Farmers who depended on grain elevators in this northern Idaho town for decades watched as a symbol of the region's agricultural past toppled to make room for new growth in the region.

"I didn't think I'd feel this way," said retired farmer and rancher Gerry Hagedorn, 83. "When I get down here I feel pretty nostalgic. It was a big part of my life for so many years."

Demolition crews were called in last week to crumple the structure, the former Latah County Grain elevator. A second elevator on Jackson Street has been purchased from a developer and will remain intact.

The two grain elevators combined could store 5 million bushels. For nearly 90 years, they were used to hold grain so farmers could wait for the best prices.

"That was like going to the bank," Hagedorn said. "It was the culmination of a whole season of being a nervous wreck."

But after a long run, the elevators fell out of favor.

"It became more and more difficult to maneuver (grain) trucks in town," said Dave Strong, formerly a general manager for Latah County Grain Growers. Neighbors also didn't like the dust created by the processing, he said.

Changing economics finally doomed the elevators.

"The low price (of grain) drove the smaller farmers out of business," Strong said, adding many were purchased by conglomerates. "The bigger farmers could choose not to support the co-op, store their grain on the farms and ship directly to the (Snake) river."

And the city grew around the grain elevators, increasing property taxes. After a merger, both closed in 2005.

"They just made the decision that they couldn't afford to operate these plants in town," Strong said.

Both were scheduled to be taken down, but the grain elevator at Sixth and Jackson streets was saved last month after John Anderson, a former architect and University of Idaho instructor, found investors willing to buy the site.

"They represent one of the most dynamic expressions of form follows function," said Anderson, who taught virtual technology and design at UI. "We're almost going to do the reverse now. We're going to apply function to form."

So far, though, he's not sure what the grain elevator will be turned into.

"It's so connected to the land," Anderson said. "It's a cathedral to all (the farmers') hard work. It evokes romantic real life, as well as the gritty reality of contemporary living."

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