Property Record
389 Lewis Street
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Lewis Street Water Tower |
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| Other Name: | |
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| Reference Number: | 10670 |
| Location (Address): | 389 Lewis Street |
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| County: | Racine |
| City: | Burlington |
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| Unincorporated Community: | |
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| Year Built: | 1890 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 19752011 |
| Historic Use: | water utility |
| Architectural Style: | Other Vernacular |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Stone - Unspecified |
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| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| Additional Information: | The problem of public water supply, one of the major issues leading to incorporation as a village, was not resolved until 1889. During April of that year, a private meeting was held to address the issue of water supply; by the end of which, almost 70 subscribers pledged $1,860 in $10 shares to found the Burlington Artesian Well & Water Company. Soon $5,000 was raised to finance the well digging, with plans to later sell the well to the village for a fair price. George H. Wilbur acted as president of the company, and Charles Bernard McCanna, vice-president. Bids were solicited, and while the O’Connor Brothers of Fond du Lac were lowest, a local man was hired despite the fact that he was not a professional well driller. Digging started at the Town Hall basement with a post-hole auger. Progress was extremely slow and, within a week, the O’Connor Brothers were hired to complete the project. Digging resumed at a site on Commerce Street. The 5 ½ inch diameter well was completed that October at a depth of over 1,000 feet. Later in 1889, the village was issued a $20,000 bond to purchase the well and construct a pump house, water tower, and the first 2¾ miles of water pipe. Land along Lewis Street was donated for the erection of the water tower the following year. The Lewis Street Water tower was constructed by Eagle Tank Company of Chicago with a 70,000-gallon, elevated wooden tank. The Lewis Street Water Tower is located at 389 Lewis Street. In 1938, the Lewis Street tower’s wooden tank burst due to strained metal connection bands. A 40,000-gallon replacement was immediately constructed on top of the brick tower. Boards from the original tank were used by Edward B. Rueter to construct his house on Kane Street the following year. The Edward B. Rueter House is located at 416 S. Kane Street. In 1981, the Burlington Water Department considered demolishing the Lewis Street Water Tower deeming it no longer safe to hold water due to the deterioration of its wooden tank. A committee organized to investigate the preservation of the tower recommended pouring a concrete liner inside the wooden tank and replacing the tank’s wooden roof with one of concrete. This preservation method was completed at a cost of over $20,000. ROUND STONE WATER TOWER W/ BUTTRESSES |
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| Bibliographic References: | General Files. On file at the Burlington Historical Society, Burlington, Wisconsin. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |