Washburn Park Water Tower
Encyclopedia
The Washburn Park Water Tower poses as a landmark of early 20th-Century architectural achievement within the Tangletown
neighborhood in south Minneapolis, Minnesota
, and has been doing so for nearly 75 years. Perched on top of one of the highest points in south Minneapolis, the tower is given the privilege to boast its unique location and role as an unofficial "beacon" for incoming planes landing at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport
, yet remains hidden from much of the residents and visitors that pass by the base of the hill each day. This is mainly because large homes and tall oak trees scatter the hillside where the tower resides, and even more so, because of the clustered mess of streets and dead ends that compromise the towers' occupancy. Hence the name, 'Tangletown'.
had in mind in 1932 when he first put this masterpiece onto paper. Jones, a well-known Minneapolis architect who also designed Butler Square
and Lakewood Cemetery
Chapel (both of which are in Minneapolis), was well ahead of his time in creating the structurally-sound Washburn Park Water Tower. Along with William S. Hewett
(an engineer from the Interlachen Bridge
project), the two men not only implemented modern hydro-engineering methods to the tower's design, but also its very own unique character. The story goes that as Jones was clearing underbrush at his home nearby , which was also in its construction phase, a giant eagle
(with nearly an 8 feet (2.4 m) wingspan) had attacked him. He had the eagle maimed, captured, and brought to town where it began attracting much attention. In part, he used the eagle's extraordinary dimensions (and the artistic skills of John Karl Daniels
) to cast eight concrete look-alikes, that now sit atop the tower to watch over their former domain. In addition, eight 18 feet (5.5 m) "Guardians of Health" were placed around the tower (one under each eagle), to prevent any bad-tasting or bad-smelling water pollutants from contaminating the water supply, which were believed to be the cause of many typhoid fever outbreaks around that time. Jones's house is located near the tower. It is hard to see it because of trees and newer houses but at the right angles you can see parts of it. It looks old and castle like compared to other houses nearby
On October 6, 1983, the water tower was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
for the city of Minneapolis. The water tower's record number is #24362.
Tangletown, Minneapolis
Tangletown is a neighborhood in the Southwest community of Minneapolis. The neighborhood was officially known as Fuller until 1996 when it was changed to the present name, which reflects the winding streets in the neighborhood that do not conform to the regular street grid of South Minneapolis...
neighborhood in south Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, and has been doing so for nearly 75 years. Perched on top of one of the highest points in south Minneapolis, the tower is given the privilege to boast its unique location and role as an unofficial "beacon" for incoming planes landing at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport is the largest and busiest airport in the five-state upper Midwest region of Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.-Overview:...
, yet remains hidden from much of the residents and visitors that pass by the base of the hill each day. This is mainly because large homes and tall oak trees scatter the hillside where the tower resides, and even more so, because of the clustered mess of streets and dead ends that compromise the towers' occupancy. Hence the name, 'Tangletown'.
Early history
As John Olson, president of OLSON, a Minneapolis based advertising, interactive and PR agency, put it, "It's as good a landmark and touchstone -- and so, maybe, headstone -- as a body can expect from his hometown." Perhaps that's also what Harry Wild JonesHarry Wild Jones
Harry Wild Jones was a popular Minneapolis, Minnesota-based architect who designed throughout the country and the world. Born two years before the start of the American Civil War, Jones, a twelfth generation New Englander, took his place on the American architectural stage in the late 19th century...
had in mind in 1932 when he first put this masterpiece onto paper. Jones, a well-known Minneapolis architect who also designed Butler Square
Butler Square
Butler Square is a former warehouse building in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The building is located within the Minneapolis warehouse district and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 as having one of the foremost architectural designs in Minneapolis...
and Lakewood Cemetery
Lakewood Cemetery
Lakewood Cemetery is a large private, non-sectarian cemetery located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is located at 3600 Hennepin Avenue at the southern end of the Uptown area...
Chapel (both of which are in Minneapolis), was well ahead of his time in creating the structurally-sound Washburn Park Water Tower. Along with William S. Hewett
William S. Hewett
William S. Hewett was a major bridge contractor in the Minneapolis area from the 1890s until well into the 20th century. His firm designed and built a number of bridges for the Twin City Rapid Transit Company when it was electrifying and expanding its system around the turn of the 20th...
(an engineer from the Interlachen Bridge
Interlachen Bridge
The Interlachen Bridge is a reinforced concrete arch bridge on William Berry Parkway between Lake Calhoun and Lake Harriet in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The bridge crosses the Como-Harriet Streetcar Line, a heritage streetcar line operated by the Minnesota Streetcar Museum which follows the same...
project), the two men not only implemented modern hydro-engineering methods to the tower's design, but also its very own unique character. The story goes that as Jones was clearing underbrush at his home nearby , which was also in its construction phase, a giant eagle
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
(with nearly an 8 feet (2.4 m) wingspan) had attacked him. He had the eagle maimed, captured, and brought to town where it began attracting much attention. In part, he used the eagle's extraordinary dimensions (and the artistic skills of John Karl Daniels
John Karl Daniels
John Karl Daniels was an American sculptor.John Karl Daniels was born in Norway in 1874 and immigrated with his family to the United States in 1884. He attended the Mechanics Arts High School in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he first received formal training for his craft as a sculptor...
) to cast eight concrete look-alikes, that now sit atop the tower to watch over their former domain. In addition, eight 18 feet (5.5 m) "Guardians of Health" were placed around the tower (one under each eagle), to prevent any bad-tasting or bad-smelling water pollutants from contaminating the water supply, which were believed to be the cause of many typhoid fever outbreaks around that time. Jones's house is located near the tower. It is hard to see it because of trees and newer houses but at the right angles you can see parts of it. It looks old and castle like compared to other houses nearby
On October 6, 1983, the water tower was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
for the city of Minneapolis. The water tower's record number is #24362.