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legal description
<br />Lots 13 -19
<br />Rockstroh Brothers
<br />NE cor. Michigan Bartlett .
<br />historical notes (continued)
<br />August 28, 1874, and studied architecture at the Chicago Atheneum 'He is
<br />credited with the design of the following: Elks Temple, County Infirmary,
<br />Odd Fellows, National Bank, North Pumping Station, City Hall, Northern Indiana
<br />Public Service Co., Lincoln School, Adams School. Freyermuth, no doubt,
<br />helped with some of these.
<br />historical notes
<br />Plans for the present North Pumping Station were drawn up on August 30, 1912, by
<br />the well -known local architects, Freyermuth and Maurer (see blueprints now owned
<br />by South Bend Water Works). This firm preserved an earlier foundation -- to the
<br />NW side of the present structure which dated to 1892. Work on the new building
<br />began in 1910 when a local engineer, William S. Moore (architect of the St. Joseph
<br />bridge at Twyckenham), had built a 6,000,000 gallon reinforced.concrete reservoir.
<br />Freyermuth and Maurer's 1912 building was constructed for the cost of $250,000 and
<br />was equipped with a 78" x,175' reinforced concrete stack, a brick suction well,
<br />20 additional supply wells and steam pumping engines. The suction well subse-
<br />quently was replaced by a modern reservoir. Steam pumps, their job taken over by
<br />electricity, were removed, thus leaving much of the pumping station empty.
<br />The exterior of the new pumping station is in the classical revival style which
<br />became very popular in the mid -west as the Prairie School style began to fade. The
<br />use of classical detailing and bilateral symmetry are typical features of this style.
<br />Two ornamental copper domes flank the entrance. The handling of materials is very
<br />nicely described in the dedicatory pamphlet drawn up by the Water Works: "The
<br />building was designed with due regard for the location in one of the city's most
<br />beautiful parks, the exterior being finished with a dark brown facing brick trimmed
<br />with cut stone, the roof.is of red tile trimmed with copper dome and flashing."
<br />The interior is divided into three parts: the old pump room (which F. & M. -main-
<br />tained for emergency purposes), the new pump room, and the boiler room. Interior
<br />detailing is extremely handsome -- polished brass balusters decorated the numerous
<br />staircases and glazed bricks are used throughout to give maximum light with mini-
<br />mum maintenance. The cove ceiling (outlined in. green) features elaborate panels
<br />of embossed steel (See blueprints).
<br />The designers of the building, Freyermuth and Maurer, were an extremely well -known
<br />firm which was organized in 1898. When Freyermuth became mayor in 1934, the firm
<br />disso and Harold V. Maurer became his father's partner. F. & M. designed many
<br />South Bend buildings such as the Odd Fellows, City Ha ll,. and Public Library.
<br />Freyermuth (May 8, 1868 to May 31, 1958; moved to South Bend, aged 4) who was
<br />primarily known for his military accomplishments, was a self- taught architect and
<br />contractor. He belonged to the following organizations: Masons, Elks, Odd Fellows,
<br />Knights of Pythias, YMCA, and Chamber of Commerce.
<br />Maurer (see paper compiled by the Citizens Hist. Assoc., 10- 5 -40), was born (see above...'
<br />source of information Interview with Ron Budzinski and Tim Vermande of Water Works -
<br />8- 11 -77. (Access to original blueprints) - Citizens Historical Association, Indianapolis:
<br />paper on R. Vernon Maurer, 10 -4 -40 (library clipping file; - Original architect's pastel
<br />rendering (N.I.H.S. museum ); South Bend Tribune articles: "Architects form new partner-
<br />ship (re: Maurer & Maurer) "; 10- 14 -60; "Men of Affairs (re: Freyermuth) ", 3- 16 -27;
<br />Freyermuth obit., South Bend library clipping file: dedicatory pamphlet on North Pumping
<br />Station, letter on Station reputedly composed by Judge T— E. Howard.
<br />See file
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