Grain elevators store and prepare grain for shipment, using stable environments to delay decomposition. Joseph Dart’s design allowed for easy extraction from ships. Materials evolved from wood to brick and steel. Grain elevators are common in the Midwest and southern US, and are strategically placed for easy transportation.
Grain elevators are storage areas that are used to house grain and prepare it for eventual shipment. An elevator can be a single building or a series of interconnected buildings, depending on the size of the operation. Overall, the design allows for easy grain storage and retrieval by providing a stable environment that helps delay decomposition.
One of the first plans for a grain silo appeared in the early 1840s in the United States. Joseph Dart, who was also the creator of the marine leg, designed storage buildings that could easily be placed near shipping ports. The design allowed the marine leg, which is essentially a large scoop, to easily extract grain from ships and other transportation devices and place it in the storage building.
While the earliest examples were simple wooden buildings, brick and masonry quickly became the materials of choice for construction. Spouts and conveyance ducts that allow for easy grain extraction are often made of steel. Using the natural flow of gravity, the spouts can be opened and the grain pushed off the elevator into bins or trucks for easy transportation.
While the grain elevator was first used in New York State, the concept quickly caught on in other parts of the country. By the end of the 19th century, the structure was a common sight in the Midwest, often used for corn and grain storage. The southwestern and southern United States also use these buildings to store various types of grain. Some modern examples are simple, one-time building operations that can serve farmers forming a local cooperative. Others involve multiple buildings and include a sophisticated series of ducts to connect units.
Often, a grain silo is strategically placed in a location where it is relatively easy to transport grain to and from the plant. The lift can be found near railroads, river levees, or a section of lowland that is a short distance from fields used to grow various grains.
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