Boyne City Water Works Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Boyne City Water Works Building
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | 210 E. Division St., Boyne City, Michigan |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1910 |
| Built by | Bill Jentzen |
| Architectural style | Early Commercial |
| NRHP reference No. | 98001060 |
| Added to NRHP | August 14, 1998 |
The Boyne City Water Works Building is a special old building in Boyne City, Michigan. It's located at 210 East Division Street. This building is important because it helped provide water for the city for many years. In 1998, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as a historic place worth protecting.
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Why Was the Water Works Building Needed?
In the early 1900s, Boyne City was growing very fast. This was because of the big lumber industry. The number of people living in the city jumped from 912 in 1900 to almost 6,000 by 1910.
With so many more people, the city's old water system wasn't big enough. It couldn't provide enough water for everyone. So, in 1910, the city leaders decided they needed a new and better water system.
Building the New Water System
The city council asked for plans to build a new water system. In April 1910, people in Boyne City voted to approve money for the project. They planned to build a huge water tank, called a reservoir, that could hold 500,000 gallons of water.
They also needed a building for the pumps. This building would help move the water. A company called Manufacturing & Supply Co. was hired to build the Water Works Building. They paid $1,075 for it in September 1910. A local builder named Bill Jentzen did the actual construction. The building was probably finished by the end of that year.
The Building's Journey: From Use to Reuse
The Boyne City Water Works Building served the city for a long time. It provided water from 1910 until 1988. After that, a newer pump building took its place.
The old building sat empty for many years. By 2010, there were plans to tear it down. But a group of local citizens stepped in. They convinced the city to save and fix up the building instead.
The building was restored and put back into use. It now helps boost the city's water pressure. Public restrooms were also added. The building officially reopened in July 2011.
What Does the Building Look Like?
The Boyne City Water Works Building is a single-story building. It's shaped like a rectangle, about 20 feet wide and 50 feet long. It has a brick exterior and a roof that slopes down on two sides, called a gable roof.
The building sits on a strong concrete base. The corners and sides have slightly sticking-out brick supports, called buttress piers. These piers divide the side walls into three sections. Fancy brickwork runs along the top of these supports.
The front of the building has a stepped design at the top. It also has a special area with the year it was built. The windows are in pairs and have four small panes over four larger ones. Each end of the building has both a window and a door.
