headhouse peaking out over that elevator was G: American. It appears that J: Standard has yet to be built. Cargill's steel bins have been removed, but the rest of the elevators appear to be still standing.
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| Street View, Apr 2021 |
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| Brian R. Wroblewski posted Here's one of my lists of ship/barge unloading times for grain at all the local elevators here. Grain unload times at: GM F: General Mills Frontier Elevator ADM S: Standard elevator L&R: Lake & Rail Elevator _______________________________________________ Self-unloaders: AE Cornelius at GM F: 24 - 36 hours American Fortitude at GM F: 24 - 28 hours at ADM S: 17 - 18 hours at L&R: 14 hours American Mariner at GM F: 36 - 42 hours Cuyahoga at ADM S: 11 - 12 hours at L&R: 10 - 12 hours HC Jackson at ADM S: 20 - 24 hours H. Lee White at GM F: 48 hours Manitoulin at ADM S: 24 hours full load, 14 hours split load at GMF: ~ 17 hours split load. Maumee at GM F: ~ 40 hours Robert S Pierson at L&R: 10 - 12 hours Saginaw at ADM S: 17 hours at L&R: 14 hours Straight deckers: K Independent, K Enterprise, JL Mauthe, Willowglen, Beechglen: ~ 18 hours w/2 legs in the holds. |
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| Association for Great Lakes Maritime History posted The freighter Frank L. Vance alongside the Eastern Elevator in Buffalo, N.Y., circa 1900-1910 (Image Source: Library of Congress – Detroit Publishing Co. Collection – Enhanced by Shorpy.com). The notes for the image do not include the name of the photographer. The photograph was created from a glass, dry plate negative. [The description continues with a history of the freighter.] Dennis DeBruler shared with the question: "Where was this grain elevator located?" Paul Allen: My Great Grandfather died from a fall while working at the Great Eastern in 1899. His accidental fall was deemed suspicious by family and coworkers. There was a lot of labor unrest within the mills and on the waterfront at that time. |
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| Maureen Ó Brien posted My Dad took this photo of the grain elevators, probably between 1945-50. Brian R. Wroblewski: Rare shot. That's the Great Eastern. The milling block for general mills sits on that site now. |
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| Brian R. Wroblewski commented on Maureen's post Cleaned it up for you... |
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| Brian R. Wroblewski replied to Dennis' share Right...der... |
This is consistent with an overview of Buffalo shipping.
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| Brian R. Wroblewski posted I just updated my list again to include the cement boats for Holcim since we're about to get another new one soon. -- Longest vessels in the Buffalo River: Buffalo River to City Ship Canal GM Frontier Elevator: American Mariner: 730' Buffalo River to City Ship Canal sand wharf: Herbert C Jackson: 690', largest capacity: Mark W. Barker at 639' but 37k tons Buffalo River to Holcim Cement dock: Alpena: 519' Buffalo River to ADM Standard Elevator: Herbert C Jackson: 690'* *At 27,550 tons, Manitoulin is the largest capacity ship by tonnage to go up as far as ADM, & at 78' beam, she's' also the widest, but at 664', not the longest* Buffalo River to Lake & Rail Elevator: American Fortitude: 690' Buffalo River Republic Steel docks: Buffalo, Sam Laud, American Republic: 634' Buffalo River Mobil Oil docks: Gemini: 435' -- Longest tug-barge units on the Buffalo River: Buffalo River to GM Frontier Elevator: Victory - Maumee: 815' combined Buffalo River to City Ship Canal Sand Supply Wharf: Clyde S VanEnkevort - Erie Trader: 845' Buffalo River Holcim Cement dock: Both Holcim ATB units at 544' Buffalo River ADM Standard Elevator: Jane Ann 4th - Sarah Spencer: 729' combined Mobil Oil Dock: Stephen Reinauer - George Morris: ~ 400' combined -- Longest ships in Lackawanna Canal: Bethlehem Steel: Stewart J Cort, Indiana Harbor, both 1,000' -- Longest tug-barge unit, Lackawanna: Gateway Metroport Main Dock (old Bethlehem ore dock): Presque Isle 1,000' combined -- Longest ships in Black Rock Canal/Niagara River: Maritime Class ships Richard Reiss, George A Sloan: 620'- (max allowable size for B.R. Lock) -- Longest tug-barge in BRC/NR: Francis A Small - Wiltranco: ~ 600' |
To be researched: Buffalo Grain Elevators
I wish I had the time to upload these photos and provide hot links to the elevators and bridges:
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