Bellevue Standpipe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Bellevue Standpipe
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Bellevue Standpipe
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Bellevue Hill, Boston, Massachusetts |
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| Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Built | 1914 |
| MPS | Water Supply System of Metropolitan Boston MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 89002251 |
| Added to NRHP | January 18, 1990 |
The Bellevue Standpipe is a really old water tank in Boston, Massachusetts. You can find it on Bellevue Hill, near Washington Street and West Roxbury Parkway. It's part of the Stony Brook Reservation. This standpipe was built in 1914. It's one of three important water tanks from the early 1900s that helped bring water to the Boston area. Because it's so important, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.
What is the Bellevue Standpipe?
The Bellevue Standpipe is located in Bellevue Hill Park. This park is at the very top of the Stony Brook Reservation. Bellevue Hill is the highest point in Boston, standing at about 330 feet (100 meters) tall!
How was it built?
The standpipe is made from strong concrete. It's covered with rough-cut granite stones. It stands about 114 feet (35 meters) tall and is 47 feet (14 meters) wide. Inside this big structure is a steel tank. This tank is 100 feet (30 meters) high and about 44 feet (13 meters) wide.
When was it built?
The Metropolitan Water and Sewerage Board built the standpipe in 1914. This group is now called the MWRA. The standpipe was a key part of the "Southern Extra High Service Area." This system helped deliver water to homes in the area.
It replaced an older, smaller water tank that was built in 1888. Dexter Brackett, the chief engineer for the water board, was in charge of building it. The Holyoke Steam Boiler Works made the large steel tank inside. They also made a similar tank for the Arlington Reservoir (Arlington, Massachusetts) around the same time.
How does it work?
The Bellevue Standpipe gets its water from the Fisher Hill Reservoir in Brookline. The water travels through a large 20-inch (51 cm) pipe. A pumping station in Hyde Park helps push the water to the standpipe.
A second, newer water storage tank was added next to it in 1955-1956. The older Bellevue Standpipe is still used today. It works as a backup in case the newer tank needs help.
