Eden Park Standpipe

One of the places on my list (probably the next one on my list) when that first camera got itself stolen was Eden Park. I mean, there's the obvious draw, the overlook on the Ohio...

...but for me that's just the start.  I didn't stop at Eden Park with the intention of shooting the Standpipe, but once I saw it, I had to cross the street and get a few more.

I had been aware there was a water tower at Eden Park, in the sense I've heard other people talking about it. I'd never really noticed it from Twin Lakes before, and had definitely never gone over to check it out. Looking over after shooting some ducks and geese, I saw this very unique structure sticking out of the trees.

I was fascinated. I spent a lot of time into castles as a kid (something most little boys can claim in common), so I was drawn to the arrow-slit windows, the battlements on the roof, the spire jutting above the main structure. I had absolute no idea at this point what this was, and spent a few minutes guessing before moving closer.  Part of some eccentric mansion? An observation tower for the army, or an astronomy organization? I did briefly consider "water tower," but had dismissed it because of all the windows--that's a lot of structure for very little holding capacity, it seemed.

I wasn't far off in that deduction, I found out later. The Eden Park water tower wasn't designed to store water--it was designed to regulate water pressure. The water system of the time was steam powered, and massive pressure spikes were a common occurrence. This tower provided an outlet for those spikes that didn't involve destroying water mains, by housing a water shaft in the center of the tower.

Evidently, this was an extremely common situation during the late 1800's and early 1900's. A website specifically about similar towers in St. Louis, Missouri provides more detail on the system, and some cool interior shots.

For more information about the steam engines that powered the Cincinnati water system at the turn of the 20th Century, Cincinnati Triple Steam.org has a wealth of information.

The Eden Park Standpipe was completed in 1894 and is 172 feet tall (supported by this formidable base). The tower was designed by Samuel Hannaford's architecture firm (the same man who designed Cincy's Music Hall and City Hall), and operated until 1916. Some pictures from the era show a copper spire (click here and scroll down to Page 30 to see it), but that's clearly gone now--recycled in one of the many scrap drives during World War Two. Just about all of this comes from a pretty well-cited Wikipedia page on the Standpipe, directly or indirectly.

There are several gargoyles on the Standpipe, including this roaring example here. I have a couple other shots on my Flickr account, such as this one and the two guys below.

I didn't see anything in my research that talked about letting the general public inside for tours, though I'd love to jump on that if the opportunity arose. There was a warning near the door about the dangers of screwing around with an active broadcast transmitter, and I'm sure that has a lot to do with it. Last time I checked, radio burns weren't any fun at all.

Introduction

Close to ten years ago, I borrowed an SLR from my girlfriend-at-the-time and discovered how awesome photography could be. It was stolen out of my car after only a couple weeks and just two or three rolls of film, and I've wanted a replacement ever since. But the things are damned expensive, and after a couple failed Ebay attempts (always something wrong with the purchase) I gave up.

Years passed, and I'm getting married in the fall (to a lovely woman several places removed from the one who lent me the camera). Instead of hiring a photographer for the wedding we decided to buy a nice camera and have a work acquaintance do the photos. These leaves me with a sexy new camera to play with, and close to ten years of places and things I wanted to photograph.

I have a Flickr and Tumblr to also share these photos, but this space is designed to be more in-depth. Capturing the images is rewarding and definitely offers a wide variety of challenges and opportunities for growth.  But I can't help looking at some places, or structures, or objects, and wonder, "What's the story here?"

My opening post is the perfect example of that. The Standpipe in Eden Park, located in Cincinnati, Ohio is a beautiful piece of architecture and that alone made it worthwhile to keep Katie waiting for 45 minutes while I took pictures.  But why the hell is it there? Who built it? When?  What for? Is it still in service? Is it being used for another purpose today?

If I'm asking these questions, I figure other people are too. I also know that the easiest option for research--the Internet--isn't always going to turn up what one wants simply because no one has thought to upload the data. I also know that what data IS out there, isn't always cited well. One of my main goals is to provide the sources that will support what I find, lending credibility to my posts and leaving a guidepost for the next, more ambitious researcher.

Mission Statement

1. Capture engaging images that give the viewer a sense of "There"
2. Research the history behind the subjects to bring life to the images
3. Provide clear and easy-to-follow source citation to help the flow of knowledge

How the Clouds Pop

How the Clouds Pop, a photo by jdmac020 on Flickr.