Rebuilding a Historic Timber Frame Water Tower

Watch as a 42-foot-tall timber frame water tower is built by Great Country Timber Frames on one of the oldest properties in Stonington, Connecticut. Dating back to the 1700s, the property has an original colonial-style timber frame home and was one of the first homes in the town with running water. Water pressure was created by gravity feed via the original water tower. When the old water tower was no longer structurally sound, Great Country Timber Frames was called upon to build a new water tower in the same style as the old one. The result is accurate to the time period, and should it be located on the shore, could pass as a lighthouse. Featuring an octagonal design and authentic timber frame joinery, Great Country Timber Frames crafted all the timber frame joinery to exact specifications with their CNC machine. Next, they assembled four of the eight sides in their shop. Those four sides were raised on site, one by one, and connected together with a combination of traditional wood joinery and concealed steel. Two stairway landings were installed inside at approximately 9' high intervals. The top of the water tower was assembled on the ground and raised in one piece, with window purlins installed at the very end. The water tower will have shiplap siding, tall windows, and a spiral staircase inside. The species is Eastern White Pine.