The Pipestone Water Tower, now
known as the Concrete Water Tower, can be seen from several
miles away
Courtesy of Lorraine Draper |
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Since its completion in 1921, Pipestone's concrete water tower
has been a visible landmark of the city, rising high above the countryside
and marking the city to travelers from several miles in the distance.
Designed by L. P. Wolff of St. Paul, the structure is one of only
two known water towers designed by Wolff in the United States and
is significant for its poured concrete construction. The other tower
is located in Brainerd, Minnesota. Campbell Construction Company
built the tower from 1920 to 1921 for a cost of $24,610. The tower
is 132 feet tall and approximately 25 feet in diameter. The interior
of the supporting column is open and punctuated by a spiral series
of windows. The concrete bowl atop the tower holds 150,000 gallons
of water. At the time of construction, a 500,000-gallon underground
reservoir was created at the base of the tower. With no natural
glacial lakes in the area and sporadic rainfall, the tower is necessary
to store the precious moisture taken from the soil. The tower draws
water up from the earth through a pump and then gravity allows the
water to flow when needed.
The structure is unusual in that there are windows and an interior
stairway. The water tower began serving the city
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The Pipestone Water Tower was designed
by L. P. Wolff
National Register Collection |
October 26, 1921, replacing an aging steel standpipe erected in
the late 1880s. The concrete water tower continued to supply the
city with water until 1976, when a newer, larger water tower was
built. A restoration project was undertaken in the spring of 1990
with matching funds from "Celebrate Minnesota 1990." Along with
the restoration of the tower, a wayside rest area was established.
The restored tower became the focal point of an annual community
celebration, the Water Tower Festival, which is held the last weekend
in June.
The concrete water tower is located in the 500 block of 2nd
St., NE., Pipestone. The tower is not open to the public but the
rest area is open from spring to fall.
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