The farmer’s association building.
Since I moved further into the belly of Beitou, I’ve been passing the old granary on Datong St (大同街) almost every day on my bicycle journey to and from Beitou MRT. I’ve been meaning to have a proper look for a while and finally stopped by last week.
There aren’t many eye-catching pieces of architecture in Beitou proper, so this definitely stands out. It’s by no means a heritage of national prominence, but as a piece of local history, it merits the historical monument (古蹟) status (look out for the little orange plaques around town).
The grounds of the granary with the main mill building on the left and the brick wall corridor at the back.
The main building now belongs to the Beitou farmers association. Outside there’s a small wooden table with a selection of local wares covered in a film of dust. When the gates are open during the day on weekdays, you can take a look at the rear of this building and what used to be the guts of Beitou Granary, which was built by the Japanese in 1938. I’m not sure if they had the war in Asia in mind when setting the granary up, but war definitely played a part in the Japanese decision to adopt grain distribution measures in 1904 during the war with Russia.
This main area is still used for storage, though these days its just for stacked up packets of fertiliser. The best thing about the building is the old rice mill projecting from the ceiling in the centre, which in still in reasonable nick due to the “high quality juniper” which was used. Th remnants of red-bricked corridor run from the far end of the building across the courtyard and I suppose (based on the description in the plaque) this is wear the old conveyor used to be. Now it’s just a sorry shell. There’s talk of it being restored and newer bricks stacked up alongside the fragments suggest that something was started but abandoned.
The brick corridor where the conveyor built ran between the mill and the stores.
The nearest (unused?) storehouse.
The nearest building to the farmers association doesn’t appear to be in used, though I have heard some strange rumblings coming from within and it has recently added pull-down metal shutters at the front. Another of the buildings (there were originally 12 storerooms, at one time all connected, I think). Attached to that is a shop selling, well, to be honest, I’m not sure what, even though I’ve peered in the window a couples of times.( Some kind of souveniry clothing, perhaps, though I could be making that up.)
The mill.
Further along the road, another storehouse has been put to good use as a coffee house, though it doesn’t seem to attract a great deal of custom. (I did stop by and they were actually doling out freebies as part of a small exhibition by a local B&B owner).
The last noteworthy building on the street is the Council of Agriculture’s Beitou Depot (農業委員會北投倉庫), hidden by an eyesore of a metal wall.
SheMe Coffeehouse (拾米屋)
More here.
Interesting
Cheers Michele!