Bangor Standpipe
About this property
Thomas Hill Standpipe, which holds 1,750,000 US gallons (6,600,000 L) of water, is a riveted wrought iron tank with a wood frame jacket located on Thomas Hill in Bangor, Maine, United States. The metal tank is 50 feet (15 m) high and 75 feet (23 m) in diameter. Built in 1897, it is an architecturally distinctive city landmark, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. Built in 1897, it is the district's oldest standpipe and has been in use since its construction. Its purpose is the same today as when it was built; to help regulate Bangor's water pressure in the downtown area and to provide water storage for emergencies. In 1895, it was discovered that the city pumping station contained faulty equipment, risking the possibility of a city water shortage. Ashley B. Tower of Holyoke, Massachusetts, designed the structure and in 1897 the New Jersey Steel and Iron Co. assembled the 50-foot (15 m) high and 75-foot (23 m) diameter steel tank atop Thomas Hill. The land had been owned previously by brothers James and Charles Thomas. The original specifications for the standpipe consisted of four single-sided legal pages, and, unusually, gave the architect the right to freely change the labor and material costs without voiding the contract. The final construction cost was $295,109.36. Originally, the exterior was painted dark gray with the pillars and lattice work painted white. During World War II, the standpipe was painted olive drab for camouflage purposes, because of its proximity to Dow Army Airfield, but it was repainted white in 1949. While once open to the public, it was closed during the war, following a 1940 accident in which a 12-year-old boy was killed when he fell while climbing on the beams under the stairway. Bangor Water District assumed ownership of the standpipe in 1957 when a quasi-municipal (separate from the city) water district was formed. Recently, a fire detection system and a "dry" sprinkler system which can be filled from an outside hydrant were added to protect the landmark structure. The standpipe is really two structures in one. The standpipe itself consists of steel plates riveted one outside the other. The building which enclosed it is 85 feet (26 m) in diameter and 110 feet (34 m) high. The 24 main posts which extend up past the observation deck begin at the base of the structure. Made of hard pine, they measure 12×12 inches and are 48 feet (15 m) long. The entire structure has a stone foundation 9 feet (2.7 m) high and 3½ feet thick at the base. The sill atop the foundation is made of bent pine planks and is 14 inches (360 mm) thick.
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Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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Questions about this property
When was Bangor Standpipe listed on the National Register?
Bangor Standpipe was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 29, 1974.
What type of historic resource is Bangor Standpipe?
Bangor Standpipe is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Bangor Standpipe?
The period of significance for Bangor Standpipe is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Bangor Standpipe?
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