Archiving the history of Ralston's Historic Old Granary, one of Omaha's significant grain-culture related sites to our country's grain-to-baking development.

The West Side:  This tall structure had 18 massive, 2-story-high, wooden-beamed grain hoppers (3 across x 6 lengthwise) in the lower section.   The lower of the two floors at the top, has holes (with wood flooring, removeable, set-in covers) for access for pipes to pour the grain into the hoppers.  

I met the man who was a young boy when his father became the manager of this granary in 1949.  This man was the one who told me that originally the building extended to what is now the Main Street road along the northern end, but in a tornado, the northern end was destroyed (north of the entrance into what had been Bushwacker's for decades, but early this year, 2026, has changed hands, although still a country music hall business).

This  granary was for sale from the late 1990s until around 2005-6.  During that time you could still see the railroad tracks that ran north/south all along the  porch of the complex.  The new owner had the entire lot, along with the tracks, paved over.  The man I met 20 years ago said the granary had been used for beans . . . that as part of the grain market of our country, Nebraska was a huge bean-producing state.  The railroad cars ran along the tracks and were unloaded by elevators which somehow got the beans inside the building & into the hoppers.  

He didn't know how to explain what the "grain sorter" machine on the top floor was for.  But I'm wondering if the beans were unloaded into the top floor (you can see the funnel on the top of the machine), went through this sorter machine which might have graded the beans according to size, & then went into those metal pipes and shoots at the back of the machine (2nd photo in the 1st row above), & then went through piping on the 2nd floor & into appropriate hoppers.  

Around 2017-18 when the next new owner took over the property & did a huge restoration and renovation, the Bushwacker business remained & still continues at this time (2026).  As far as I know since I was last inside, you could still see the hopper shoots in the ceiling at Bushwacker's.  I hope they are never destroyed.  The man whom I met 25 years ago, who was around this property for over 50 years, said the beans were bagged, somehow reloaded onto train cars, and shipped to wherever.  Until  the 2005-6 owner came in, this man had a life-long carpentry shop in one of the small buildings on the south end.  

Ralston's Old Granary

Historic Architecture of our country's Bread Culture foundation.

A very unique & priceless piece of our country's history!

Real Estate: right off the 72nd Street exit of I-80 in the center of Omaha, Nebraska.

Location: Midwest Grain Belt - - - centrally located in this country - - - in the center of the Bread Basket of North America (Canada down through Texas).

Significance of grain in Nebraska:   The statue on the dome of the state capitol building is
"The Sower!"

Omaha is a vibrant city providing one of thee best "home town American" atmospheres in the country!  It's central to many "only here" local & regional treasures of the nation, and
MCC's top-rated Culinary Institute.

A multitude of "Only in Omaha" events in local-to-national sports, the zoo, theaters & the arts, museums-exhibits-ethnic festivals, trails, educational-professional-business-religious programs already exist.  Now we are looking forward to the future of a baking opportunity at the National Bread Museum's Baking Mill, a baking festival, &/or regional/nationwide competitive baking events, so you won't be able to visit "just once!"

Gift a DONATION to help develop the National Bread Museum on LAND