College Hill 607

 

College Hill 607 reservoir, Lincoln Street side (my photo)

A guest column in The Register-Guard this past week by local writer Bob Warren reminded me of the imminent decommissioning and replacement of EWEB’s water storage tank atop College Hill in Eugene. Designated by EWEB as the 607 reservoir, the 15-million-gallon tank originated as a Public Works Administration (PWA) project. When it was completed in 1939, it greatly augmented the capacity of its earlier (1916) neighbor, the 603 reservoir. The 703 reservoir—a steel water tower just up the hill from and completed at the same time as 607—and a pump house (1927) complete the ensemble. Only the College Hill 607 tank continues to provide drinking water for Eugene, but its days are numbered. Due to water quality and structural issues, the Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Program is requiring that EWEB drain the tank by the end of 2023.
 
EWEB plans to demolish both 603 and 607 and replace them with two new round tanks. These new tanks will each have a capacity of 7.5 million gallons, be between 183 and 195 feet in diameter and 38 feet tall (though only about 15 feet will be exposed to view above grade). EWEB does intend to maintain the site as a publicly accessible park, but the unique character of the old, flat-topped reservoirs will be lost. EWEB says relandscaping portions of the site for public use and erecting interpretive signage to educate visitors and celebrate the site’s history are possible; however, to meet current state regulations for security around public drinking water facilities, the new tank structures will be secured behind a fence.
 

The roof of College Hill 607 (foreground) and 603 beyond, looking north (my photo).

 
College Hill 607’s unique character is what I’ll miss most. I first discovered the structure when I arrived in Eugene in 1980 to attend the University of Oregon. I initially had no idea what I’d stumbled upon. Its moss and lichen-clad walls resembled an abandoned defensive fortification or an ancient, Machu Picchu-like citadel, neither of which made historical or contextual sense to me. I only later realized what the mysterious edifice was, and that anyone could climb on the top of it to take in views of the city and the sky.
 
In his RG piece, Bob Warren reminisced about how College Hill 607 has always been more than just a water tank. It is a singularly unique public space. Rollerbladers, kids on bikes, Tai Chi practitioners, and neighbors simply enjoying a scenic stroll commonly frequent Its expansive, 2½ acres of flat pavement. So too do stargazers. My wife and I visited 607 one clear night in July of 2020 to catch a glimpse of Comet Neowise, which we did using binoculars; we likewise have watched the International Space Station traverse the night sky from horizon to horizon. College Hill 607 was also a place to be on the Fourth of July. Hundreds would gather atop the tank to watch and set off fireworks; alas, EWEB began restricting access to the reservoir’s roof on the holiday to protect its rubberized coating from fireworks damage.
 

Section detail by Stevens & Koon Consulting Engineers, 1938.

 

College Hill 607 during construction, 1939.

 

The completed College Hill 607 reservoir, 1940. Note the water tower (College Hill 703 reservoir), built at the same time, in the background. (EWEB historical photographs)

 
Beyond the memories many people have of College Hill 607, what of its historic significance or design merit? In 2020, EWEB commissioned Historical Research Associates, Inc. (HRA) to update a determination of eligibility for listing on the National Register of Historic Places prepared in 2002 by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. HRA determined 607 is an eligible property, but 603, 703, and the pump house are not because they do not retain sufficient integrity to convey historic significance. In its report, which you can download from EWEB’s project website, HRA deems College Hill 607 noteworthy as a product of a PWA program to provide funding in support of local construction of public works projects during the Great Depression. Additionally, HRA cited the reservoir’s monumental scale and “funicular shaped curve” of its buttressing exterior walls as architecturally “significant.” Certainly, while simply executed, the design by the Portland firm of Stevens & Koon Consulting Engineers includes enough flourishes to hint at the Art Deco stylings common to many public works projects of its era.   
 

Looking south on a rainy Eugene day across the vast roof of College Hill 607 (my photo).

Nothing lasts forever. Change is inevitable and life is fleeting. The deficiencies College Hill 607 has accumulated over time have conspired toward its necessary replacement. It will soon be gone but will be fondly regarded by those who consider the neighborhood landmark part of their lives. Happy memories are enduring, so we all cherish gathering them while we can. Sometime soon on a warm, clear summer night, my wife and I will take our lawn chairs to scan the heavens from the top of the old reservoir one memorable last time.