The iconic water tower in Englewood, Tennessee, has been approved by the Tennessee Historical Commission for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places after a commission vote Wednesday in Nashville.
At 80 years old, the structure that looms over the tiny McMinn County town could become the state’s first water tower to make the national listing. The state Historical Commission issued a statement in early January that the water tower was on a list of proposed National Register nominees, and now the tower’s nomination moves on to the National Park Service.
“We’re excited, all of us are,” said Beth Sizemore, chairwoman of the Englewood Water Tower Preservation Committee. “We had several people who attended the meeting and it was a very interesting process. It was interesting to see what others around the state are doing.
“Ours was very unique,” Sizemore said. “One gentleman said he was wondering why in the world they put a water tower in there for him to consider. But after he read the report, he said he could understand why it was being considered and felt like more things like that needed to be put on the National Register. So that was kind of exciting.”
The water tower was among seven structures the commission considered and approved this year as nominees to the National Register, according to Rebecca Schmitt, a historic preservation specialist who specifically coordinates the National Register program for Tennessee.