Louisville Water Tower Park

The Louisville Water Tower, situated to the east of downtown Louisville, Kentucky, near the riverfront, holds the distinction of being the world's oldest ornamental water tower, predating the more renowned Chicago Water Tower. Both the water tower itself and its accompanying pumping station have earned National Historic Landmark status for their architectural significance. Much like Philadelphia's Fairmount Water Works, designed in 1812 and constructed between 1819 and 1822, the pumping station at Louisville cleverly concealed its industrial purpose within the facade of a Roman temple complex.

In 2014, the Louisville WaterWorks Museum was inaugurated on the premises.

During the 1830s and 1840s, Louisville faced a grave health risk unbeknownst to its residents—the absence of a safe water supply. The arrival of the second cholera pandemic in the United States in 1832 earned Louisville the ominous moniker "graveyard of the west" due to the widespread cholera and typhoid outbreaks caused by polluted local water. At that time, residents relied on tainted private wells for their water needs. However, it wasn't until 1854, when the English physician John Snow made the connection, and it took several more decades for this linkage to be widely accepted as fact. Thanks to the completion of the water project in 1866, Louisville successfully staved off cholera during the 1873 epidemic.

A series of devastating fires in the 1850s served as a wake-up call for the people of Louisville, convincing them of the project's vital importance. On March 6, 1854, the Kentucky Legislature took the decisive step to establish the Louisville Water Company. Initially, private investors showed little interest, and the project faced setbacks, with only 55 shares sold and an initial failure to secure voter approval. Nevertheless, determined efforts led to the purchase of 5,500 shares in 1856 and an additional 2,200 shares in 1859, ultimately transforming the company into a predominantly government-owned corporation. Louisville KY local business website www.fibercareky.com

The architectural inspiration for Louisville's Water Tower drew from the French architect Claude Nicolas Ledoux, who seamlessly blended "architectural beauty with industrial efficiency." The aim was to make the water station an aesthetically pleasing addition to the city, aiming to win over skeptical residents. Theodore Scowden and Charles Hermany served as the architects behind these structures, selecting a location just outside the city with a commanding view of the Ohio River. This site's advantages included convenient coal boat deliveries to fuel the station. The primary column, designed in the Doric order, soared 183 feet (55.8 meters) above a Corinthian portico encircling its base. The portico was crowned with a wooden balustrade featuring ten pedestals, originally supporting painted cast-zinc statues crafted by J. W. Fiske & Company, a prominent ornamental cast-iron manufacturer from New York. Even the gatehouse at the riverfront reservoir evoked the charm of Rhine River castles.

The water tower commenced operations on October 16, 1860. It wasn't just a visual marvel; it was highly efficient, capable of producing 12 million US gallons (45,000 cubic meters) of water within a 24-hour period. This water flowed through an extensive network of 26 miles (42 kilometers) of pipes.

However, a tornado on March 27, 1890, inflicted irrevocable damage to the Water Tower. The original water tower featured an iron pipe protected by a wood-paneled shaft, but the tornado's destruction led to its replacement with cast iron. Additionally, the tornado reduced all but two of the ten statues that adorned the pedestals to ruins.

Subsequently, new pumping facilities and reservoirs were constructed in Crescent Hill, rendering the original water tower obsolete for pumping operations by 1909. In 2010, the pumping station underwent a renovation.

In January 2013, extensive renovations were initiated on the water tower property, culminating in the opening of the Louisville WaterWorks Museum on March 1, 2014.

Fibercare

16302 Shelbyville Rd, Louisville, KY 40245

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