We got a “heads up” from one of Far Guy’s classmates that the old water tower in Park Rapids was going to come down.
I took a photo on the way into town, we were both relieved that we were not too late.
Far Guy grew up a block away from the water tower. Who knows how many girls he kissed there! It was a neighborhood kid gathering place. We found a spot to park just behind Far Guy’s old home place.
The backhoe was working on it when we got there. It was very loud. At one point there was a very large rumbling noise just like it was moaning and groaning and let me tell you the earth shook …but it stayed standing. I was nervous…Far Guy was too close in my thinking…were they certain it was going to land in the hole and area that they had prepared?
People were coming and going as the backhoe pecked away at the exterior.
The crowd got larger and larger. I thought perhaps the Police would move us back farther…but they didn’t. I was a tad nervous. What if something went wrong…I stayed back further than everyone else…I have a good camera with a zoom. Far Guy was right up front, every once in a while he would look my way smile and wave. I know I saw it sway several times and then right herself again. I asked other people if they saw it…Far Guy said I was seeing things.
This is one of her last upright moments. When she started to fall, she fell straight downward and then…
Then there was dust.
It fell right where those guys said it would….for $86,000 they should be right. I was glad it fell as planned.
When it fell there was noise… crumbling sounds and cracking and groaning and then a big crash/whoosh and the earth shook. Chance was in the car and he was fine, another dog in one of the houses started howling and barking. People cheered when it hit the ground…me not so much…I thought it was sad.
Here is the new skyline view.
Great photos, but, I too, think it is sad. Why did they tear it down?
ReplyDeleteIt was too much of a liability for the city. It had not been used as a water tower since the late 1970's. It was sold once and was going to be a restaurant, but those plans never evolved. In the end the city was responsible.
DeleteOh, sad!! That's a big change in the skyline. Great photos.
ReplyDeleteTo me it is always sad when an old landmark is torn down. I understand that some of them become hazards an need to come down; but it is still sad. Great photos. Have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteGlad that you and Far Guy got to see its last moments. I wonder why it had to go? :-(
ReplyDeleteI vote for sad too :-/.
ReplyDeleteIt would have made me sad too!
ReplyDeleteGreat photos but ever so sad . I feel bad for all the old buildings or land marks that get torn down , another piece of history destroyed , it really saddens me . Thanks for sharing , Have a good weekend !
ReplyDeleteBrainerd MN still has theirs. They got is listed on the Historical site. It needs work, but still looks good.
ReplyDeleteYou're right, it is sad.
ReplyDeleteIt really changes the view too.
The tower will leave a hole in the sky for a long time.
ReplyDeleteNice job of capturing the action. I think you picked a very good spot to photograph the event.
Great photos of the demolition! Amazing they can drop it in specific spot. Will miss seeing it in summers.
ReplyDeleteI think it's sad to see old landmarks go, too. I hope the $86,000 goes for cleanup, too. ;)
ReplyDeleteI'm sure they must have had a lumberjack advisor with expertise on "felling" things...:)
ReplyDeleteThey get pretty good at knocking things down. Here it was the old wooden grain elevators. the waste of wood was sad.
ReplyDeleteExciting, scary and sad, all at once. I would have been with you at the back of the pack. Glad it fell where planned though!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that it was sad. I love old water towers and that was a pretty one. I don't know why they don't just leave the old towers alone. I didn't realize linen was made from flax. I was about to leave a comment on your post yesterday and Poppy called.
ReplyDeleteIt is sad when they take down the old structures. Thanks for sharing with us!!
ReplyDeleteYes, that's sad. Every little town used to have a unique one and you saw it on the horizon before you got to town and knew just what town you were in. Now they all look alike, the same cold metal structures all painted light blue. Boo hiss, Park Rapids!
ReplyDeleteIt seems that landmark could just stay a landmark but I know how city leaders work. We had the complete complex of a grain business removed from the town of Granger, because it was ugly. We are an agricultural area and state. I can imagine that the sounds were strange as that think lay down on the ground.
ReplyDeleteYes, so sad. A lot of good Memories. $86,000?...Will that increase your taxes? Sharon
ReplyDeleteNot mine. Because we don,t live in Park Rapids
DeleteWow- I'm with you...my thoughts would be for memories and tinge of sadness. I think it's a miracle that it fell exactly where they wanted it to. I don't know how they plan that so perfectly.
ReplyDeleteHow sad...
ReplyDeleteWhat an event to witness! Glad you took photos.
ReplyDeleteIt's a good thing you found out about the water tower coming down or you would have been disappointed to have missed it. I wonder if it was unsafe or why it had to be taken down.
ReplyDeleteIt's always sad when landmarks are demolished. We have 2 large granaries that are iconic on the Creston skyline and so far any efforts to have them taken down have been resisted.
ReplyDeleteYou should have been a reporter! Great photos and description of the event! I think the old water towers are much nicer looking than the new ones. Yours looked like a light house. I'd be too cheap to pay that much to take it down,lol!
ReplyDelete