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All the United States New York State New York City Buffalo Silo City

Silo City

Buffalo's abandoned concrete grain elevators are getting a second life.

Buffalo, New York

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Meg Neal
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View of Silo City and Elevator Alley from the Ohio Street Lift Bridge.   Ed Healy (Courtesy of Visit Buffalo Niagara)
Autumn view of Marine A and the Lake and Rail grain elevators at Silo City.   Ed Healy (Courtesy of Visit Buffalo Niagara)
“Elevator Alley,” the stretch of the Buffalo River immediately adjacent to the harbor that is lined with historic grain elevators.   Andre Carrotflower/cc by-sa 3.0
A tour group in Silo City.   Joe Cascio (Courtesy of Visit Buffalo Niagara)
  Joe Cascio (Courtesy of Visit Buffalo Niagara)
Grain elevators on the Buffalo River.   BriYYZ/cc by-sa 2.0
The American Grain Complex, the first grain elevator built in Buffalo.   Pubdog/public domain
Grain elevators at Silo City in Buffalo.   Damon Hudac/cc by 2.0
At the mouth of the Buffalo River, looking southwest   StephenVincent / Atlas Obscura User
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Along the final bends of the Buffalo River, before it meets the edge of Lake Erie, miles of enormous abandoned grain silos line the riverbanks. Dubbed “Elevator Alley,” this is the densest collection of concrete grain elevators on the planet. 

One corner of this iconic sight is known as “Silo City.” In recent years, this group of four silo complexes has been transformed into a unique and fantastic cultural space. The giant hollow cylinders and their surrounding grounds have been repurposed as a popular gathering spot for festivals, performances, and a myriad of cultural events, in step with the revitalization of the city.

At the start of the 20th century, Buffalo was a thriving industrial town and the largest grain port in the world. Much of the grain harvested in the United States Midwest was shipped through Buffalo, which was then the western terminus of the Erie Canal. Massive amounts of grain passed through the Buffalo Harbor, where it was stored or transferred to canal ships heading to cities on the East Coast and abroad.

In their heyday, the towering silos along the harbor stored tens of millions of bushels of wheat and other grains. But the grain industry declined with a change in shipping routes, and by the end of the 20th century, many of the historic elevators were left empty and disused, a decaying reminder of the past. But while it's tempting to see the abandoned plants as relics, the occasional appearance of a lake freighter headed to the still-active General Mills plant provides a reminder of Buffalo's industrial heritage.

Buffalo's abandoned grain silos are getting a second life, thanks to local artists, architects, musicians, and urban explorers. Silo City has hosted concerts (the acoustics in these colossal chambers are extraordinary), literary readings, craft beer festivals, flea markets, theater productions, and other cultural events. Tours around, inside, and on top of the historic grain elevators are also offered, shining a light on the crucial role this impressive infrastructure played in shaping the second-largest city in New York.

Related Tags

Industrial Abandoned Concrete Silos Infrastructure History Events Performances Art Cultures Visit Buffalo Niagara

Know Before You Go

From May through October, Explore Buffalo offers walking tours around the grain elevators, vertical tours up to the top of the silos, and private tours (by request). The silos can also be seen as part of river tours of the Buffalo River History boat tours. Visitors should check the calendar on the Silo City website for upcoming events, and for hungry guests, note that a bar on the premises, Duende, serves food & drink. 

Community Contributors

Added By

Meg

Edited By

samlafrance, StephenVincent, evanbonham, briang1975

  • samlafrance
  • StephenVincent
  • evanbonham
  • briang1975

Published

May 1, 2019

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Sources
  • https://buffalonews.com/2017/05/15/silo-city-become-national-park/
  • https://savingplaces.org/stories/looks-great-sounds-amazing-buffalos-silo-city-2
  • https://buffalonews.com/2018/06/04/5-cool-things-to-know-about-silo-city/
  • https://exploringupstate.com/explore-buffalos-silo-city-vertical-tour-buffalo-ny/
  • http://bechsed.nylearns.org/pdf/Buffalos_Grain_Elevators.pdf
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erie_Canal#Competition
  • https://www.amazon.com/Scarlet-Woman-Wall-Street-Vanderbilt/dp/1555842127
Silo City
85 Silo City Row
Buffalo, New York, 14203
United States
42.862089, -78.863994
Visit Website
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