A 127-year-old railway water tower at Elkhorn will get a new lease on life this summer, thanks to a dedicated group of area citizens with roots in the historic mining community. When all is said and done, the tower will be an attraction for tourists, students, railroad lovers and others, perhaps for another 127 years or more, say backers of the effort.
In its heyday, the railway water tower built by the Northern Pacific Railroad in 1890 served the silver-mining boomtown of Elkhorn. Replenishing the steam locomotives that hauled critical goods into the community and valuable ore out was critical after they puffed their way up the four percent grade to Elkhorn.
According to Bill Taylor, a noted Montana railway historian, the tower is believed to be the only surviving original Northern Pacific water tank of its type. Typically, the water tanks were dismantled in the 1950s and 60s after diesel locomotives replaced the steam engines. The NPR “Standard Plan” 48,000 gallon tank features wide horizontal metal stabilizing bands atop large vertical planks. A conical roof finishes it off.
Although still standing, the tank has suffered the ravages of time, and the redwood tank walls lean significantly. In 2012, the Friends of the Elkhorn Water Tank formed and began efforts to save the historic tower. An engineering report from that year found “the potential for stabilizing and restoring the tank in a state of arrested decay is high if action is taken soon to stabilize the structure to prevent total collapse.”
At that point, an initial phase of the restoration was completed. With contributions from the Montana Historical Foundation and a grant from the Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association, supportive beams were placed to brace the tower. Now members of the Friends of the Elkhorn Water Tank, including Taylor, Dean O’Neill and Bruce Bell, are ready to move toward a more permanent solution guided by consultation from Baudette Engineering of Missoula.
“In Phase 2, we will go ‘all-in’ to repair the tank,” said Bell. That will involve disassembling the roof and top half of the tower and reassembling it after installing a strong and stable tank floor. Any stays that are replaced will be redwood to match the original planks.
“This summer’s project will implement the big push needed to truly fix and protect the structure,” said Bell. Calling the water tank “a survivor in the wilderness,” Bell said saving the tank will afford “an excellent opportunity to educate children, tourists, architectural historians and railroad buffs about the effort and enterprise of those early mining and railroad pioneers.”
Project costs for the phase to begin this summer are estimated at $22,000, said Bell. Funding will come from the same funding sources as in Phase 1, donated engineering by Baudette, individual contributions from NPRHA members, and support from the Elkhorn and Jefferson County community, he said.
The tower is located on private land just north of Elkhorn, and the landowner has granted permission for the restoration work, he said. Plans call for work to commence once the ground around the tank is dry and stable enough for large forklifts. Organizers say disassembly is especially dependent on weather and probably will not start until June. Reassembly is slated for July and August. Donations in support of the project are being accepted online at tinyurl.com/zottn5n.
“Our goal for Phase 2 is crystal clear – straight, snug walls and a strong, water-tight roof by August 2017,” said Bell, “to preserve the Elkhorn Water Tank for another 127 years.”
