THE ATTEBURY GRAIN ELEVATOR AND THE OLD GENERAL MILLS BUILDING
Aged Dilapidation in Wichita Falls, TX
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A Tremendous, Cross-Country Find
Last year, my family and I moved across the country by car. We traveled from Daytona Beach, Florida, to Colorado Springs, Colorado.
During this cross-country road trip, we made it a point to enjoy the drive as much as we could, regardless of it’s length. We stopped plenty along the drive, but a memory that I can’t shake, and I’m compelled to share about in our blog:
Was our stop in Wichita Falls, TX, at The Attebury Grain Elevator and the old General Mills’ building.
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Wichita Falls, Texas:
Maybe You’ve Never Heard of the Place
The city of Wichita Falls is positioned between Dallas, Texas, and Oklahoma City, OK, and is home to the world’s smallest sky scraper! According to the US Census Bureau, this city had a recorded population of 104,279 people as of 2019. Wichita Falls, Texas, has a rich history, one that includes grain production, oil, farm and ranching, and more.
Driving through this city, I was lead to believe the population would have been smaller than recorded by the US Census Bureau.
The city of Wichita Falls, Texas, is chock-full of abandoned businesses and homes, with many areas dilapidated. Two of these abandoned and/or dilapidated structures being the Attebury Grain Elevator and the old General Mills’ building.
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Two Compelling Structures
Standing taller than most buildings in all of Wichita Falls, TX, we spotted the two structures from the highway and decided to pull off to find them.
We weaved through back streets, before pulling into an industrial area with an old railway, a junkyard, the still-in-operation, Attebury Grain Elevator, and the old General Mills’ building.
The Attebury Grain Elevator
The Attebury Grain Elevator was originally built in 1894 and was managed by Frank Kell on the plot of 101 Ohio Street.
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During the early years, the elevator operated under the name, "Wichita Falls Mill and Elevator Company," and was responsible for the distribution of flour locally, as well as globally, until a fire burned the plant in the year 1900.
In 1908, the plant was restored by Frank Kell and continued operations, producing and shipping 3,000 barrels of flour to London and another 3,000 barrels to Cuba within the first year back in operation. The elevator was back in business!
Until 1921 rolled around, and a fire ripped through the plant, once again, prompting the longstanding owner Frank Kell, to sell the plant to General Mills in 1926.
General Mills went on to relocate the grain elevator to it's current location in 1964: at 1800 Burnett Street.
General Mills seemed to choose the perfect location to set up shop, with both the transported grain elevator and the flour mill closely placed along the Burlington Northern Railroad.
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The grain elevator continues to allow for convenient transport of grain from the city of Wichita Falls to places across the country, because the elevator in still in operation today!
The grain elevator is licensed by the Department of Agriculture and meets all required safety and cleanliness standards. Purchased in 1981 by Attebury Grain in Amarillo, TX, the grain elevator has been renamed the, "Attebury Grain Elevator".
It's important to note that Attebury Grain purchased the 150-ft silo, but did NOT purchase the general mills building on the other side of the tracks.
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The old General Mills’ Building: The Past and The Present
Still standing today, is the very-dilapidated General Mills building next door.
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The old mill building is about 110 years old, with a large tree that stands tall in the middle of the structure, with it's branches growing out of the broken windows along the sides of the building.
According to the Wichita Tax Appraisal District, the old mills has had five different owners since it's change of hands in 1981.
The building's current owner, Robert Morgan, is focused on keeping the building secured from vandalism and does not feel as though the building needs to be torn down. With, "No Trespassing Signs," lining the fence of the building- the owner seems to be doing his best to protect the integrity of this beautiful, abandoned structure.
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My Thoughts & Others
Based on first impression, a place of this condition may spark curiosity, as it relates to the paranormal. In myself, I wondered if there were dark histories that plagued the grounds.
Upon doing some thorough research, as well as calling the grain elevator that is still in operation, I have found no rumored evidence of paranormal happenings in the buildings.
If You Plan to Visit
If you plan to visit these properties for yourself, or if you already have, please feel free to share your experience with us by emailing AbandonedHistoryHunters@outlook.com with your story and photos! We would love to connect!
The Photos We Captured
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