Colony Tower Complex facts for kids
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Colony Tower Complex
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| Location | 6503 Dyke Rd. (M-29), Pearl Beach, Michigan |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1926 |
| Built by | Chicago Bridge & Iron Company |
| Architectural style | Tudor Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 94000756 (original) 95000876 (increase) |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | July 22, 1994 |
| Boundary increase | July 21, 1995 |
The Colony Tower Complex is a cool old water tower, a gate, and a gatehouse in Pearl Beach, Michigan. It's located on Dyke Road (M-29). This special tower was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994. The gatehouse joined it a year later in 1995.
Contents
A Look Back: The Colony Tower's Story
Building a Dream Neighborhood
In early 1926, a builder from Detroit named Will St. John had a big idea. He planned a fancy neighborhood called "The Colony." It was meant for rich people who wanted a quiet place near Lake Saint Clair. This neighborhood was going to have 147 building lots.
That same year, St. John hired a company called Chicago Bridge & Iron Company. They built a water tower to provide water for all the homes in his new neighborhood. To help sell the idea of "The Colony," St. John made the water tower look like a lighthouse. It even had a light on top! He also built a small house for a gatekeeper nearby.
When Plans Changed
However, things didn't go as planned. By 1929, only three houses were built in "The Colony." One of them was Will St. John's own house. The start of the Great Depression (a time when many people lost their jobs and money) stopped the neighborhood from growing. Even so, years later, the area did become a popular place for homes.
What the Colony Tower Complex Looks Like
The Colony Tower Complex has a water tower that looks like a lighthouse. It also has a small house for a gatekeeper and a garage nearby. A curved driveway leads from Dyke Road to a narrow lane. This lane goes between the gatekeeper's house and the garage. Then it crosses a small canal behind the tower.
The Lighthouse-Like Tower
The water tower is about 136 feet (41 meters) tall. It's covered with steel plates to make it look like a real lighthouse. This tower actually worked as a lighthouse until 1937.
The tower is about 28 feet (8.5 meters) wide at the bottom. It gets a little narrower towards the top. You can see "The Colony" written on the outside. The tower's covering has windows that are set deep inside, a walkway, and a cone-shaped roof. Inside, there's a huge 60,000-gallon steel water tank. Six strong columns support this tank.
The Gatekeeper's Cottage and Garage
The gatekeeper's cottage and the garage are built in a style called Tudor Revival architecture. This means they have high, pointed roofs. Their walls are white with stucco, and they have decorative wood beams (half-timbering) in the gables (the triangular parts of the wall under the roof). In 1970, another small garage with a low, pointed roof was added to the end of the gatehouse.
