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Sunday, April 13, 2008

Weekend Snapshot: Number 32

My second shot will be my official weekend snapshot because I took it this Friday. All of the shots in this post will be of water towers in my town, but the other ones weren't taken this week. I'm starting with a water tower which isn't a water tower any more at all but is an historic landmark now.
The shot above was taken downtown on March 1 and was erected in 1887, becoming Raleigh's first water tower. Prior to the erection of this tower and the beginning of a municipal water system, the water was drawn from privately owned wells and cisterns. The downtown water tower was abandoned in 1924 and a larger metal tower was erected further west. In 1938 the water tower was sold to Raleigh architect William Henry Deitrick who converted the aging tower to serve as his offices. In 1963 Deitrick deeded the water tower to the NC Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) with binding preservation covenants. The Raleigh water tower is designated as a Raleigh Historic Landmark.
The water tower above is the one closest to me and serves as a marker for directions. I know that I'm not the only one who does this because when googling for information on water towers I came across a dentist's office which says turn right after the water tower. When I started thinking about water towers the first thing I thought of is how they can be markers for getting your bearings. When I walk on the beach during summer vacations, I use a water tower as a marker for how far I've gone.
I was on my way home from my routine surgical oncology check-up the first week in March, when I spotted a water tower I had never noticed before. I was on a busy highway and was shooting blind. By that I mean that I couldn't risk looking at what I was doing but merely snapped a few pictures without doing more than pointing with one hand in the general direction. Considering that, I didn't do too badly and had enough of a shot that I could crop the water tower out of the wider vista. What amused me later was that I stumbled across a site which had a shot of this same water tower which I'm posting above, and they said that it wasn't safe to try to take photographs of it from the highway.
On April Fool's Day, I was leaving my appointment with the pain specialist who follows me, when I glanced down the road and noticed the water tower which is near the State Fair Grounds. Funny how once you start paying attention to something like water towers they crop up all over the place. This water tower is shown above and below.
Once I reached the stop light in my car, on the way home from my pain doc, I took a closer shot of the water tower. So, that's it for water towers and I am pleased to say that we had more rain on Saturday. All across the state we have moved out of the exceptional drought category and only a few counties are still in the extreme status. My county has made it to severe drought and that is such an improvement from exceptional or even extreme, that I'm very pleased. I may even stop talking so much about the drought soon but it sort of fit in with the water tower theme I have going here.

To find other weekend snap shot participants, the home of WS is here - weekend snapshot, or you can browse on technorati, here -

37 comments:

tigerfish said...

I think I will use the tower as a direction marker too :)

Natalie said...

We have a couple water towers here in town. I should take a pic sometime. I hadn't thought to do that before.

SandyCarlson said...

I sure would love to know why they're shaped the way they are. They are very interesting. Your photos are wonderful.

Anonymous said...

Hi Carver,

that first photo looks like our water towers here in our area. We actually have two and both about 90 years old.

thanks for sharing these water towers photos.

maryt/theteach said...

Great shots of water towers, Carver but that 1st one is sooo unusual! :D

Trish ~ ♥ ~ said...

Lovely photos and intesting post.

Anonymous said...

Water towers are always interesting. There are so many different styles of them!

www.mamapj.com

Barbara said...

You do have a lot of water towers around, like you say good for direction markers.

Anonymous said...

that's true. they make good land markers. they're interesting as they come in diff shapes and sizes! good day! :)

forevermonk said...

indeed very intresting story behind that tower! and also very artistic photos!thanks for dropping by my friend! Bless you always!

Anonymous said...

There is a town not to far away that has painted there water tower into a watermelon. http://www.roadsideamerica.com/salad/watermelon.html

Unknown said...

Ohhh that is a great idea!

I always forget places very quickly.

You took lovely photos!

Anonymous said...

ohhh... love the water towers! love ur shots carver!

mine is up too
http://www.pinoynetwork.org/vera
happy ws! see yah!

Michele said...

Water towers are neat and it's not something we have around here. I just love how many unusual shapes they come in... it's a great collection you have here.

Napaboaniya.Elaine Ling said...

I find it pretty interesting and useful that the water tower is also served as a direction marker. You can't miss something on the road that big and significant :)

Anna said...

Wow what a nice show carver...Thanks for sharing..

Mine is up:
My Newphew's Scrap Place
Scrap Addict Fever

DeLi said...

lovely weekend snaps and wlak, as always

escape said...

tank tower it is. nice theme for weekend snapshot. it helps a lot to reserve water specially in this time of global warming.

Heart of Rachel said...

Great shots. Water towers are so high up that they make great land marks of places.

christine said...

I've never looked at water towers as an interesting subject before, but you've shown me that they are! It's not just lighthouses all the time. Thanks. :)

Anonymous said...

Very interesting water towers you have! I like the very first one!

My weekend snapshots are now up, too! If you have time, please check it out here, here and here. Thanks. Have a great week ahead.

tanabata said...

Water towers are great landmarks. Glad to hear you got some rain.

Lalaine said...

great compilation of water tower photos..I seldom notice them here but I guess there isn't much of that here too.

HAve a great week ahead!

MaR said...

Very interesting, Carver. Great shots as always. I don't remember seeing one around here but I found this one for you.
Happy WS!

Anonymous said...

very interesting post. nice shots too.

*i have a tag for you carver

have a great day!

Anonymous said...

wow! that's a lot of water towers..we have one here too, and i did use it as a direction marker when i first got here. nice shots!

Bengbeng said...

as usual yr shots r fantastic..if i were living in the same town as u, i would treat u to dinner n learn some pic taking tips from u :)

Carver said...

Thanks so much to everyone for visiting my weekend snapshot.

SabineM said...

I am glad that I am not the only one who shoots blindly! I have done that WAY TOO many times!
Great shots!
Have a great week Carver!

Anonymous said...

the most interesting water tower i have probably come across with is the one on michigan avenue in chicago. the older the towers get, the more interesting they are. :)

great shots! :)

MyMemes: Beauty Pageant
MyFinds: Capt. Mario's

Jeanne said...

nice pictures

Barb said...

There's a water tower in my home town that is visible from most of the town as it's built on a hill. As far back as I can remember, everyone has used it as a marker for giving directions. We have many towers here in my new town, and they're all painted a little bit differently. I'd never thought of photographing them, until now!

Anonymous said...

What an impressive construction - almost like a monument or big statue. Wonderful pictures - thanks for sharing!

Carver said...

Thanks again to everyone for visiting my WS post.

poor man's nicole richie said...

The first one is pretty old and sturdy. I also like the last water tank.
They are helpful landmarks indeed especially when there's no one to ask on the street.

c",) Morning Sniffles

AscenderRisesAbove said...

they look like ufos don't they? ;-)

bonggamom said...

You've got some nice shoes!