Nearly 150 years old, the Walnut Hill Reservoir is soon going to have its massive reservoir tanks removed and the site redeveloped.
Built by the City Water Works, a private company, in 1881, it is part of the original water system originally intended for fire protection. Located between Hamilton and Nicholas streets and between 38th and 40th streets, it drew water from the Missouri River via a pumping station near Burt Street. The reservoir was designed by engineer H.H. Cook, and its construction was supervised by Chester B. Davis.
Dr. Samuel Mercer acquired the farmland one year prior and sold a portion of it to the water company so that it could build the reservoir. In the area, Mercer established the Walnut Hill neighborhood and built his mansion at the northeast corner of 40th & Cuming Street in 1887. By this time, the reservoir had become known as Walnut Hill Reservoir.
With its two large basins capable of holding approximately 11 million gallons of water each, the reservoir began drawing water from the Florence Water Works a few years later. The company that became Metropolitan Utilities District took over the water works in 1913…