Inscription
In 1895, Theodore Leisen, engineer for the Wilmington Board of Park Commissioners, recommended that "a large pavilion and observatory" be built in Rockford Park on what was called Mt. Salem Hill, the highest point in the city at 330 feet above sea level. His proposal coincided with the Board of Water Commissioners' conclusion that Wilmington was in need of a new water tower in that neighborhood. The two boards merged their projects in Rockford Tower. Built between 1899 and 1902, the half-million-gallon water storage tank and observatory is constructed of natural field stone and is an example of the Italian Renaissance Revival style. Rockford Tower is 57 feet in diameter at the base, 75 feet high to the floor of the observatory, and reaches a total height of 115 feet.
Details
| HM Number | HM8T5 |
|---|---|
| Tags | |
| Historical Period | 19th Century |
| Historical Place | Other |
| Marker Type | Historic Building |
| Marker Class | Historical Marker |
| Marker Style | Free Standing |
| Marker Number | NC-110 |
| Year Placed | 2000 |
| Placed By | Delaware Public Archives |
| Marker Condition | No reports yet |
| Date Added | Friday, September 5th, 2014 at 11:46am PDT -07:00 |
Pictures
Photo Credits: [1] SEPTEMBERSPARROW1666 [2] SEPTEMBERSPARROW1666 [3] SEPTEMBERSPARROW1666 [4] SEPTEMBERSPARROW1666 [5] SEPTEMBERSPARROW1666
Locationbig map
| UTM (WGS84 Datum) | 18S E 450787 N 4402077 |
|---|---|
| Decimal Degrees | 39.76720000, -75.57458333 |
| Degrees and Decimal Minutes | N 39° 46.032', W 75° 34.475' |
| Degrees, Minutes and Seconds | 39° 46' 1.9200" N, 75° 34' 28.5000" W |
| Driving Directions | Google Maps |
| Area Code(s) | 302 |
| Can be seen from road? | Yes |
| Is marker in the median? | No |
| Which side of the road? | Marker is on the right when traveling North |
| Closest Postal Address | At or near Lookout Dr, Wilmington DE 19806, US |
| Alternative Maps | Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap |
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Show me all markers in: Wilmington, DE | New Castle County | 19806 | Delaware | United States of America
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