North Point Water Tower

North Point Water Tower
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
North Point Water Tower
Location	East North Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Coordinates	43°03′35″N87°52′48″W / 43.05971°N 87.87987°W / 43.05971; -87.87987
Architect	Charles A. Gombert
Architectural style	Victorian Gothic
NRHP reference No.	73000088
Added to NRHP	February 23, 1973

The North Point Water Tower was built in 1873 and 1874 as part of Milwaukee, Wisconsin's first public waterworks, with Victorian Gothic styling for the exterior. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. ^{[1] [2]}

History

The City of Milwaukee was authorized by the Wisconsin Legislature to construct the water tower in 1871. ^[3] Designed by Charles A. Gombert, it was built out of limestone from Wauwatosa, Wisconsin to house the wrought iron standpipe. ^[4]

According to Urban Milwaukee, the building was estimated to cost $8,000 upon completion but instead amounted to $50,891.82. ^[5]

North Point Pumping Station below the bluff drew water from Lake Michigan and pumped it onward into the municipal waterworks. ^[6] The pipe inside the tower—four feet across and 120 feet tall—served to buffer the rest of the waterworks from destructive pulsations from the massive pumps. The standpipe was surrounded by the stone tower to keep its water from freezing. ^[4]

References

1. "North Point Water Tower". Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
2. "North Point Water Tower". Landmark Hunter.com. Retrieved March 9, 2012.
3. "Old North Point Water Tower". Historical Marker Database.org. Retrieved March 9, 2012.
4. Jones, Catherine. "North Point Water Tower". Encyclopedia of Milwaukee.
5. Milwaukee, Urban. "North Point Water Tower". Urban Milwaukee. Retrieved February 25, 2026.
6. Mary Ellen Wietczykowski; Donald N. Anderson (May 9, 1972). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: North Point Water Tower". National Park Service . Retrieved January 23, 2020. With one photo.

External links

• North Point Water Tower on Atlas Obscura