Silo City Times Ten (or, ten things I saw while riding my bike today)...


These are a few photos of a ride I took this morning with a destination in mind. I've been reading (on Facebook) about a flea market being held in an area of the city which is now being called Silo City, which I think is a relatively new term. It's referring to an old waterfront section of the city that contains most of our city's grain elevators, a few are still in use but most seem abandoned (I've posted on them before here and here). These things (the grain elevators) are like Roman ruins here; testaments to our city's past but also--with things like the Silo Flea Market and other events there--premonitions and hope of what's to come. This was a really cool event. The entire area is desolate; creepy, sort of eerie. It was hot. Really hot. And as I pedaled and stopped at times to take pictures a car would pass periodically down the dusty road leading to the market. Usually there is not a soul to be seen here, and for the most part this was true today on my way there. At some points, as I stopped to take photos and walk around these monuments, the hair on the back of my neck stood up a little. I felt vulnerable in a way, being there by myself. Were there squatters, I wondered, watching the observer? At any rate, when I pedaled a bit further and turned the corner it was like a surreal oasis..a market amongst the otherwise desolate grain elevators (picture above). If you've been to this blog before you know that I have a keen interest in the history of the city of my birth, and this in a way, felt like I was witnessing history in the making. As hokey as it sounds that's how it felt. Our historical ancestors--those who built and worked these elevators--were smiling today. I took more than a hundred photos today but won't bore your with them all, so here's just ten. Click any for a larger view.










Urban Simplicity.

Comments

Andy in Germany said…
We have nothing on that scale locally, and very few abandoned factories: I expect there isn't the space to leave stuff as the industry here is along a narrow valley.

Strangely we do have the world's tallest grain silo though.
Joe George said…
Hey Andy, Great to hear from you. Yes the grain elevators are pretty interesting. Impressive to stand next to. Take care.