Saturday, December 24, 2005

crib



This oval shaped building is a corn crib, and this particular style of crib is my favorite. This particular crib is a type made of a concrete type substance that is fireproof. Notice the slotted areas which provide air circulation and the iron bands that encircle and strengthen the structure. The feature at the top houses machinery for a conveyor system that loaded grain into the crib.

The grain stored in this crib was used to feed the farmers livestock. Grain for sale is stored in large co-op graineries, usually there's one in each rural town, and a huge regional grain storage facility. This crib stands in the direct path of new development, and farmers in this area have moved on, of those that remain few keep their own livestock.

It would be interesting to think of new uses for some of these building.

7 comments:

Rachel said...

Sad to see the old things destroyed for new development. They call it progress and it's going on everywhere.

Good photo!

R.Powers said...

Merry Christmas! I have really enjoyed your writing and photos.

Anonymous said...

I think these buildings would make great art galleries! Or studios! Another amazing picture - so perfectly captures the Illinois countryside. Just love it.

Merry Christmas to you and yours...

OldLady Of The Hills said...

It is a true education coming to visit you and seeing your photo's. I LOVE THIS BUILDING!!! It is so sad to think that all these places might or will be torn down to make way for what???

Well...till then...do keep on ducumenting them. And I wish you a very Merry Christmas!

srp said...

This would make a lovely artist studio, cut a few windows on all sides for light. And I love the winter pictures. Since we are expecting thunderstorms this afternoon and not a flake of snow in site this year, these may be some of the only winter scenes we get.

Have a wonderful Christmas.

Anonymous said...

THis is an evocative photo, and the idea that this building could be demolished is awful. Are you are doing an anthropological study of Rural illinois? these "cultural landscapes" have so much meaning apart from their aesthetic appeal. I saw a great paper on case study of Stirling, Alberta, all about Managing Cultural Landscapes. It was persented at the ICOMOS Symposium, but I dont know if it is available on line. the author was Robert Buckle.

Love your photos, happy new year!

Jenni said...

I've lived in Ohio and Indiana and, for the past 18 years, Kansas. I've never seen a corn crib or silo like that. It's very interesting! I've read articles about people making old silo's into multi-level homes. Someday I'd like to see inside one of them.