The reconstruction project on the Prospect Park Water Tower—better known as the Witch’s Hat—has finally found a contractor and was approved by the Minneapolis City Council last Thursday
This action started in 2023, when the nonprofit organization Friends of Tower Hill Park came together with the City of Minneapolis to propose reconstruction and reopen the tower to the public. In 2024, Minneapolis City Council member Robin Wonsley obtained $350,000 to fix the tower’s interior stairs and exterior entryway. However, the bidding had to be reopened three times before finally landing a contractor, according to a City of Minneapolis spokesperson. Since 2024, the time to inspect the damage, hire architects to map out a redesign, and request contractors has accumulated over several months leading to this final approval.
The Witch’s Hat is one of the only original water towers still standing in the Twin Cities today. The 110-foot structure can hold 150,000 gallons and was built in 1913 alongside a bandstand. Musicians found it difficult to manage instruments and equipment up and down a spiral staircase of more than 100 steps, so only one concert was ever held at the site…