About this property
The Prospect Park Water Tower – sometimes referred to as the Witch's Hat – is a historic water tower in the Prospect Park neighborhood of Southeast Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. It was built in 1913-1914 on Tower Hill Park, a hilltop park established in 1906. The water tower has become the neighborhood's architectural mascot for its singular design by Frederick William Cappelen. The tower is purported to be the inspiration for Bob Dylan's song "All Along the Watchtower," as the tower was clearly visible from Dylan's home in nearby Dinkytown. Standing at nearly 1,000 feet above sea level, the tower has the distinction of occupying one of the highest spots in the Twin Cities. With its thick concrete shaft, open-air belvedere, and steeply pitched, green-tile roof, the water tower looms over a small pump house on the northwest edge of the park, a set of tennis courts on the southwest side of the park, and the curvilinear streets of the adjacent neighborhood. The park and water tower were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997 for having local significance in the themes of architecture, community planning and development, and engineering. It was nominated for its associations with city planning, urban infrastructure, architectural eclecticism, and the work of architect Frederick William Cappelen. In 2015 they were also listed as contributing properties to the Prospect Park Residential Historic District.
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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.
Everything a full report reveals about Prospect Park Water Tower and Tower Hill Park
This page lists Prospect Park Water Tower and Tower Hill Park. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:
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Questions about this property
When was Prospect Park Water Tower and Tower Hill Park listed on the National Register?
Prospect Park Water Tower and Tower Hill Park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 13, 1997.
What type of historic resource is Prospect Park Water Tower and Tower Hill Park?
Prospect Park Water Tower and Tower Hill Park is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Prospect Park Water Tower and Tower Hill Park?
The period of significance for Prospect Park Water Tower and Tower Hill Park is recorded as the industrial era, specifically around 1906.
Can I research the history near Prospect Park Water Tower and Tower Hill Park?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Prospect Park Water Tower and Tower Hill Park will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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