The Active Historian

Hey, friend! Welcome back to another post. Today, I want to show you a historic grain elevator in Edmond, Oklahoma. Let’s get started!

Historic Marker Transcription

Farmer’s Grain Company 

162 West First 

This was the first elevator and mill erected in Oklahoma. It was built by J.H. Snyder in 1891. Capacity was 80,000 bushels. Mr. Snyder continued the business until his death in 1895. 

In 1921, the firm went broke. A group of farmers formed a corporation in 1922 and opened as Farmers Grain Company. In 1924, Eli Suenram was hired as manager. 

The elevator burned in 1949, but was quickly rebuilt. 

Present owner, Suenram Family 

Present Occupant, Farmer Grain Company 

Designed By

Edmond Preservation Trust 

Edmond Historical Society 

1993 

History of the Grain Elevator

As a historian, you know I logged into a few newspaper databases to see what I could find based on the information from the historic marker above and I found one historic image. The image below is of the original J.H. Snyder Mill before it burned down.

I was happy to run across this historic image and thankful to learn about an important piece of Oklahoma history!

Visit

102 W 1st St.

Edmond, OK 73003

TRAVEL TIP: The historic marker is on the side of the restaurant, “Farmers Grain Kitchen + Cellar.”

Sources

Primary Sources

Newspapers

“First Flour Mill in Oklahoma, Long Idle, Opened Again At Edmond By Hydro Men.” The Daily Oklahoman (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), September 21, 1919.

Secondary Sources

W. David Baird, “Grain Elevators,” The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture.