Saint Paul Municipal Grain Terminal

The Saint Paul Municipal Grain Terminal is a grain elevator built on the Mississippi River between 1927 and 1931 for storing and processing grain. The complex contains multiple structures including silos and mill buildings that worked together to handle grain processing and shipment.

The terminal was built as the first successful grain elevator project run by a farm cooperative in the United States. This pioneering approach allowed farmers to store and ship grain directly without relying on private companies.

The structure reflects how important river trade and agriculture were to the city's identity. You can still see these connections today in the way the building sits on the riverfront and how it looks.

The sack house building at 266 Old Shepard Road is open during the day and lets you see how grain was handled. The main structures are not open to visitors, but you can walk around the site and enjoy the riverfront location.

The site preserves one of the few working examples of early farm cooperative infrastructure that is over a century old. Walking through it gives you a direct sense of how farmers organized themselves to compete with large grain companies.

Location: Saint Paul

GPS coordinates: 44.93890,-93.10000

Latest update: December 14, 2025 14:26