Elevator Alley
August 2009
It’s dubbed “Elevator Alley” and over the years many artists have painted here, in what is now an historic grain elevator district in Buffalo. A small band of painters gathered here on a cool morning in June to try our hand at painting these monolithic constructions of concrete and steel.
We shared the mornings work over lunch in our impromptu sidewalk cafe. Our back ground music was the drone of industrial engines; the scent of baking Cheerios from a nearby factory filled the air; local residents offered a friendly hello and smiled at our little gathering as they strolled by with children in hand.
It is easy to understand why these silent giants have captured the hearts and imaginations of ensuing generations, and to understand why most folks are reluctant to see them gradually disappear over the years. They are like old friends, an integral part of the colorful history of this region.
might be interested in the book by William J. Brown called "American Colossus: the Grain Elevator 1843-1943" (Colossal Books, 2009).
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