TAMPA, Fla. – Drivers passing River Tower Park in Tampa’s Sulphur Springs district are likely to spot a massive tower standing alone amid a bunch of trees.
The tower stretches 21 stories high (making it almost impossible to miss) and was installed nearly a century ago, establishing itself as a historic landmark for the area.
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But what passersby might not know is the tragic tale surrounding it.
This marker — the Sulphur Springs Water Tower — was first built in 1927 for developer Josiah Richardson, who wanted to use it to supply water pressure to his nearby Sulphur Springs Hotel and Apartments and Maves Arcade, the latter of which was a major shopping plaza for its time.
As historians tell it, the area initially became popular thanks to its eponymous mineral springs along the Hillsborough River, which drew in visitors from all over thanks to its rumored “curative powers” (much like other springs in the state).
Richardson had capitalized on the springs’ popularity, buying 100 acres of land in 1904 and using his business acumen to transform the area into a bustling resort destination.
In addition, he planned to expand his enterprise with his Sulphur Springs Resort Spa, a toboggan flume, an alligator farm, restaurants, tourist shops and much, much more.
And for his expansion to take root, Richardson would need to be able to supply fresh water to the area — hence the massive water tower.
But Richardson’s entrepreneurship would prove to be his downfall.
When Richardson commissioned the construction of the $180,000 water tower, he was forced to mortgage all of his properties to come up with the necessary funds, historians explain. He did so, believing that the long-term gains would be worth the risk.
Cue the 1933 Treasure Coast Hurricane.
According to the NOAA, that year’s hurricane season was incredibly active, with 20 named storms and 11 hurricanes in total.
The Treasure Coast Hurricane was particularly severe, bringing catastrophic flooding to the region that ultimately caused the local dam to collapse, swamping the arcade and Richardson’s other attractions.
If the intense floods weren’t bad enough, the impacts of the Great Depression made their way to the area, crippling the local economy and leaving Richardson without the money he needed to pay the mortgage on his arcade.
As a result, Richardson lost his vast fortune and had to sell his property — including the tower — and the arcade was eventually mowed down to make way for a parking lot.
Richardson’s ambitions for Sulphur Springs went unachieved, and he died in Tampa a few decades later.
Over the following decades, the tower continued to pump artesian well water for local customers (the grounds surrounding the tower played host to a short-lived drive-in movie theater during the 1950s).
However, the city of Tampa ultimately forced the tower to stop piping in the 1970s so that the city could maintain a monopoly over supplying water for its residents, historians claimed.
During the 1980s, plans arose for developers to construct some high-end condos and apartments around the tower, though the project reportedly ceased after pushback by the community.
But according to Florida historian David Bulit, the tower was restored in 1989 thanks to pressure washing and 150 gallons of “graffiti-proof paint.”
Nowadays, the land is owned by the city, with the tower being designated as a historic landmark. It no longer stores water, and it’s sealed off to prevent potential vandals from breaking in and damaging the structure.
There is one notable feature about the tower, though — several tall light posts encircling the monument as part of the city-wide “Lights on Tampa” public art campaign.
However, the tower has never managed to achieve the same level of fame as it did during the area’s heyday.
But if you’re interested in learning more about the myriad of other strange and historic places across Central Florida, be sure to check out News 6′s Florida Fables page by clicking here.
