Save The Water!

By Glenn T. Hardaway (Mechanical/Welding Engineer)

Way back in 1911, there were at least two large steel structures, that we know of, being riveted together (long before the days of modern welding.). The larger and more famous one in Belfast, Ireland was completed the following year and only lasted a few weeks into April. The smaller and lesser known has enjoyed a long and important life faithfully serving the town of Lake Helen, Florida for the past 87 years.
The Titanic, bankrolled by the “big time” J.P. Morgan, claimed many hundreds of lives as the waterline rose within. The rising waterline of the Lake Helen Tower, built and paid for by our parents and grandparents, has sustained many hundreds of lives of all those connected below to the present day.

But even as the Titanic went down, there is talk that our own tall turn-of-the-century landmark must also, come down. If you read about it in the Towne Crier this past April 1st, you may have yelled like I did, “They must be April Foolin’ us!” But at the Commission meeting on the 2nd, it was confirmed. So, now I must do some town crying of my own . . . HOW can we who live in such a beautifully preserved reflection of our past, who take pride (and rightfully so) in our early small-town flavor and heritage, ALLOW this to happen?!! This is an irreplaceable piece of history. Have you looked around lately? They just aren’t making towers like these anymore. This is a city-sized antique! If you had a 1911 Harley-Davidson in your garage, would you throw it out because it was old and rusty and needed repair? Throw it my way! If you wanted to take a picture of a tower this old, where could you go? This kind with the “Wizard-of-Oz Tin Man Hat” is one of the earliest types still in existence, and they are increasingly rare with each passing year. This tower is proof that we’ve been around awhile and endured the decades. But once it’s gone, how will anyone passing through our streets keep from mistaking us for a suburb of Deltona? Horrors! Sure, we still have some well-preserved houses, but so does DeLand and Orange City which are also fast closing-in on our space and threatening our identity. BUT, they don’t have a tower like ours. They got rid of theirs!

OK, OK. So the tower wasn’t designed to serve as many residents as we have now, and the rust continues to take its inevitable toll. They have the same problem with the Golden Gate and the Brooklyn Bridges, but every day thousands of people safely drive heavy vehicles out on them high above the water. All we have to manage is a container of water high above the people. Are they smarter or more capable than we are? Not likely.

And it is very encouraging that we have a Mayor and some Commissioners, with whom preservation is a high priority, that would like to see our tower continue to function as our landmark even if it’s not operational for water, rather than be dismantled once the new larger low-lying unit is in place. Their concern, of course, is cost. What is the price tag for keeping our town’s identity intact? Can we afford to lose it? Not just the huge bill for removing and hauling our tower away forever, but in the decades to come in lost historical appeal, becoming identifiable as little more than a housing development like the now-forgotten but once-contemporary small towns of Beresford and Spring Garden. So, is it too costly or too much trouble? I believe the tower is a test of our town’s mentality. Are we part of the throw-away society that would discard our heritage because of cost and inconvenience? Or do we all know that where there’s a united will, there’s a definite way to SAVE OUR TOWER one way or another - period. What if there’s a way to get state monies for the express purpose of restoring the tower as an historic site complete with town name and official seal? Commissioner Ste.Claire is already looking into the possibility. We may even get enough to include a bronze plaque, some benches and a few trees!

But even if that money isn’t available, I know absolutely that we have the people and the businesses right here in town (they know who they are) who have the resources, connections and expertise to draw even national attention to the way we band together to stay on the map and preserve our past.

Heads up, Deltona! Look out, DeLand and Orange City! You too, New Smyrna! We aim to keep our grand stake-in-the-ground standing. We may not be St. Augustine with a fort, or St. Louis with an arch, or Brooklyn with a bridge, but we don’t even WANT to be!! We’re Lake Helen with our antique tower! Does anyone else feel this way, too? If so, PLEASE fill out the attached survey and mail it or bring it to City Hall and save your stamp. (This form is not included on the website.) Thank you very much!