Poking Around in Maine

The Thomas Hill Standpipe

Bangor Area

by Craig Mains

The Thomas Hill Standpipe
by Craig Mains


Poking Around in Maine: The Thomas Hill Standpipe: Bangor Area - Maine by Craig Mains

One of Bangor's iconic landmarks is the Thomas Hill Standpipe, which is part of the city's water system. It has become so symbolic of Bangor that it appeared on the campaign signs of multiple people running for local elective office.


Poking Around in Maine: The Thomas Hill Standpipe: Bangor Area - Maine by Craig Mains

The entire outer side of the structure is covered with wooden shingles.


Poking Around in Maine: The Thomas Hill Standpipe: Bangor Area - Maine by Craig Mains

A standpipe is just another term for a water tank---sort of. Technically, a standpipe differs from a water tank in that a water tank has a diameter larger than its height while a standpipe's diameter is smaller than its height. However, if you read the historical information above, by today's definition, this would not be considered a standpipe. While the entire structure may be higher than the diameter, the tank itself is not. For some reason, the tank itself is less than half of the height of the entire structure. Why so much space was needed above the tank isn't clear. I doubt that anyone is going to change the name now though.


BANGOR WATER DISTRICT
THOMAS HILL STANDPIPE

The Thomas Hill Standpipe was designed by Ashley B. Tower of Tower and Wallace of New York and Holyoke, Mass. and built in 1897 by Major James M. Davis on land once owned by the Thomas brothers. Using a portable sawmill and blacksmith shop erected on site, the standpipe was built in just six months. The standpipe is on the National Register of Historic Places and is an American Water Works Landmark.

The standpipe is actually two structures a 1.75 million gallon riveted steel tank enclosed by a wooden jacket. The tank is 75 feet in diameter and 50 feet tall, and is topped by a "carousel" (a three-ton steel drum from which 24 iron trusses reach to the sides of the building). The wooden jacket is 110 feet high and 85 feet in diameter and consists of twenty-four 12 inch x 12 inch x 48 feet hard pine main posts covered by 42,000 board-feet of hard pine and 220,000 cedar shingles. It sits upon a stone foundation 9 feet high and 3 1/2 feet thick. A 100-step winding staircase leads to the 12 foot wide promenade deck, which, overlooks the City of Bangor and surrounding communities.

The standpipe is topped off with a 38-foot high flagpole and a railing consisting of 192 banisters which give it the look of a large wedding cake or crown when lit at night.

The standpipe continues to provide water storage and regulates water pressure for Bangor's downtown.


Poking Around in Maine: The Thomas Hill Standpipe: Bangor Area - Maine by Craig Mains

Above is a photo showing the standpipe during construction. This shows that the tank itself is not that tall relative to the overall height of the structure. Photo is from Wikipedia


Poking Around in Maine: The Thomas Hill Standpipe: Bangor Area - Maine by Craig Mains

The distinctively hooded windows show the path of the spiral staircase that leads to the observation deck, which is usually referred to as the "promenade" deck.


Poking Around in Maine: The Thomas Hill Standpipe: Bangor Area - Maine by Craig Mains

The top of the standpipe pokes above the tree tops and sometimes popped into view in Chain's neighborhood. Her neighborhood was separated from the Thomas Hill Standpipe by the Kenduskeag Stream and two steep hills. The top of the structure is lit up at night and some people think it resembles a wedding cake.


Poking Around in Maine: The Thomas Hill Standpipe: Bangor Area - Maine by Craig Mains

The Bangor Water District occasionally opens the standpipe to the public. During the height of the Covid pandemic there were no open houses for about two years. However, in October 2022, the water district opened the standpipe and allowed the public to see the interior and enjoy the view from the promenade deck. Above is a view of the interior staircase.


Poking Around in Maine: The Thomas Hill Standpipe: Bangor Area - Maine by Craig Mains

Above is another view of the interior staircase, showing that the standpipe consists of two structures---the tank and the enclosure around the tank.


Poking Around in Maine: The Thomas Hill Standpipe: Bangor Area - Maine by Craig Mains

A view of downtown Bangor from the promenade deck.


Poking Around in Maine: The Thomas Hill Standpipe: Bangor Area - Maine by Craig Mains

A view of the Little City neighborhood from the Thomas Hill Standpipe promenade deck in October 2022. The water district planned the open house for what is usually a time for peak fall foliage. However, the leaves were slow to turn fall colors in Maine in 2022.


Poking Around in Maine: The Thomas Hill Standpipe: Bangor Area - Maine by Craig Mains

A view of the promenade deck.


Poking Around in Maine: The Thomas Hill Standpipe: Bangor Area - Maine by Craig Mains

Except for a tiny bit, the house Chain was living in at the time wasn't visible from the promenade deck because it was hidden amongst the foliage. However, if I stood at the very edge of her third floor balcony and leaned out I could see the upper part of the standpipe, as shown in this zoom photo taken on the day of the open house.

(October 2022 )

 

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