Concrete-Central Elevator, Industrial grain elevator in Buffalo, US
Concrete-Central Elevator is a grain storage and transfer facility located along the Buffalo River that spans multiple sections with numerous bins for handling bulk grain operations. The structure features a distinctive design adapted for receiving and redistributing grain from different modes of transportation.
Built between 1915 and 1917, this facility was the world's largest grain transfer complex when completed, and its construction techniques were kept classified during World War I. The secrecy reflected the strategic importance of grain handling for wartime production and trade.
The structure represents the technological evolution of grain storage systems in the United States, marking a transition from wooden to concrete industrial architecture.
Visiting this complex requires attention to the industrial structures along the river and how the different transportation systems interconnect. Visitors should plan for outdoor viewing from accessible vantage points along the waterfront.
The facility could unload three lake freighters while simultaneously loading canal boats and rail cars, making it a major hub for grain moving between water and rail routes. This coordinated capacity was rarely matched at other grain terminals of the era.
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