During the nineteenth century, technological advances in grain elevator construction revolutionized bulk grain storage and handling. The mechanical elevation of grain in storage facilities was one such advancement. More importantly was the evolution in construction material from wood to reinforced concrete. Both allowed for the construction of massive grain storage facilities. Economic forces associated with the transition of agricultural production in the United States from domestic subsistence to international supplier encouraged the construction of large terminal facilities. This was particularly true in the years immediately preceding the United States' involvement in World War I. These technological advances and economic forces contributed to the development of Indianapolis as a major terminal grain center in the nation during the first half of the twentieth century. This thesis examines the history of this development, as well as, that of the reinforced concrete grain elevator in Indianapolis with a focus on three specific grain elevator facilities.