Washburn Water Tower Print: Minneapolis Landmark Wall Art

From $33.75 · fulfilled through Etsy

It’s entirely possible to pass within a block or two of the 110-foot high Washburn Park Water Tower and never even notice it. The maze of winding streets in the neighborhood and large trees effectively block the view of the tower except from certain longer vantage points. After I noticed it for the first time, I needed to wander the entire Tangletown neighborhood before suddenly coming upon it. When I finally looked into its history, I discovered it is not only an unusual water tower but now also serves quite an unusual purpose. There was an earlier water tower on the same site which supplied water for a nearby orphan asylum, the water being pumped from nearby Minnehaha Creek. The City of Minneapolis purchased that tower in 1915 and connected it to the city water supply. The existing Washburn Water Tower replaced that earlier water tower when it was constructed in 1932. It’s design is the work of three individuals. Architect Harry Wild Jones was and still is well known in the city for his numerous designs, many still in use today. Jones was already 72 when he was commissioned and this was one of his last designs. He was responsible for the overall look of the tower and inspired the unique ornament. The story goes that when Jones was clearing underbrush from his new home, which was under construction, about 3 blocks away, he was attacked by a giant eagle with an 8’ wingspread. With help he captured the bird and exhibited it in the city, where it drew quite a bit of attention. Using the bird as inspiration, John Karl Daniels, a Norwegian-American sculptor, cast eight concrete eagles, which today adorn the top of the tower and watch over their former domain. Daniels also cast eight 18-foot-tall “Guardians of Health” in positions below each of the birds. The Guardians were meant to protect the water from contamination and disease. William S. Hewett was the structural engineer. He was an expert in concrete construction, having previously conducted experiments on controlling the potentially damaging shrinkage of concrete as it cured. He was able to apply his findings, known as the “Hewett System”, to the tower to make it extremely watertight. That didn’t stop some folks from fearing the water tower was leaking in 1968 when nearby basements started flooding. But it instead turned out to be a malfunctioning switch in a nearby pumping station that caused the water tower to overflow. Today the tower, listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, no longer supplies water to the neighborhood. All 1,350,000 gallons are drained in the fall and filled in the spring to increase water pressure in the surrounding neighborhoods during the summer. And while hardly visible from surrounding streets, the tower serves as an unofficial “beacon” for incoming flights to Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport. But what I love more than anything about the Washburn Park Water Tower, is that the design transcends that of a utilitarian building and instead becomes a monument to the times and the men who created it. Production and Shipping Time: 5 days for printing, 5 days for shipping. There are 4 ways to print these images. 1). Premium Photo Paper • High quality, professional paper-prints • Sharp, vivid and rich color sets this apart from a casual photo print • Long lasting • Intended to be placed in a frame • Optional framing is available. Contact me directly for options and prices. 2) Ready to Hang Canvas • Ready to hang right out of the box with zero assembly required • Gorgeous finished look • Well-known, high-end way of displaying photographs • 1.5 inch thick wooden stretcher-bars give it shape (similar to a traditional painting) • No staples or ugly lines visible on the sides • Optional framing available. Contact me directly for options and prices. 3). Acrylic Prints • Light refracts through the museum-quality acrylic bringing vibrancy and depth • Premium polished, best-in-class, 99.9% optically pure acrylic 1/8” thick • Superb image quality from edge to edge • Absolutely stunning, brilliant color! • Back mount frame with lip ready to hang on your wall, right out of the box. • Optional framing available. Message me for options and prices. 4). Metal Prints • White Gloss Chromaluxe Aluminum • Texture and shine of the metal creates depth and dimension so your photos truly stand out • Incredibly durable and long-lasting • Scratch-resistant, waterproof, and resistant to fading • Lightweight, extremely robust and durable • Back mount frame with lip ready to hang on your wall, right out of the box • Optional framing available. Contact me directly for options and prices.

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