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Thomas Hill Standpipe, which holds of water,
is a riveted wrought iron tank with a wood frame jacket located on Thomas Hill in
Ashley B. Tower of
The standpipe is really two structures in one. The standpipe itself consists of steel plates riveted one outside the other. The building which enclosed it is in diameter and high.
The 24 main posts which extend up past the observation deck begin at the base of the structure. Made of hard pine, they measure 12×12 inches and are long. The entire structure has a stone foundation high and 3½ feet thick at the base. The sill atop the foundation is made of bent pine planks and is thick.
Along the interior wall of the façade is a winding staircase which leads to the promenade deck encircling the top of the building. The deck is wide and in circumference.
The exterior of the building is clad in wooden shingles, and the line of windows that illuminate the inside stairs are topped by hoods in the then-popular Shingle style of architecture. To erect the wooden part of the structure took of hard pine and 22,000 cedar shingles. James M. Davis of Bangor, who had recently built the original Bangor Auditorium in only 22 days, set up a portable saw mill and blacksmith shop on the site and employed 22 men. The entire project took about six months to complete,
and was filled starting in June 1898.
The lights around the top of the Standpipe are sometimes referred to as "the crown on the Queen City".
Thomas Hill Standpipe
Bangor Water District
{{National Register of Historic Places Buildings and structures in Bangor, Maine Water towers on the National Register of Historic Places in Maine Shingle Style architecture in Maine Tourist attractions in Bangor, Maine National Register of Historic Places in Bangor, Maine 1897 establishments in Maine Infrastructure completed in 1897
Bangor, Maine
Bangor ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Maine and the county seat of Penobscot County. The city proper has a population of 31,753, making it the state's 3rd-largest settlement, behind Portland (68,408) and Lewiston (37,121).
Modern Bangor ...
, United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. The metal tank is high and in diameter. Built in 1897, it is an architecturally distinctive city landmark, and was 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 1974.
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History
Built in 1897, it is the district's oldest standpipe and has been in use since its construction. Its purpose is the same today as when it was built; to help regulate Bangor's water pressure in the downtown area and to provide water storage for emergencies. In 1895, it was discovered that the city pumping station contained faulty equipment, risking the possibility of a city water shortage.
Ashley B. Tower of Holyoke, Massachusetts
Holyoke is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, that lies between the western bank of the Connecticut River and the Mount Tom Range. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 38,238. Located north of Springfield ...
, designed the structure and in 1897 the New Jersey Steel and Iron Co. assembled the high and diameter steel tank atop Thomas Hill. The land had been owned previously by brothers James and Charles Thomas.
The original specifications for the standpipe consisted of four single-sided legal pages, and, unusually, gave the architect the right to freely change the labor and material costs without voiding the contract.
The final construction cost was $295,109.36.
Originally, the exterior was painted dark gray with the pillars and lattice work painted white. During World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, the standpipe was painted olive drab for camouflage purposes, because of its proximity to Dow Army Airfield
Bangor Air National Guard Base is a United States Air National Guard base. Created in 1927 as the commercial Godfrey Field, the airfield was taken over by the U.S. Army just before World War II and renamed Godfrey Army Airfield and later Dow Arm ...
, but it was repainted white in 1949. While once open to the public, it was closed during the war, following a 1940 accident in which a 12-year-old boy was killed when he fell while climbing on the beams under the stairway.
Bangor Water District assumed ownership of the standpipe in 1957 when a quasi-municipal (separate from the city) water district was formed.
Recently, a fire detection system and a "dry" sprinkler system which can be filled from an outside hydrant were added to protect the landmark structure.
Structure
The standpipe is really two structures in one. The standpipe itself consists of steel plates riveted one outside the other. The building which enclosed it is in diameter and high.
The 24 main posts which extend up past the observation deck begin at the base of the structure. Made of hard pine, they measure 12×12 inches and are long. The entire structure has a stone foundation high and 3½ feet thick at the base. The sill atop the foundation is made of bent pine planks and is thick.
Along the interior wall of the façade is a winding staircase which leads to the promenade deck encircling the top of the building. The deck is wide and in circumference.
The exterior of the building is clad in wooden shingles, and the line of windows that illuminate the inside stairs are topped by hoods in the then-popular Shingle style of architecture. To erect the wooden part of the structure took of hard pine and 22,000 cedar shingles. James M. Davis of Bangor, who had recently built the original Bangor Auditorium in only 22 days, set up a portable saw mill and blacksmith shop on the site and employed 22 men. The entire project took about six months to complete,
and was filled starting in June 1898.
The lights around the top of the Standpipe are sometimes referred to as "the crown on the Queen City".
Tour Schedule
Currently the promenade deck is opened up four times a year to visitors, once every season.Landmark Status
The standpipe is listed on theNational 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 1980, it was designated as an American Water Landmark An American Water Landmark is a landmark within the United States, Canada, or Mexico that is a historic location and is associated in some way with water. The American Water Works Association has designated American Water Landmarks since 1969.
T ...
by the American Water Works Association
American Water Works Association (AWWA) is an international non-profit, scientific and educational association founded to improve water quality and supply. Established in 1881, it is a lobbying organization representing
a membership (as of 2012) o ...
. It was designated as a Maine Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
in 2008.
Geography
The standpipe is above sea level. It is located northwest of downtown Bangor, atop Thomas Hill.References
External links
Thomas Hill Standpipe
Bangor Water District
{{National Register of Historic Places Buildings and structures in Bangor, Maine Water towers on the National Register of Historic Places in Maine Shingle Style architecture in Maine Tourist attractions in Bangor, Maine National Register of Historic Places in Bangor, Maine 1897 establishments in Maine Infrastructure completed in 1897