Exploring an ABANDONED 15 STORY TALL GRAIN ELEVATOR in Buffalo, NY

While driving into Buffalo, New York you will see silo city. Abandoned factories and grain silos litter both sides of the highway. It was during one trip I decides to stop and check out one of the biggest grain silos. The Saskatchewan Co-operative Elevator Company was built in 1925 and is 173 feet tall. I believe it is about 15 stories but I didn't count on the way up. It was a lot of stairs.
If you want to learn how a grain elevator works check out a video I found: • Grain Elevator 3D Anim...
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Warning: Always be respectful of others property. Urban exploring comes with risks and we do not encourage exploring by anyone that does not have a good understanding of building structures and risks. EXPLORE AT YOUR OWN RISK.

[@chasewrisinger7873]

The shafts you see at 14:00 and 15:54 with the large pulleys are the main drive for what is called a 'leg'. Legs are used to carry the grain from the bottom of the elevator to the top so it can be distributed to the correct bin. A facility that large probably had multiple that served varies purposes. At one point there were very large electric motors and gear boxes that connected to those shafts like you stated. The large shafts you see at 3:27 almost look like very dilapidated tail pulleys for the legs in which the casings and belts have been removed. They could also be under bin conveyors used to move grain horizontally. You call the lowest level of an elevator head house a 'boot pit'. The large metal bins you see at 11:30 are called a 'garner'. There were usually an upper and lower garner in an elevator which were used to enable a constant stream of grain while also being weighed correctly by the scale between them. The shoots you see at 8:54 were once part of a distributor or 'turn head' that was fed by a leg and was the medium used to divert grain to the correct bin or area of the facility it needed to go. At 17:34 that threaded rod you see may have been used for keeping that bearing sedentary or it may have been used to adjust the belt alignment on the main shaft to prevent rubbing of the leg belt. It might surprise you, but belted man lifts are actually still commonly used in rural grain facilities and are grandfathered into many safety regulations - somewhat sobering to ride the first time you step onto one. Thanks for sharing with us!

[@colebright7379]

We still use them all the time in Kansas elevators.

[@jillephemera]

My dad climbed to the top of this in the late 80s! He says the staircases were in horrible condition even then

[@davidmontroy3408]

You should as your Dad if he was one of the brave, or foolishly reckless & stupid, few that jumped from the top level, into the water.

[@LiterateChick]

This is so perfect, I'm writing a novel that largely takes place in an abandoned grain elevator and this is really just an amazing resource. Thanks so much for doing this kind of thing, I love it

[@OnceOccupied]

Thanks 🙏🏼 Your book sounds interesting and definitely unique!

[@ramennoodles3843]

I remember as a kid when they built Tift Farm with the garbage from the city dump. The barges would moor right at this silo and they would transfer the garbage from the barges to haul trucks, then take it across fuhrmann to make the hills at Tift Farm

[@Astro.PR787]

I pass by that place so many times thinking what’s in there and look you made this video

[@iipixel8607]

Sameeee

[@raydai9541]

Zrujji Game Same!

[@raydai9541]

I thought the thumbnail looked oddly familiar, so I clicked on it.

[@room9podcast]

Just climbed up here today. So awesome.

[@OnceOccupied]

Nice. At least it’s getting warmer 😜

[@exposingpowerfullieslivest5082]

Buffalo Natives Represent!

[@frankforrest1597]

I have drove past many times, but never had the chance to explore it. Really awesome footage Dude 👍✌

[@OnceOccupied]

Thanks 🙏🏻 I am glad you liked it!

[@ItsCleto]

Oh man, memories. I used to cruise all up and down Route 5 and the water in my '96 Camaro

[@schneidely]

Old first ward native, thanks for the remembrance. Been on top of that place a few times, best friend climbed the flag pole 40 years ago still looks the same.

[@feeneysmechanical6215]

My family is from the Ward

[@joecozzi1365]

Great job! I can't believe you would do this alone. Too dangerous.

[@Mark_The_Magnificent]

OMG - That was the weirdest, most interesting place I have yet seen!!!

[@OnceOccupied]

Mark I hope that’s a good thing 🤞. Glad you enjoyed! Don’t forget to subscribe if you are not already.

[@Mark_The_Magnificent]

Oh yes, that is a totally good thing! I have seen all of your vids (and countless others); my favorite one of all though, is the clock tower in the playing card factory!

[@OnceOccupied]

That is mine too but it’s funny it only has a couple hundred views for some reason it must not be getting recommended by a KZbin or something. I’m so glad you appreciate the videos.

[@danielregan3455]

What you found at the end of the video was a weld done by the artist ATAK, a prominent graffiti artist in the city. They've since relocated, but their stuff can still be found all over. Especially in difficult to reach hidden places, like where you were. It's a nice find. There used to be a water tower on top of that building, aka The Freezer Queen building, that was tagged HERT ATAK. HERT, being another local artist, writing with ATAK. It explains why you found that weld on the roof.

[@Shawnsweater]

Just took screenshots. There my favorite writers. So long ago too

[@DougDimmaDab-xd4mr]

Still all over the city. No good artists anymore that I can see. Sad.

[@upstateev]

This is not Freezer Queen, there was no water tower here

[@louistheuma7569]

Buffalo has so much potential to become something amazing.

[@GxFR716]

I agree! I was born and raised there but haven’t been since 2002. I hear things are starting looking good now but I wouldn’t know for sure.

[@Jonibear22]

@@GxFR716 it really is with the outer harbor where he is around and canal side it's really better then before

[@jamalginsburg7277]

It will never be anything due to the fact it's within NY state. Any "progress" that has been made recently is strictly through government programs and funding. No real private business who doesn't receive incentives from NY go to Buffalo.

[@darrinstefaniak]

definitely but it will never happen. we are in NYS and it's ran by corrupt politicians and high taxes

[@jasonrozak5757]

The people have ALOT to do with it too

[@jimkinner]

Here's a little more history of the site. The years are not exact. Buffalo's Grain elevators fell into disuse around 1960 due to the opening of the St Lawrence seaway. Two retiring Buffalo Fire officials bought that property in the late 80's or early 90's at auction. They opened South End Marina. You would leave your boat there on the trailer on the surrounding property. When you wanted to take it out on the lake, they would launch it for you. It worked well for those who had a narrow buffalo driveway and couldn't keep their boats at home, didn't want it in their backyard, or their boats leaked a bit. You could store your boat for the winter on the bottom floor of the silo. There was a Bldg about half way between the Elevator and the road. A garage had been added to the back for repair work. several years ago, work was being done on a boat when a fire occurred that destroyed the shop and office. They never reopened. Abandoned again. For many years, there was a retired Great lakes cruise ship moored on the south side of the elevator. It was known both as the Aquarama and Marine Star. It added to the semi abandoned coolness of the site.

[@smaiiz1467]

me and my buddy go in here all the time. it's creepy af at night. i live like 15 min from it

[@Texas_Cody]

We have abandoned silos all over Fort Worth. Ive been in them all. Btw that horrible smell you may have experienced was rotten/fermented grains. Be careful you can get respiratory infections. Also if you see low lying brown/red or yellowish fumes immediately leave that is nitrogen dioxide gas and it will kill you with exposure at certain concentrations. Also most elevator facilities used cyanide gas for pest control. Point is if your going to explore silos. Get a full face respirator with organic vapor/acid gas cartridges. Also be aware that entering a decommissioned facility means you may not come back out. Safe exploration my dude 🤙

[@greg33770]

as a kid riding along along the water front, route 5, via skyway, you would see many grain elevators, near the Buffalo River, many were still in use.....ahhh....those were the good ole' days.....

[@oates9758]

Great video !Buffalo got some of the best spots for abandoned places like the old wonder bread factory or even the abandoned Adams memorial hospital which houses the dome the president mckinley was shot under !

[@zenon459]

There's one where i live, i'm in canada, and near where i live is a town named collingwood, it started out as a settlement for grain, and they finished it in 1929. It's still structurally sound, and they want to turn it into an elderly home. They did an evaluation of the inside that revealed about 4 feet of bird poop in some places. It's still there though. They want to demolish it, but i think they should turn it into a museum. It's still good though, its safe and sound, it's just, there, but it needs to be saved in my opinion. Edit: The town is finally taking interest, and are looking for private investors to help with renovation, the town really loves these grain terminals, and the members of city hall are finally starting to understand the significance of the building

[@russelldavis1011]

A friend of mine fell down the elevator on the foot of Tift street and route five lived to tell the tale

[@oreo10ish]

Yes I remember I went to school with you guys

[@russelldavis1011]

@@oreo10ish South Park high school

[@oreo10ish]

I think it was Bob Gilson who fell he was with his buddy herein if I remember correctly

[@oreo10ish]

Don her lin

[@russelldavis1011]

@@oreo10ish Paul D censo

[@thebiggerbuffalo9905]

Never got to explore this before, definitely will check it out for myself soon! Great video!

[@dixiegirl4825]

All I can say is Wow! Not Scared of heights but you were Wayy up there & with Such Sketchy staircases!! Great View Tho & Definitely Something I'd of Never Seen W/out this Video. Great Job. Thank You!! 😃

[@OnceOccupied]

The wind was blowing so hard it definitely was pretty chaotic. Thanks!

[@dixiegirl4825]

Oh yeah & the Wind.... How could I of left that out?! U could hear how hard it was blowing! Yeah, those stairs & the wind is what would've gotten Me 😉😱

[@danielparrott5163]

you did a grate job bro i work at a grain elevator in Atchison ks its a older one made in 1952 and its still going!!! its crazy to see how you got to the top with out the man lift !! all & all i loved the vid sir

[@kathleenriley8357]

We explored Silo City a few years back. There were wall paintings that were incredible.

[@Maxb49]

Thanks for posting this. I’ve driven by every day of my life wondering what it looked like in there. It looks ominous from the outside. And on the inside, too! What was the smell in that room?

[@dukedevilAXCLps3]

These were grain elevators. Used to go up to the roof and smoke with some of my friends. So sketchy at night. There’s these holes on the upper floors, probably for chutes or pipes. Easily large enough for humans to fall through. The scariest part is that you can barely see them until you’re damn near on top of them. This is the good one, btw. There’s one tucked in along the river, just like this one for the most part. But, you get 3/4 of the way up and there’s no steps for the stairs, just rails. That was sketchy going up and sketchier going down. Cool to be inside of them though.

[@EWPA14]

I think I remember seeing this when passing through Buffalo.

[@biblemademedoit]

We used to store our boats in there during the winter when it was South End marina. They had a fire and the family sold the property.

[@jadencole6951]

Any clue of what year

[@thomasmoje5926]

That grain elevator you went through..I used to drive by it every week day to and from work. There used to be a large dilapidated cruise ship parked at the slip..it was there for the longest time. Information I have is it was purchased with the intent on restoring it..when towing it through Lake Ontario the tow line snapped in heavy sea and it sank. Lots of old grain elevators in Buffalo (some still in use).

[@MrWlbblw]

Negative. It was scrapped in Turkey. Google "Aquarama" or "Marine Star" there's pics.

[@thomasmoje5926]

@@MrWlbblw Oh..somehow I heard it sank in Lake Ontario..thanks for that update. Had an opportunity to go kayaking recently in Buffalo Inner Harbor..man those grain elevators are huge.

[@MrWlbblw]

thomas moje they still used 6 of them here, 3 for grain & 3 for cement. Not all of them are abandoned.

[@spencerbeales8965]

I remember seeing that creepy abandoned ship. I'm always amazed at what it must have been like building all those abandoned mills.

[@robertetzenhouser]

I drive past this all the time this is really neat!

[@JJMHigner]

Cargill Pool Elevator complex. Informative and risky. Thanks for recording this at least for historic reasons. Nice day for it too, thankfully. I live in Wheatfield, near Buffalo.

[@GamingXPOfficial]

Just went there 3 days ago man so many stairs 😂

[@user-rq7jr8ii9t]

I think I’d rather walk a tightrope across Niagara Falls than venture up to the top of that thing!!

[@uniquexvinitrist2485]

My mother once told me she actually jumped off that building with her friends.

[@anaquintanilla4029]

You always seem to have lots of fun.

[@OnceOccupied]

What’s the point of living if you can’t have fun

[@ColonelClusterFunk]

14:05 that whole metal assembly is the top of a 'leg', or a bucket elevator which scooped up the grain to drop it onto conveyors. The pulley drives a belt with buckets attached, and would've been powered by an electric motor (definitely salvaged for copper wire by now)

[@77subiedo]

Awesome vid! Crazy high

[@OnceOccupied]

Thanks 🙏 it took a lot to keep going as stairs were missing 😜 I would love to camp on top given no wind.

[@GG-yl2iw]

Great video Buffalo definitely has some secrets

[@stanleywilliams5343]

Those two open holes with the channel iron is the remains of a belt style man-lift.

[@JJVlogzz]

Nice video. Always wanted to go here

[@OnceOccupied]

Thanks. I just couldn’t stand to drive past that place without checking it out.

[@dudleydorite7678]

I hid from the police in there. Never caught me.

[@danielvertino8126]

nice one!

[@thedeadzone9236]

Awesome, now Buffalo is calling my name...

[@davidkimmel4216]

Thank You

[@vhumpin3647]

I see this place all the time and i nevet saw rip xxx

[@daviddaughenbaugh1080]

Love it

[@BuffaloEskate]

If y'all ever go back I would love to group up with some people as it gets boring exploring solo almost 100% of the time!! 😆 Lmk

[@OnceOccupied]

Thanks for watching! I hope everyone enjoyed the video. For the first time I compensated for the fisheye from the GoPro. Let me know what you think. The next upgrade would be the GoPro 7 with a built-in stabilization. If you think your friends would enjoy this video please share on social media it definitely helps.

[@jimmymiller77]

GREAT Video. I don't know how you can do this. I got dizzy just watching this. You must have nerves of steel. Keep them coming. >

[@OnceOccupied]

Thanks Jim. You could probably hear me breathing hard. Half of that was climbing up 15 sets of stairs but a lot of it was just nerves.😨

[@jimmymiller77]

Thank you so much for your reply. Please be careful, We can't afford to loose you ... >

[@OnceOccupied]

Will do! Thanks 🙏

[@karchata7123]

Walking through that busted concrete sounds like someone making out I had to be sure I was watching the right thinf

[@OmegaGreedAK47]

I’ve been in this building a few times, the scariest part is getting up on the boat to even get on the second floor

[@lyndontarrant4548]

Those things you called drives looks like the engine or the turbine that moves the grain from one to the other and delivers it by scoop or a metal augar

[@MSTrishRN]

Great video. I like how you explain what is left and what it was used for. Just curious, what made those steps warp like that? It was like King Kong stepped on them. Lol

[@OnceOccupied]

It seems like a lot of the steps had stuff thrown down them maybe by scrappers at some point. Other seemed warped. Weakened by corrosion, temperature, and shifting of supports. The worst ones looked good but when you stepped on them they rocked back-and-forth which definitely gets the blood flowing.

[@michaelfield9467]

Yes you are absolutely correct it was scrapers i worked in a grain elevator for 12yrs them steps are very beefy this mill was about 70 ft taller though it made me nervous when I had to work on equipment up there thank you for the awesome video and the memories keep up the good work

[@jackieking1937]

I live near there... they did cement after the elevator closed, then stored boats.

[@OnceOccupied]

I got a huge kick out of the rando boats all over!

[@feeneysmechanical6215]

I live down the street from there

[@nascar2297]

You should check out the Bethlehem steel in Buffalo NY and the JN Adam hospital 1 hour south of buffalo!

[@OnceOccupied]

They are both on my list. I drove by Bethlehem steel end it looks amazing. Hopefully I’ll have some time in the next couple weeks. 😜

[@nascar2297]

Once Occupied awesome! I was thinking of checking out the Bethlehem steel sometime, they are knocking it down soon. Also, nearby is the Summit Mall in Niagara Falls NY that just closed down a few months ago, not sure if there’s a way in but I’ve driven by it and it looks completely deserted

[@OnceOccupied]

I am in CA all the time and travel through Niagara. I will have to check it out.

[@adamt9834]

JN Adams hospital is absolutely amazing, pretty empty unfortunately but quite an experience and beautiful architecture. Not to mention it's so big I went 3 times and have yet to see everything I want to. I even believe theres a little bit of paranormal activity there if you believe in that stuff I'm sceptical but weird things happened for sure

[@OnceOccupied]

I made a stop there not too long ago and it was pretty amazing. I never made a video of it because it was getting dark and it would probably only be like five minutes long. I might go back and edit it though and put it up. I posted a bunch of stuff of it on Instagram though. We are OOCCUPIED on instagram.

[@Lucaspatronik716]

anyone know if you can still get to the top?

[@kevinb9327]

I grew up in Buffalo, so this was especially interesting. Buffalo was the biggest wheat flour producer in the world for a time. Dangerous, though. Hope I don't see you in a Darwin Award video anytime soon.

[@mikecarlson6416]

I would definitely bring a angle grinder with me and take some souvenir back

[@rickgriego2844]

Dude..we’ve got one in downtown San Antonio ALMOST identical.used to chill there.instead of boats though there were dead pig bodies.pretty creepy..

[@StevePicaGCT]

You've got nerve pal!!! NONE of that looked safe. Very cool video.

[@raredreams1457]

Love that place.But could never find a way in.

[@mikepierce1724]

I've loaded lumber on that area few times

[@steves_retail]

I went there.. they have sadly since removed everything from the ground floor so you can no longer access the upper levels

[@explorewny3379]

I have been in there in the past (before I started my KZbin channel) but now they have the fencing all around the complex. How did you get in? BTW, great video! If your looking for interesting abandoned places to explore in Western New York check out the Wurtz funneral home in Boston NY. I have two video's of it on my channel but I'm sure you could do a better job.

[@mburna200]

I was just waiting for a old drunk to pop out who goes there lol

[@OnceOccupied]

“O’hoy there matey!”

[@iipixel8607]

Always wondered what was inside. Such a shame that the leftover chemicals and such cause horrible sickness so it cannot really be developed.

[@diannenaworensky6698]

Wonder if those boats have been stolen and hidden there

[@PlazmaSilvaraGMS]

it was used for boat storage for a while, along with the freezer queen building.

[@smaiiz1467]

lol theyre broken down pieces of shit i see em in there all the time

[@cheems.mp5606]

No it's from the old Marina

[@beckyhamm8006]

Who owns the grain bins now? who do I contact to get them lit up for a special occasion?

[@lloydk851]

Your tip of the day is wrong. The mechanism doesn't control the electric motors from overspeeding the belt. Its to prevent the leg belt from turning backwards in the event the bucket elevator plugs up and stops when its full of grain.

[@Lamprey.]

If that padlock with the metal welded to it at the top was some form of graffiti, I have to say that's very creative

[@joesieg4444]

It was graffiti, 100% theres alot of amazing street artists in buffalo

[@Lamprey.]

Awesome 👏

[@GthbmbD]

I live in buffalo and my old house was near this place i would have nightmares abt it ;-;

[@OnceOccupied]

Don’t have nightmares it’s one of the best places to watch the sunset!

[@TheRealGoopyGoop]

There are 3 in buffalo but lvl 3 is facing a different dirrection and is almost unclimbable. This 1 is level 1

[@jojogunsgomez2907]

I don’t think you could go to the top floors anymore. I stopped there last week July 2 2022 and I couldn’t find a way to go up. That’s how I ended in this Chanel trying to see how you go up

[@billliberati9840]

I'm 42 years old lived in Buffalo my whole life and I can't remember if this is the grain silo that they light up in different colors Neon Lights at night time and if I remember correctly they were supposed to turn that into a boat drive-in movie theater

[@torgo4ever]

No , this is the Cargills one on route 5 at Small Boat Harbor.

[@liamsalamon2795]

I was in that

[@okiedokie3845]

Used to jump off the back of the roof some 20yrs ago!

[@ariapersico]

they recently emptied everything out

[@fredsmith901]

Could have a really good rave in there.

[@tbob8212]

I was thinking the same thing :) It would be cool until someone tripping on acid thinking they can fly and they succumb to gravity, lol XD

[@hippikilla1753]

ya that would be sick, so many places that are easy to fall off of and shit tho. maybe on the first floor

[@sgtcrash4775]

Looking for my Tag from childhood but couldn't see it in the video.. yea that silo isn't that impressive. You gotta check out concrete central. It's off the Road but I know of a trail to it .. if ever back in Buffalo I can show you . I love metal detecting over near there

[@valleygirl670]

Originally the GLF Grain elevators

[@shawnmichaels5742]

We used to climb on those as kids

[@charlesgallagher1376]

Look at all that fresh water, that’s Buffalo’s future.

[@RangerRickTV]

I wanna go here so bad.

[@zariahscott8212]

Ive always wanted to go in there, but as a 14(almost 15) year old its hard

[@judespero308]

I live in buffalo

[@OnceOccupied]

I love visiting Buffalo and small towns in NY. Some really cool old schools. I actually have a couple videos of places there like Wonder Bread. Please consider subscribing.

[@lyndontarrant4548]

That last piece of equipment is a grain dryer

[@dukedevilAXCLps3]

Btw, around 4:30, the 47 wasn’t ya, but the AK tag was my buddy, it’s his initials.

[@brandoncharbonneau9901]

Dont be putting peoples throwies on blast.

[@OnceOccupied]

I’m confused. Is this an attempt to brag about knowing someone that does shitty graffiti. I mean it’s not even cool to brag about your friend that does amazing graffiti let alone some dude that literally just writes AK 47 like that’s the most creative thing in the world. Next you’re going to tell me that you know the guy that draws wieners everywhere.

[@jugg1492]

❤

[@estherl2407]

I have seen a silo in the middle of water like that, what happened when it would flood?

[@torgo4ever]

That part of the lake doesn't flood . It's protected by a breakwall.

[@BuffaloEskate]

Hey I live in the Buffalo area and do a channel involving electric skateboards and urban exploring etc... And was wondering... do you want to do a collaboration video hitting one of the buildings here in Buffalo? It would be me and maybe 2 of my boys and you plus whoever you may bring

[@jandra671]

can you still get in here?

[@andywalsh3882]

Look at background at 1:44, is that a ghost

[@animeman4701]

Have you ever been to concrete Central

[@sbprime2483]

buffalo cant afford to demo those nasty eyesores

[@Medic_naturalist]

Up on Erie?

[@OnceOccupied]

Yep. Made for a perfect view.

[@torgo4ever]

My dad and uncles would tell me how people would jump off of the roof into the water on the short side.

[@oreo10ish]

The used to jump off the marine leg towers they have been removed about 20 years ago the brag was who could jump from the highest floor of the tower

[@estherl2407]

Grain elevator not silo. Were you by yourself? Those stairs were very sketchy, my husband and I was scared for you

[@jameswest8280]

If I'm not mistaken, I think I saw the ark.

[@neilboser4674]

Indent grain cleaner

[@billliberati9840]

My secret fishing spot