2a. SHPO Memorandum - 08-31-2023
Date August 31, 2023
To Minnesota State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO)
From Scandia Heritage Alliance and Todd Grover, Architect
Project Scandia Water Tower Barn
Regarding National Register Eligibility of the Scandia Water Tower Barn
Scandia Heritage Alliance (SHA) is relocating and re-erecting the
historic Scandia Water Tower Barn tankhouse, which was dismantled
in 2014 As part of this work, they intend to submit a nomination for
designation to the National Register of Historic Places. Upon
designation, SHA will proceed with a certified rehabilitation of the
property.
The purpose of this memorandum is to propose details for meeting
the “structure” requirement for designation, as well as to initiate
discussion of an acceptable in-kind windmill model to demonstrate
tankhouse engineering associated with the building. Additionally, we
are seeking guidance from SHPO on the best path to accomplish a
tax-credit qualified certified rehabilitation of this unique structure.
Significant Example of Engineering
The 2022 report “Scandia Water
Tower Tank Barn: A Historical
Investigation” by Charlene Roise
provides evidence that the Water
Tower Barn poses a high potential
for significance under Criterion C
related to its engineering technology.
The Water Tower Barn is significant
for following reasons:
• This is a rare surviving example of a late 19th century tank
barn — believed to be the last example in Minnesota —
combining the dual use of the windmill/tankhouse with typical
barn functions.
• This structure offers a unique opportunity to restore and
interpret a fully functional Aermotor windmill and tank system
for demonstration to the public.
Water Tower Barn Story
Frank Lake’s mercantile was a center of
community life in Scandia in the 1890s and
early 1900s. Located just across the road
from Elim Church, it offered everything from
the latest fashions to shiny new farm
equipment. Lake proved to be one of the
state’s most successful early entrepreneurs,
later founding Federated Insurance, a
nationwide provider.
When Lake built a barn just behind his store,
it was not simply to stable his delivery horses.
He added a windmill to pull water from deep
underground and an elevated water
tankhouse. Wooden pipes supplied his
business, home, and neighbors with fresh
water. A horse-drawn wagon delivered water
to outlying homes and traveled to Copas to
pick up goods for the Mercantile. Scandia
businesses flourished.
Lake also sold the famous Aermotor windmill,
which had taken the 1893 Chicago World’s
Fair by storm. Windmills soon dotted the
Midwest landscape, transforming life on
small family farms by providing a mechanized
source of potable water.
While crucial, the age of the windmill was
brief. By the 1930s, rural electrification
offered a modern alternative. But windmills
are more than just a symbol of a bygone era.
They represent a spark of human ingenuity
that employed wind and water to make an
entire way of life possible. Such is the deeper
story of Scandia’s Water Tower Barn, the last
structure of its kind in Minnesota.
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• Whereas elevated water tanks were typically built by municipalities, railroads, and ranches, this
structure was constructed and managed by a private enterprise to provide water to local homes
and businesses, further distinguishing it as unique.
Also of note, the historic significance of tank barns has been established through previous National
Register designations. The Roise report identifies 2 examples in other States. Neither of these are
proximate to Minnesota, making this designation more important. The 2022 Minnesota State
Legislature recognized this importance by providing funding for this project, indicating it was “eligible”
for National Register designation. (Laws 2022, Ch, 72, Art. 2, Sec. 9, Subd. 7.)
Distinct Design
As a supplement to Roise’s report, Charles Liddy, FAIA Emeritus and retired Principal of Miller Dunwiddie
Architects, provides a “Statement in Support of the Historical Uniqueness and Distinct Design of the
Scandia Water Tower Barn.” Among his reasons for support, he states:
The water tower barn is a truly distinct design, which is supported by the following factors:
• The building was built specifically to house a water supply system. This could have been
done with a simple windmill and elevated tank but using an existing barn and adding
more space gave entrepreneur Frank Lake storage space for his other nearby commercial
endeavors.
• Enclosing a tank within a barn offered the advantage of protecting the water from freezing,
due to the rising heat from the animals. The water tank in Scandia was also within a “frost
box,” a structure with alternating layers of wood and air that helped insulate the tank.
• Scandia area Swedish immigrants were familiar with constructing timber-framed buildings
out of tamarack [the primary wood used in the post-and-beam structure], which was widely
available in Sweden.
• The Scandia Water Tower Barn endured for over 100 years. If reconstructed and restored,
it would be an example of a rare building type from 19th century rural America.
Deconstruction of the Scandia Water Tower, left, revealed frost box construction. Instructions from an early 1900s
Aermotor and a catalog on how to build a frost box, right.
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Proposal
SHA proposes to use the existing salvaged materials and limited new materials as needed to re-erect
the east section of the Water Tower Barn (including the tower) as illustrated below to provide the required
“structure” to allow the National Register designation. This will either be through a Part 1 application
for Historic Tax Credits or a formal National Register Nomination through Minnesota SHPO.
This first portion of the project – Phase 1
– will re-erect the basic timber frame
structure. The opening for the balloon-
framed west section of the building will
be covered with a temporary
interpretation panel that will illustrate the
full master plan for rehabilitation and
interpretation. See the table below for
proposed elements included in each
phase.
Phase 2 will include the building
rehabilitation and historic Aermotor
equipment installation to demonstrate
the technological significance of the
property. The tankhouse engineering will
use “in-kind” (as described by Denis
Gardner) historic parts, including the
windmill, wood water tank, hand pump,
pump rod and wood pipes.
For the in-kind tankhouse technology,
we propose a self-oiling Aermotor
windmill (introduced in 1915) and a
wood water tank matching the Aermotor
design. Research supports the idea that
a self-oiling model was the last windmill version on the building. The self-oiling version eliminated the
requirement for someone to climb dangerously high to manually oil the system and was almost
universally installed after its introduction.
In order to initiate the search for in-kind technology, agreement on the specific historic windmill for this
project is important. Roise’s report indicates that, over time, multiple types of windmills were likely used
on the Water Tower Barn.
Akin to restored and re-erected historic truss bridges that have moved sites but still retain their
engineering significance, a functional windmill in the rebuilt barn using historic materials will retain its
engineering significance on this new site.
Previous SHPO Guidance and Treatment Oversight
Previous conversations with SHPO in 2020 and 2021 gave guidance that this project should be labeled
as a “reconstruction/restoration-minded rehabilitation.” With this guidance, the focus for the full project
will use rehabilitation as the overarching treatment. But for a few specific elements that need a bit more
clarity, re-erection and restoration guidance will be referenced.
The following are the components of construction proposed for each phase of the project:
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PHASE 1:
Pre-designation
PHASE 2:
Post-Designation or Post-Part 1 Certification
(to be reviewed during Part 2 application process with SHPO)
Sighting and orientation to the adjacent road (Olinda) to
approximate the historic siting 2 blocks north in the
Scandia Village Center
Interior siding -- primarily original cedar material
Perimeter foundation and post supports Barn Doors and west section hay loft door (original material)
Timber-frame structure of the original East Section
Substantial salvaged timbers are available. New timbers will
match the original.
Well, windmill and wood water tank, plus associated water
pumping and piping to allow a fully functional engineering
demonstration
Restored water tower using matching materials based on
observational and photographic evidence
Exterior siding for remainder of the building (wood lap siding)
New trim, fascia, and rafter tails to match the original,
based on observational and photographic evidence Roofing – cedar shake or matching composite
Ice and water shield roof (black color) Flooring: Ground level to be stained concrete to mimic
original dirt floor
New door and windows to match the original, based on
observational and photographic evidence
Installing rock wool insulation and vapor barrier in-between
exterior sheathing and interior siding.
Installing rigid insulation atop roof sheathing before roofing is
installed.
Historic siding on the westward and southward facing
walls (easily viewable from Olinda Trail).
Temporary siding on the north and east walls with
historical displays.
Substantial salvaged siding is available. New siding will match the original.
Rebuilding the one-story balloon-framed structure, with
sliding glass panels behind the original barn doors and
windows to match the original based on observational and
photographic evidence
Temporary interpretation panel on the westward-facing
wall, the location of the opening for the one-story
balloon-framed leg of the structure. The display will show
the full master plan for the Water Tower Barn Arts &
Heritage Center.
Code compliant access and accessibility
Original hay loft door on the south-facing wall Minor interior configuration for reuse, including code
compliant stairs to the 2nd level
Code compliant and required engineering modifications to
the timber-frame structure
Interior elements interpreting the water pumping technology
Additional elements to meet building codes
Proposed Timeline
October-December 2023: Historic Tax Credit Application Part 1 and/or N.R. Nomination
– Draft for SHPO comments following initial SHPO
consultation in September
January-February 2024: SHPO review and comments
March 2024: Final Historic Tax Credit Application Part 1/N.R. Nomination –
Final response to SHPO comments
March – July 2024: Phase 1 proposed re-erection/construction
August-September 2024: Historic Tax Credit Application Part 1/N.R. Nomination
- Submission
Fall 2024 and 2025 Phase 2, Historic Tax Credit Part 2 Application
Summer 2025 Entry into Grant Agreement and Phase 2 construction