Osseo Water Tower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Osseo Water Tower
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The Osseo Water Tower from the southeast
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 Location in Minnesota
Location in the United States
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| Location | Osseo, Minnesota |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1915 |
| Built by | Minneapolis Steel and Machinery Co. |
| Architectural style | Hemispherical tank, steel water tower |
| NRHP reference No. | 100001023 |
| Added to NRHP | June 5, 2017 |
The Osseo Water Tower in Osseo, Minnesota, is a historic building listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was added to this special list in June 2017. The tower is important because it helped Osseo grow and become a better place to live. It also shows a type of building design that is becoming rare.
Why Osseo Needed a Water Tower
Before the water tower was built, Osseo faced big challenges. Fighting fires was very hard. People used "bucket brigades," passing buckets of water by hand. Wells also needed six men to pump enough water for a strong stream. This made it difficult to protect homes and businesses from fires.
Planning for Progress
Around 1900, people in Osseo started talking about getting a modern water system. In 1914, a group called the Osseo Commercial Club pushed for new water and electricity services. They explained that these services would lower fire insurance costs. They also said it would bring more businesses to Osseo.
On December 28, 1914, the village council received a plan. It suggested borrowing $20,000 to build both a water plant and an electric plant. The people of Osseo voted on January 12, 1915. Most people agreed, and both plans passed!
Building the System
Construction of the water and electric plants began around July 21, 1915. The village was very excited about these new services. They even held a big party called the "Osseo Light and Water Carnival." People called it "The Greatest Municipal Prosperity and Improvement Celebration" in the area.
The new water system was officially finished on November 24, 1915. After this, the Commercial Club helped create the Osseo Fire Department. This new department further helped lower fire insurance rates for everyone.
Osseo's Growth and Development
During this time, Osseo was a busy place for farming. It was especially known for potatoes. In 1914, about 150 train car loads of potatoes were shipped out daily. These trains used the Great Northern Railway.
Another important development was the Jefferson Highway. This major road was built in 1916 and ran through Osseo on Central Avenue. These changes helped Osseo grow and connect with other places.
Saving the Historic Water Tower
In 2014, the city of Osseo thought about tearing down the water tower. Repairing it and removing old lead paint would cost about $500,000. This was a lot of money.
However, a local resident named Kathleen Gette wanted to save the tower. She started an effort to get it listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Gette helped get state money to study the tower and prepare the nomination. Funds from the Legacy Amendment provided $6,500 for the first study.
Rare Design
The Osseo Water Tower has a special "hemispherical bottom" design. This type of water tower was built between the 1890s and 1940s. Many of these old towers are being replaced by newer, larger ones.
Today, there are only seven similar municipal water towers left within 50 miles of Osseo. These are in Elk River (whose tower is also on the National Register), Hampton, Milaca, Robbinsdale, Minnetonka Beach, and Waconia. Many more used to exist, but they are disappearing because they are expensive to maintain.
