Buffalo History Museum launches Great Northern Elevator photo retrospective

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. »

For anyone interested in the life and death of America’s great elevators, mills and grain elevators, the Buffalo History Museum is launching a new exhibit titled “The Life and Death of Buffalo’s Great North Grain Elevator: 1897-2023”.

The exhibition coincides with the launch of educator and photographer Bruce Jackson’s new book, which documents the epic and fragile life of one of Buffalo’s mighty monoliths. The book highlights the Great Northern which recently bit the dust at the hands of Archer Daniels Midland (ADM).

The exhibition opening will take place on Wednesday June 5, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., with a reception at the Penfold Portico. Jackson will deliver notes on the photographs and his new book at 6:30 p.m.

About the exhibition, curated by Anthony Greco, Director of Exhibitions: The 17 photos featured in the exhibit, which were either captured by photographer Bruce Jackson or drawn from the museum’s historic imagery, show the Great Northern in its functional youth, dormant old age and controversial demolition.

Archer Daniels Midland got lucky on the night of December 11, 2021: a fierce winter wind blew away a third of the brick curtain surrounding Buffalo’s Great Northern Grain Elevator. ADM had wanted to demolish the 225-year-old building since 1993, but each of its demolition requests to the city had been blocked. Six days after the storm, without a public hearing, the building was condemned. The SMA and the City explained that the damage to the brick curtain made the entire structure dangerously unstable. This was false: the brick curtain supported nothing; the Great Northern was surprisingly in good condition.

Preservation advocates objected in the press and in court, but to no avail. The Great Northern never had a chance. A unique piece of Buffalo’s global economic and architectural history was gone by early 2023.

“The Life and Death of Buffalo’s Great Northern Grain Elevator, 1897-2023”

More information can be found at the opening reception for the exhibit: “The Life and Death of Buffalo’s Great Northern Grain Elevator, 1897-2023” – The Buffalo History Museum.

Admission $10, FREE for members

Buffalo History Museum, One Museum Court, Buffalo, 14216