Click here for full story. State Street in Hammond, one of the city's main commercial districts. While there are a lot of gaps, a lot of historic buildings remain. The tanks are unaffected by the loss of electrical power during a fire and provide the only ready water supply for some buildings. Since they are elevated, gravity pulls the water down and gives fire crews time to set up on the street.
Electrical pumps bring water up from the city's underground pipes to the tanks.
Water from the tanks is used for bathrooms and kitchens throughout a building. The tank is automatically refilled when an electric sensor tells it that the supply is low. With only rare exceptions, the tanks are made of wood because it is such an excellent temperature moderator. Another view of the Lincoln. The Odd Fellows must have been important indeed to have their own building in Hammond's central business district.