Illinois Central Railroad Water Tower and Pump House
Also known as: Water Pump House
Why it's listed
Southwest of Kinmundy, Illinois, a 100,000 gallon wooden water tank and a small brick pump house recall the days of steam railroading. The Illinois Central Railroad built the tank in 1885 under its engineering department. It is a cylinder 30 feet across and 30 feet deep, made of vertical cypress staves held by 25 steel rods and raised 18 feet on wooden standards. The pump house, ten feet square with a concrete roof, moved water from a nearby 28 acre lake into the tank. Pumps there changed over time from steam to gasoline to electric. The tower let the railroad end water stops at Farina and Tonti, which shortened running times on the line. It is also one of the few remaining cypress stave tanks of its kind in Illinois. Today the tank is roofless and damaged, but the pump house remains sound. Together they are the last historic railroad resources in the town.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues local significance under Criterion A for transportation, because the 1885 tower let the railroad drop watering stops at Farina and Tonti and shorten train running times. It also cites Criterion C for engineering, as one of the few surviving historic cypress stave tanks in Illinois. The tower and pump house are described as the last historic railroad resources in Kinmundy.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 98001355, listed November 12, 1998. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | SW of jct. of I.C.& C. and E.I. R.Rs., Kinmundy |
|---|---|
| County | Marion County |
| Listed | November 12, 1998 |
| Reference number | 98001355 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1885-1948 |
| Architect / builder | Illinois Central Railroad |
| Architectural style | other: water tank |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Engineering |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The site is overgrown with weeds, brush and timber. The tank has lost its roof and has a hole in its side, and its steel bands have slipped down. The brick pump house is in good condition with its roof intact and pumping equipment still inside. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 38.76324, -88.85803 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 98001355.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5999389
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.