Tempe Historic Property Survey

The Ellingson Grain Warehouse was significant as the last remaining historic brick warehouse in Tempe at the time that it was destroyed by a fire. Built in 1909 by Mons Ellingson, a prominent Tempe rancher, farmer, and land owner, this warehouse was part of an original complex of buildings comprising Ellingson's grain, feed, and seed business. Ellingson, a native of Norway, established a homestead in 1881 at what is now Southern and Mill avenues in Tempe. He grew alfalfa and grains, and raised cattle. In the early 1900s, he expanded into the feed and seed business to facilitate processing of grains grown in the Tempe area. The grain business continued until about 1921, after which the building was used as an arsenal, a storehouse, and an industrial building. Downtown redevelopment plans had called for preserving the structure, but it was destroyed by fire in the mid-1980s.

The Ellingson Warehouse was a rectangular (50 ft. x 100 ft.) one-story brick structure with a gable roof and parapets. Although it was located on the northeast corner of 6th Street and Maple, the building was entered from the east or north through large sliding wooden doors with round arch openings. The roof was framed with wooden trusses. The gables (north and south) had stepped parapets. The bricks were laid in common bond and a stuccoed apron had been added at the base of the walls. The floor of the warehouse was concrete. An office had been added in the southeast corner with an entry through the south façade. A late shed porch extended to the north.

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