Description of Historic Place

The Former Water Tower is a Municipal Heritage Property featuring of a 30 metre wood-and-steel structure constructed in 1915. The tower is located on two town lots at the corner of Queen Elizabeth Boulevard and East Avenue in the Town of Kamsack.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of the Former Water Tower lies in its association with Kamsack’s water system. The tower was built in 1915 and provided Kamsack's domestic water supply until it was replaced in 1977.

The heritage value of the property also resides in its coastal lighthouse-inspired architecture. The Former Water Tower is one of a group of ten water towers constructed in Saskatchewan between 1910 and 1915 which were influenced by the design of coastal lighthouses. This is reflected in the cylindrical design, wood façade which encases the steel water tank, and spiral staircase leading up to the roof. The façade features windows spiralling up the structure parallel to the staircase. Of the original ten lighthouse-inspired water towers, the Kamsack Water Tower is among the four that remain.

The heritage value of the property also resides in its status as a landmark in the community. In 1944, the tower’s original peaked roof was destroyed in a storm. During the repair of the tower, a flat roof was built and a large electric “Kamsack” sign was installed on top. The sign is visible from most areas in the town and surrounding countryside, serving the community as the defining feature of its landscape.

Source:

Town of Kamsack Bylaw No. 10/82.

Character-Defining Elements

The heritage value of the Former Water Tower resides in the following character defining elements:
-those architectural elements that speak to its coastal lighthouse design, such as its window arrangement, cylindrical shape and cornice;
-those architectural elements that speak to its use as a water tower, including the steel tank and wooden housing;
-those elements that contribute to the property’s status as a local landmark, such as the electric “Kamsack” sign and the tower's position on its original location.