Origins of City House
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Farmers and their allies supported improving the river’s shipping capacity once it became clear that railroad dominance meant higher shipping rates. The Equity Co-operative Exchange was formed in 1911 and built its first grain elevators on the Upper Levee in 1915. The Minnesota Farmers Union took over Equity and expanded the Upper Levee elevators (1927-31), eventually including 60 grain silos, a mill, the head house for loading grain onto barges, and the sack house for bagging grain. Restoration of the latter two buildings, under the name City House, was completed in 2009. City House is now listed in the National Register of Historic Places and has been restored as a park pavilion and event venue, situated on piers and cantilevered out over the Mississippi River.
Files
Komo Flour Milling Plant
Date: 1920 Photographer: Charles P. Gibson Image courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society
Farmers National Warehouse Corporation
Currently the Farmers Union Terminal Association Date: 1935 Image courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society
View of Mississippi River
High Bridge and Northern States Power in background Date: 1952 Image courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society
Farmers' Union Elevator
Upper Levee (foot of Chestnut) Date: 1955 Image courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society
First barge being loaded with corn at Farmers' Union Grain
Terminal Association elevator, Upper Levee Date: 1954 Image courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society
Railroad yard near the NSP power plant
High Bridge and downtown Saint Paul in the distance Date: 1970 Image courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society