Town Pump of East Sparta, The
Also known as: Town Pump; Village Pump
Why it's listed
At the center of East Sparta's busiest intersection, Walnut Street and Main Avenue, sits a roughly ten-foot-square brick shelter built in 1921 around a hand-operated water pump. Four large round arches rest on low walls of dark red brick, with orange-brown salt-glazed brick above and a pyramidal roof of red and green ceramic barrel tile. A sandstone panel on the north wall records the 1921 date. The well was dug about 1846, and a crew of bricklayers working on a pipeline pumping station offered to build the shelter if the town supplied bricks, which a local clay company donated. The pump stayed in use after a community water system arrived around 1950, giving residents and travelers on old State Route 8 a place to stop for a drink. Its brick and tile construction reflects the village's ties to local clay and tile industries, and it is regarded as the community's most recognizable symbol.
Significance in brief: It is nominated under Criterion A as the village's best-known landmark and an early example of a public-welfare project from a time when municipal water was often unavailable. It is described as unique in Stark County and the surrounding region. It served residents and travelers on old State Route 8 and reflects the village's ties to the brick and ceramic tile industry.
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 09000172, listed April 1, 2009. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Jct. of Walnut St. and Main Ave., East Sparta |
|---|---|
| County | Stark County |
| Listed | April 1, 2009 |
| Reference number | 09000172 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1921-1958 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | A replacement pump built by F.E. Myers & Brothers of Ashland, Ohio was installed in 2005 after the original Rich Pump Company pump was stolen in the 1990s; the structure is described as retaining a high degree of integrity. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.66667, -81.35304 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 09000172.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138685186
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.