Its cylindrical concrete design became the industry standard in the United States, revolutionizing grain storage practices.

However the wooden elevators of the day were quite vulnerable to fire, as they were built of flammable material, filled with volatile grain dust, and usually stood next to railroad tracks with their spark-spewing locomotives.

[3] Even though other engineers argued that their design would explode when filled or crack when emptied, Peavey and Haglin proceeded with their plan for a cylindrical concrete structure.

From January to March 1900 they toured grain facilities and met with experts in London, Hamburg, Braunschweig, Copenhagen, Budapest, Brăila, Galați, Bucharest, Vienna, and Paris.

Haglin had faith in his structure, however, and stood right at its foot to pull the lever and allow the grain to pour out into an adjacent pit.

[6] Widely publicized, Peavey and Haglin's cylindrical concrete design was quickly adopted throughout the American Midwest.

[3][4] Grain elevators, usually the tallest structure on the flat Midwestern landscape, became a symbol of productive agriculture.

[3] Frank Peavey didn't live to see his project revolutionize the industry; he died unexpectedly of pneumonia on December 30, 1901.

[5] Nordic Ware, a cookware company best known for introducing the Bundt cake pan, was founded nearby in 1946 and ultimately purchased the land with the elevator as they expanded their business.