Beaumont St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad Water Tank, Railroad water tank in Beaumont, United States.
The Beaumont St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad Water Tank is a wooden structure built from cypress staves that stands on eight support piers and can hold about 50,000 gallons of water. The tower rises approximately 40 feet above the ground and displays the characteristic engineering design of late 19th-century railroad infrastructure.
The St. Louis, Wichita & Western Railway built this structure in 1885 to supply water to steam locomotives traveling regularly through Kansas. After locomotives were phased out and rail operations changed, the tower gradually lost its original purpose for the railroad.
The National Register of Historic Places registered this transportation structure in 1993, marking its role in American railroad development.
The tower is easily visible from the road and makes for a quick stop to view the structure up close. The area is quiet and walkable, with parking available nearby for visitors who want to look around.
A group of local supporters called the Friends of the Beaumont Water Tower purchased the structure from the Burlington Northern Railroad Company in 1989 to ensure it would be preserved. This community effort saved the building from decay and helped secure its protection as a historic site.
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