Tower Restoration Earns Two Honors

Restoration work on the Louisville Water Tower and WaterWorks Museum recently received the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Citation Award as well as the Kentucky Excellence in Cultural Heritage Tourism Award from Preservation Kentucky.

Louisville Water Tower is home to Pumping Station No. 1 and the 185-foot Water Tower, which were the two original facilities when Louisville Water Company began operation on October 16, 1860. A major restoration began in summer 2022 and ended in early 2024.

The AIA presented the Citation Award and honored Louisville Water contractors K. Norman Berry Associates Architects and Corbett Construction Company during an October 17 ceremony at the Gray Design Building in Lexington,.

“Clearly a landmark worth saving. The Louisville Water Tower and Museum speak of a time when public works were truly celebrated, and the restoration of these features was lovingly carried through,” said the jury for the Citation Award. “The adaptive use of the space as a museum draws visitors to engage in the honorable mission of this facility and revel in the engaging historic details.”

The Kentucky Excellence in Cultural Heritage Tourism Award, presented October 26 at the Delegate Hotel in Frankfort, recognizes “the outstanding restoration and interpretation of the Louisville Water Tower and Pumping Station No. 1,” said Betsy Hatfield, Preservation Kentucky Executive Director.

Louisville Water’s “stewardship of these iconic National Historic Landmarks is a testament to their preservation ethic and commitment to the architectural, cultural, and social heritage of the area,” she added. “The visual aesthetics and dynamic interpretive experience of the site are the reasons it is such an appealing attraction and Louisville is such a popular destination for heritage tourism travelers.”

Hatfield also pointed out that “the Louisville Water Tower and Pumping Station No. 1 showcase why historic preservation is so important to the vibrancy of our communities and how historic architecture connects us to our heritage and enriches our quality of life. The Louisville Water Company reflects the very spirit of this award, and it is with great admiration that we recognize them for Excellence in Cultural Heritage Tourism.”

Megan Jones, Louisville Water Event Operations Supervisor, said the Tower is a great venue for a wide range of events because there is nowhere else like it in Louisville.

“The history and uniqueness of the building, the architecture and the location on the river, plus the amenities we offer – it all equals the perfect backdrop for a memorable experience,” she said.