Saugatuck Pump House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Saugatuck Pump House
|
|
River side of pump house
|
|
 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 735 Park St., Saugatuck, Michigan |
|---|---|
| Built | 1904 |
| Architect | John W. Alvord |
| Architectural style | Vernacular brick |
| NRHP reference No. | 15000943 |
| Added to NRHP | December 29, 2015 |
The Saugatuck Pump House, now known as the Saugatuck-Douglas History Museum, is a special old building. It's located at 735 Park Street in Saugatuck, Michigan. This building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2015. This means it's recognized as an important historical site.
Contents
Why the Pump House Was Built
In the early 1900s, Saugatuck was becoming a popular vacation spot. The town's water system was not very good. It used cisterns, which are like big tanks, and private wells. Several fires had destroyed wooden buildings in town. The old water system just wasn't enough to fight these fires.
After a big fire in November 1903, the town decided to act. They held a special vote to get money for a new water system. The people voted yes, and work began in 1904. They hired an engineer named John W. Alvord.
How the Water System Worked
Alvord designed a large 100,000-gallon water tank, called a reservoir. This reservoir was placed on a high hill near the Kalamazoo River. The pump house was built to hold powerful pumps. These pumps would pull water from wells and send it up to the reservoir.
The south part of the pump house was finished by August 1904. The whole water system was working by October 1904. At first, the pump house had two gasoline-powered pumps. These pumps drew water from seven wells.
In 1912, the building was made bigger. A new section was added to create electricity for the town. The pump house was used for both water and electricity until about 1930.
From Pump House to Museum
After 1930, the pumping and electric equipment was moved. The pump house was left empty and fell into disrepair. By 1970, parts of its walls had even fallen down. The building was planned to be torn down.
But in 1972, a couple named Dr. and Mrs. William Shorey stepped in. They offered to rent the building from the town for twenty years. In return, they promised to fix it up and use it as their vacation home. The town agreed to their plan.
The Shoreys removed the old machinery. They fixed the brickwork, put on a new roof, and installed a new floor. They successfully turned the old pump house into a cozy cottage.
When their lease ended in 1992, the Saugatuck-Douglas History Center took over. They cleaned up the inside and opened it as the Pump House Museum. In 2001, a new entrance was added. Today, volunteers create new exhibits each year. These exhibits teach visitors all about local history.
What the Pump House Looks Like
The Saugatuck Pump House is a one-story building made of red brick. It has a sloped roof and sits on a strong foundation. The building was built in two parts. It is about 58 feet long along the river side. The wider part is 27 feet wide, and the older part is 22 feet wide.
It is located on the west bank of the Kalamazoo River. The roof has wide overhangs and exposed wooden beams. On the river side, there are four sets of three windows. These windows have white caps above them. On the road side, there are two sets of three windows and two sets of two windows. The roof was once covered with slate, but now it has asphalt shingles.
Inside, the museum has two connected rooms and a small bathroom. You can still see the original wooden ceilings. Some of the brick walls are also still exposed. Other parts of the inside are finished with drywall. Outside, there is a paved path and a small garden.
