Pipestone Water Tower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Pipestone Water Tower
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 Location in Minnesota
Location in the United States
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| Location | 2nd St., NE, Pipestone, Minnesota |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1920 |
| Architect | Wolff, L.P. |
| Restored | 1990 |
| MPS | Pipestone County MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 80002123 |
| Added to NRHP | March 3, 1980 |
The Pipestone Water Tower is a tall concrete water tower located in Pipestone, Minnesota, United States. It stands about 132 feet (40 m) high. This important structure is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is recognized as a special place in American history.
The area around Pipestone does not get much rain, and there are not many natural lakes. Because of this, the town needed a way to store water. The water tower was built to pump water from an underground reservoir and then store it. This way, people in Pipestone always had water available when they needed it.
History of the Tower
The Pipestone Water Tower was designed by an architect named L.P. Wolfe. It is quite special because it is one of only two water towers in the United States that he designed. The other one, called the Brainerd Water Tower, is in Brainerd, Minnesota.
This tower was built to replace an older steel water tower from the late 1880s. Construction on the new concrete tower began in 1920. The Campbell Construction Company built it for about $24,610. Water started flowing from the new tower on October 26, 1921. It provided water to the town until 1976, when a bigger tower was built.
In 1990, the Pipestone Water Tower was repaired and made to look new again. At the same time, a new wayside rest area was built nearby for people to stop and relax.
What the Tower Looks Like
The Pipestone Water Tower is unique because it is made from poured concrete. It stands 132 feet (40 m) tall. The tower is also about 25 feet (7.6 m) wide.
Inside the tower, there is a large tank that can hold 150,000 US gallons (570,000 L) of water. This tank sits on top of a hollow column. Inside this column, there are unusual spiral windows and a staircase. When the tower was built, it pumped water from a 500,000 US gallons (1,900,000 L) underground reservoir. The tower would then release the water using gravity whenever it was needed by the town.
The Tower Today
Today, the Pipestone Water Tower is no longer used to store water for the town. However, it has become a very important landmark. It is now the main symbol for the Water Tower Festival. This is a fun community celebration that takes place in late June each year.
