The Old Fresno 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 distribution system for potable water, and to provide emergency storage for fire protection. Water towers often operate in conju ...

Fresno, California Fresno () is a major city in the San Joaquin Valley of California, United States. It is the county seat of Fresno County and the largest city in the greater Central Valley region. It covers about and had a population of 542,107 in 2020, maki ...

. It is 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 ...

. Designed by

George Washington Maher George Washington Maher (December 25, 1864 – September 12, 1926) was an American architect during the first quarter of the 20th century. He is considered part of the Prairie School-style and was known for blending traditional architecture wit ...

, the tower was completed in late 1894. It ceased operation in 1963 and has served as a visitors' center since 2001.

History

Chicago architect

was commissioned in 1891 to design a new water tower for Fresno. His design was influenced by the

Great Chicago Fire The Great Chicago Fire was a conflagration that burned in the American city of Chicago during October 8–10, 1871. The fire killed approximately 300 people, destroyed roughly of the city including over 17,000 structures, and left more than 10 ...

of 1871; the fire destroyed the

Chicago Public Library The Chicago Public Library (CPL) is the public library system that serves the City of Chicago in the U.S. state of Illinois. It consists of 81 locations, including a central library, two regional libraries, and branches distributed throughout the ...

but not the

Chicago Water Tower The Chicago Water Tower is a contributing property and landmark in the Old Chicago Water Tower District in Chicago, Illinois, United States, that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Built to enclose the tall machinery of a po ...

, which then acted as a temporary library. Maher's original design called for a library and a third floor to be built within the tower, but neither was executed. Construction finished in November 1894 at a cost of $20,000. The water tower remained in use until 1963, when its pumping equipment had become inadequate. The water tower was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 14, 1971. It was designated 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 in 1972. Fresno,_California,_water_tower_(inside),_2014

The first floor served for many years as a parking meter repair facility. In 2001, the tower was renovated into the visitors' center for Fresno and

Fresno County Fresno County (), officially the County of Fresno, is a county located in the central portion of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 1,008,654. The county seat is Fresno, the fifth-most populous city in Cali ...

, at which time the second floor was removed. In 2014, the Fresno Art Council assumed management of the water tower which now includes an art gallery.

Design

The structure is an example of American Romanesque architecture. The tower stands tall, with a water storage tank. The tower has a inner wall and a outer wall, separated by a space. The exterior brick is painted. Because the third story was never built, the second story had a very high ceiling. About halfway up the tower is a balcony decorated with elaborate iron corbels. The roof is made of tile.

References

Bibliography

External links

*{{commonscat-inline, Old Fresno Water Tower Buildings and structures in Fresno, California National Register of Historic Places in Fresno County, California Water towers on the National Register of Historic Places Infrastructure completed in 1894 Towers completed in 1894 Industrial buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places in California Government buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in California 1894 establishments in California

History

Design

See also

References

Bibliography

External links