Columbus Pump House

In 1901, the city let the contract to Dunlap and Company of Columbus to begin construction of the new building designed by Albright on top of the first structure.

By 1904, a small addition was made to the northwest corner to accommodate dynamos that produced enough electricity for the city street lights.

By 1975, a community effort led to the city hiring the architect James K. Paris to draft a plan to renovate the building to accommodate the expanding Senior Center Club.

The project included moving the main entrance to the southeast corner of the building, providing easier access to off-street parking.

Previously, this area consisted of two large wooden doors and was used as a coal chute to load in enough fuel to power the dynamos.

Alterations were made to the interior to accommodate the various interests of the Senior Center Club, including the installation of ramps over stairs, the addition of an elevator and a large shuffleboard playing area.

The hip-roofed structure was originally covered with gray, clay tiles and had a number of ventilation stacks protruding high above the roof line.

This filtration system was used until 1913 when a new one was developed that was based on a rapid sand filter and relied on a testing laboratory inside the Pump House to insure the potability of the water.

This architectural inventory is administered by the Department of Natural Resources, Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology (DHPA), also called the survey program.

Top photo shows the northwest elevation of the Pump House before it was outfitted with dynamos to generate electricity; the bottom is a postcard showing the small addition on the west side of the basement to house the dynamos.
Interior of the main room of the Columbus Pump House in 2013
Construction of the 1903 water filter in Columbus, Indiana with the Second Street Bridge visible in the background