The Prospect Park Water Tower, sometimes referred to as the Witch's Hat Water Tower, is a historic
water tower
A water tower is an elevated structure supporting a water tank constructed at a height sufficient to pressurize a water distribution system, distribution system for potable water, and to provide emergency storage for fire protection. Water towe ...
in the
Prospect Park neighborhood of
Minneapolis
Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
,
Minnesota
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
, United States. It was built in 1913 on
Tower Hill Park
Tower Hill Park marks the northern boundary of Prospect Park, a hilly residential neighborhood in southeast Minneapolis. The 4.7-acre city park is bounded on the northeast by University Avenue, the east by Clarence Avenue, the south by Seymour Ave ...
, a hilltop park established in 1906. The water tower has become the neighborhood's architectural mascot for its singular design by
Frederick William Cappelen.
The tower is rumored to be the inspiration for
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
's song "
All Along the Watchtower
"All Along the Watchtower" is a song by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan from his eighth studio album, ''John Wesley Harding'' (1967). The song was written by Dylan and produced by Bob Johnston. The song's lyrics, which in its original vers ...
," as the tower was clearly visible from Dylan's home in nearby
Dinkytown
Dinkytown is a commercial district within the Marcy-Holmes neighborhood in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Centered at 14th Avenue Southeast and 4th Street Southeast, the district contains several city blocks occupied by various small businesses, restau ...
.
The park and water tower were listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
in 1997 for having local significance in the themes of architecture, community planning and development, and engineering.
It was nominated for its associations with city planning, urban infrastructure, architectural eclecticism, and the work of architect Frederick William Cappelen.
In 2015 they were also listed as
contributing properties
In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing property or contributing resource is any building, object, or structure which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic distric ...
to the
Prospect Park Residential Historic District.
History
Erected in 1913 on
Tower Hill
Tower Hill is the area surrounding the Tower of London in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is infamous for the public execution of high status prisoners from the late 14th to the mid 18th century. The execution site on the higher grou ...
, one of the highest points in Minneapolis, the tower was built to increase water pressure in the area and thereby enhance firefighting efforts. The functional structure, however, was given a whimsical appearance by city engineer Frederick William Cappelen. To the delight of generations of Minnesotans to come, he topped the building with a fanciful brimmed "hat" of green ceramic tile, and hence its nickname was born.
Tower Hill and the Prospect Park neighborhood have enjoyed a love affair of sorts over the years. From the beginning, the tower and surrounding parkland attracted neighbors, young and old, who picnicked under shade trees in summer and sledded down the hill's icy slopes in winter. The tower's observation deck provided views of the Minneapolis and St. Paul skylines, and the building itself inspired many artists who captured its one-of-a-kind profile in charcoal and watercolor. More than once over the years it has also galvanized neighborhood pride and determination on its own behalf.
The Prospect Park Water Tower ceased to function as a water tower in 1952, but it remained an esteemed neighborhood symbol. In 1955 when the city announced plans to demolish the tower following a lightning strike, the community mobilized. "Spurred on by eleven members of the Prospect Park Blue Birds (a junior organization of the Campfire Girls)," neighbors fought city hall and saved their tower.
Since the late 20th century, the observation deck is open only one day a year, which is celebrated with an ice-cream social.
Gallery
File:Line to Witch's Hat tower.jpg, Line to Witch's Hat Tower
File:Minneapolis from the Witches Hat Water Tower.jpg, Minneapolis from the Witches Hat Water Tower
File:Prospect Park Water Tower winter.jpg, Witch's Hat during winter
File:The Witch's Hat Water Tower - Prospect Park, Minneapolis (44066819142).jpg, Angled view of Witch's Hat
See also
*
References
External links
The Prospect Park Water Tower
{{National Register of Historic Places in Minnesota
1913 establishments in Minnesota
Buildings and structures in Minneapolis
Individually listed contributing properties to historic districts on the National Register in Minnesota
National Register of Historic Places in Minneapolis
Towers completed in 1913
Water towers in Minnesota
Water towers on the National Register of Historic Places in Minnesota