Saera Mae Eads (Lopez Village Corporation) retained ownership of the water tower and pump house until 1996 when she gifted the buildings to the Lopez Island Chamber of Commerce for use and benefit of the community. The Village Park land was specified in the original plat to remain a park for public use and access.
In 1992 the Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Lopez Village Association, San Juan County and the State of Washington built the bathhouse and public restrooms structure. The Chamber of Commerce has managed and maintained the Village Park and Bathhouse since 1992 with no financial assistance from the county or state. |
The water tower was constructed around 1914 by Oscar Weeks. The structure is 30' high and has 3 levels. The ground level housed a milk separator, the second level gave access to the water tank and its associated connections and the third supported the wooden water tank. The levels were connected by a vertical ladder. The pump house building is by the original well and housed the gasoline driven water pump. This pump lifted the water from the well to the elevated tank for storage. The water then flowed by gravity to various locations on the farm.
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