West Washington Street Pumping Station is a historic

pumping station Pumping stations, also called pumphouses in situations such as drilled wells and drinking water, are facilities containing pumps and equipment for pumping fluids from one place to another. They are used for a variety of infrastructure system ...

located at

Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Mari ...

. It was built in 1870, and is a one-story, rectangular brick building. It was modified to its present form after 1909, and is 2/3 of its original size. It has a slate hipped roof topped by a square central tower and features distinctive brick detailing, and arched openings. The building served as the city's only water pumping station until 1890. ''Note:'' This includes and Accompanying photographs It 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 ...

in 1980. It currently houses the park offices of

White River State Park White River State Park is an urban park in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. Situated along the eastern and western banks of its namesake White River, the park covers . The park is home to numerous attractions, including the Eiteljorg Museum of A ...

History

In 1870, the Water Works Company of Indianapolis was founded to supply drinking water and pressurized water for fire protection by James O. Woodruff, who later in the 1870s would develop the suburb of Woodruff Place. Construction of the pumping station began that year and it opened in 1871. The station, located on West Washington Street at the

Indiana Central Canal The Indiana Central Canal was a canal intended to connect the Wabash and Erie Canal to the Ohio River. It was funded by the Mammoth Internal Improvement Act, Indiana's attempt to take part in the canal-building craze started by the Erie Canal. ...

, used the canal to power water wheels to pump water into the water system. The Water Works Company failed to attract enough customers and its assets, including the pumphouse, were sold at a sheriff's sale to the newly-formed Indianapolis Water Company in 1881. The pumphouse was the only one in the system until 1890, when the company opened the Riverside station. In 1908, the company installed hydraulic turbines connected to three centrifugal pumps to improve efficiency while continuing to use the canal as the power source. Each of the pumps had a capacity of per day. The building originally had three wings forming a T. A tornado in 1930 damaged one wing and it was removed, resulting in the structure's current rectangular form. The building's cupola was also damaged and removed. The pumphouse continued in use until 1969. In 1976, the water company gave the building and surrounding property to the city of Indianapolis. With development of White River State Park starting, it was decided in 1979 to locate the park offices and visitor center in the pumphouse. The city sold the pumphouse to the White River Park Development Commission in 1980 and renovations, including reconstruction of the cupola, began soon thereafter. On July 9, 1980, the pumphouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places, and on August 31, 1981, the commission moved into its offices there. The visitor center was also opened there, but was later moved to a new building.

References

External links

* Water supply pumping stations on the National Register of Historic Places Industrial buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places in Indiana Buildings and structures completed in 1871 Buildings and structures in Indianapolis National Register of Historic Places in Indianapolis 1871 establishments in Indiana White River State Park {{Indianapolis-stub