Brainerd Minnesota History

 

Here we go again!

9/25/2017:

 

There is again talk of what to do with the water tower.  Here I will try to round up the options, find some history on its existence, and maybe find a few cool old photos.  After all, the tower is likely THE most-photographed object in town over the years!

 

As a start, in Sept. of 2017, Garry Schwartz posted a photo on Andy Walsh's Share History and Stories of Brainerd Lakes Area Facebook page. The photographer is unknown, and the photo has been donated to the Crow Wing County Historical Society.  Do you know who took this great night shot of the water tower?  Can you ID the year it was taken?  A similar photo was dated 1985.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click on the photo for a 5.65 MB high-res image suitable for enlarging.

 

Water Tower; lack of attention? A roof would be good!

 

The water tower has had a rough life early on, since water was first pumped into it in October of 1920.  It was stuccoed in August of 1920 by TWO men on ropes, and that may be what is peeling off now.  Most of us know what stucco likes to do in time.  Already in 1928 the bowl developed major leaks, and had to be relined with an 8-ply membrane, and a 4” course of hard red brick from the floor to within 6” of the roof line.  (30 years later the bowl was dry.)  But, in the late 1940’s the roof was leaking badly to the point of the gutter line needing to be filled with 6” of zonolite and a 4-ply membrane roof was placed over the concrete roof.  It was painted in 1975 but the stuff did not stick and it peeled so it had to be sand-blasted first.  It’s possible that it did not WANT to be painted, and it sealed it too tight so that it could not breathe.  The roof had to be removed at some point so mother nature had her way with the bowl was exposed to the elements to this day.  It needs a roof badly, and if the castle-like crenellations are removed from its top rim, it may lose its 1974 National Register of Historic Places designation. 

 

It is said that the structure was poured monolithically, although close study of photographs taken at various times during construction show cold or construction joints.  Now if we could just go look at our tower’s only clone, Pipestone’s, made in 1921, and see if theirs had any similar problems!  Did it leak, was it stuccoed, was it painted, did the roof fail?  Apparently, theirs is in good shape, so let’s find out why.  The tower was turned over to the City Council in 1968. The poor thing could be dying only due to lack of attention over the years.  This technical info is from the National Register of Historic Places, 1972.  The commentary is mine.

 

From the National Register:

 

Form 10-300 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

(Rev. 6-72) NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES

INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM

 

The Brainerd Water Tower is 141 feet high from footing to top of

roof, has a 40 foot diameter bowl, and a 28 foot diameter riser. The

entire structure is of reinforced poured-in-place concrete. Early reports

suggest the structure was poured monolithically although close study

of photographs taken at various times during construction show cold or

construction joints.    

    

The tower was designed to hold three hundred thousand gallons of

water for municipal use. Construction of the tower was accomplished

in conjunction with a new water pumping station and wells along with

many improvements to the city water system.

 

In 1928, the tank developed major leaks through construction and

cold joints and an 8-ply membrane liner was installed in the interior

of the tank. This was protected by a 4" course of hard brick from the

floor of the tank to within 6" of the roof line. In the late 1940's

the roof had deteriorated to the point that serious leaking was being

experienced. This was repaired by patching the roof and placing a

6" zonolite filler in the gutter line at the upper rim of the tank. A

4 ply membrane roof was placed over the concrete roof and is in place

Presently [1972].

LU

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

 

Brainerd's concrete water tower, believed the first of its kind in

the United States for municipal water storage use, was built according to

a design by St. Paul Engineer L.P. Wolff in 1918-19. It is illustrative

of an innovative use of concrete for the purposes of municipal

water storage and fire protection. At the time of its completion,

Brainerd was said to have one of the most modern and efficient municipal

water systems in the state.

The tower was constructed for the Water and Light Commission and

was used continuously until 1958 when new and larger facilities were

constructed. In 1968 the tower and property were turned over to the

Brainerd City Council.

This unique and imposing structure has long been one of the most

widely known landmarks in northern Minnesota. A drawing of the tower

is used as letterhead for city stationery for Brainerd and intentions

are that it be preserved as a focal point for future historical

interpretation of the Brainerd area

 

Take a bird's-eye view... via drone, thanks to Dan Hegstad!

 

 

 

 

I have compiled a document on all I can find on the history of the Tower, and put it into somewhat of a timeline.  If 1920 is to be considered its completion date, we need to be thinking about planning a Centennial birthday party SOON!  Will it still be with us???  Compilation below:

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you were on the top of the water tower when it finally got finished to the top, what would you do?  You'd take some photos, right?  Well, thanks to Anderson's Studio, and now the Crow Wing County Historical Society, you oo can see what that photographer saw in about 1919 or 1920.  Click the link below to see the AWESOME photos, cleverly shot at the best views in succession on the compass.  You can also see these printed out for closeup viewing in the back room of the Last Turn Saloon.  There is also a Timeline of the city there, old maps, beer and other cool stuff.

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Water tower aerial photos from a drone:

On 7/12/1919 construction of the tower was begun.   Incredibly, on Sept. 30, 1920, just 14 months later, the construction of the water tower had made it to the top, and water was pumped into the bowl for the first time.  Anderson Studios of Brainerd had the foresight to get up on top of the tower and take photos of the town from many angles, 9 of them.  The tower had a domed roof on it, and the photographer stood atop that.  These photos are incredibly detailed and sharp, and have been used by researchers all this time to find information on our early years of growth.  About 2005 I attempted to recreate these 9 images by climbing the then WOOD ladder (it is now aluminum) that could bring the climber to the inside edge of the bowl.  It rested against the south edge, so I got good photos to the south, but lost much of the view to the not har the crenelations and part of the north side of the bowl were in the way.  Unfortunately, I only had a Polaroid camera so images were just so-so.  I thought sure that the task would be impossible until a roof was once again put on the tower, and only flat roofs have been discussed.  That would mean the photos would have to be taken on top of an 8’ step ladder,  not likely!

Then, strangely nearly 100 years after the photos were taken, I met Dan Hegstad (in 2017), a drone operator, and asked him if it would be possible to hover a drone above the tower where the original photographer stood.  So, he figured an 8’ dome, a 5’ person, camera in hands, and said he could only come within a few inches!  I said I thought would be close enough! So, now here a century later, please enjoy the photos of 8 directions and see the changes for yourself that a century can make.  A thousand thanks to Dan Hegstad of Easy Street Video Productions of Brainerd, Minnesota!

-CWF, 9/23/2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

Did you ever look at the tower and say "how'd they DO that"?  Well, thanks to the Crow Wing County Historical Society, you can now see just how it was done.  Here is a hint...it started at the base...click on the base photo for more:

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On July 16, 2018, the subject of whether to save the water tower was brought to the Brainerd City Council.  For now, it will get the needed repairs to stop the falling stucco.  It is interesting to know just how close the tower came to demolition, way back in 1968.  Click below for the great 1999

Dispatch Article by Renee Richardson:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2018/8/4: Here is the latest on the tower as far as the City Council sees it as of now:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Engineers' reports-compilation, 1968-2016.  This is all I can find on the subject:

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My Dad's button from about 1968: