As you may remember, a while ago I asked if anyone knew anything about an old wooden water tower on Quaker Lane. It had been taken down in 1984. I was lucky to hear from Craig Parker who moved in to the property across the street in 1966. He remembered the water tower and its owner Stanley Thomasik. When Thomasik bought the property, the water tower was there but inoperable and was used as a shed. Craig had been allowed to explore and said that the tank was up high in the big square room which held the pump and engine. Stanley talked about getting them to work but that never happened.
Craig has fond memories of the 13-acre property which included fields and woods and was big enough to be able to race around an oval in “woods cars.” One memory involved the tower. He remembered hearing cats screaming in fear and a gunshot. Later, he went over to the tower, and Mr. Thomasik told him that he had shot a bobcat that was attacking the cats. He opened the tower door, and there was the bobcat. It was the only one Craig had ever seen, and he was amazed by its huge head and shoulders.
In the 70’s, a snowstorm caused the collapse of a huge barn next to the water tower and the crushing of a 63 Chevy (bright red with a white interior) that had been stored inside. Eventually, Thomasik sold the house and land and moved to Maine to operate a general store and garage. The developer who bought the property tore down the tower.
While the actual origin and use of the tower weren’t something to which Craig could speak, he certainly added to the tower’s story. Also, learning that there were 13 acres and a large barn, it seems likely that the land was once farmed, and this type of water tower was often found on farm property.
By Connie Eshbach