1. Manistique's first "modern" water tower, was operational from October of 1922 to later than 1954 and survives, defying the abuse and benign neglect heaped upon it. It is an historical building begging for preservation and restoration but will probably crumble away as the City of Manistique, Schoolcraft County, Michigan, struggles to finance replacement infrastructure it considered disposable.
2. The old Lakeside tower
3. (I am looking for details and a photographs of a third that existed in the vicinity of the old Hancock Lumber Co., on the west side of the City of Manistique.)
4. An all steel 500,000 gallon unit, of the same design as the one pictured in Greenville, Mi.,
was constructed in Manistique, in 1964, by Pittsburgh Des moines and demolished in 1997? some 33?
years later. Its execution was a direct result of almost zero preventive maintenance. It never
received appropriate exterior or interior corrosion control measures to limit damage due to
elecrolysis, and the cathodic protection equipment seldom, if ever, worked correctly from the time
the tower was completed. Manistique City Council and administration had other priorities. The
newest water tower, pictured above, was built in ...., at a cost of $..., ..., in a "package" deal
of limited water and sewer infrastructure renewal.
The pictured Greenville tower, built in 1953, suffered from scheduled inspections and preventive
maintenance, as needed, and is expected to be in use in 2050 and beyond. Tom Ledger, Greenville
Department of Public Works superintendent for 32 years has no political ambitions or major
ethical, intellectual or mental flaws and was able to ensure that the public trust was met.
PS. Greenville had the foresight to create a functional and attractive City park around the
pictured, downtown, tower.
What has changed in City government to insure that Manistique's new water tower is not junk in 33
years?
Nothing that I am aware of. Politics and whim remain the bases of choice.
Do you suppose there might be a connection between the high water rates and the
requirement for a fifth? municipal water tower in 80 years?