xzmattzx
June 21st, 2005, 04:19 AM
here are some pictures of pictures of rockford tower, located in rockford park. i also threw in some downtown pictures.
some history about rockford park:
the tower is approximately 115 ft tall, and the observation deck floor is 75 ft up from the ground. the tower is still a functioning water-holding facility, and a 60 ft high by 40 ft diameter steel tank stores water for the city of wilmington. the tower stands on the highest point in the city of wilmington, mt. salem hill, which is 332 feet above sea level.
the water tower came about in the early 20th century. after the civil war, wilmington rapidly expanded. many resources were needed, with water among those resources. as the city began to move towards the area that was known as "the highlands", the idea of a water tower in that area was brought up. officials decided to build the new water tower on the ghiest point for two reasons: because water flows downhill, and because an observation deck could be put at the top to take advantage of the view. the tower was finished in 1903, and was purposefully built in a more antique fashion in order for it to blend in with its surroundings and to give the area a more "historical" look. upon completion, the issue of the tower's proximity to the dupont facilities (dupont made dynamite, gunpowder, and other explosives at that time) came into play, and the observation deck was closed to the public. to this day, the observation deck is only open for special occasions.
and now back to pictures.
the flower market, a festival that is run in early may or so. it was started in the 1930's i believe, and has been held in rockford park since 1953. i took all of these next pictures from the observation deck at the top of rockford tower, which was open for the festival.
http://img62.echo.cx/img62/4426/dscf17704pb.jpg
another picture of the flower market.
http://img62.echo.cx/img62/7923/dscf17716qn.jpg
the wilmington skyline, as seen from the observation deck.
http://img62.echo.cx/img62/2623/dscf17729cp.jpg
a close-up of downtown.
http://img62.echo.cx/img62/4328/dscf17738xg.jpg
a zoom-out, with some of the flower market in the picture.
http://img62.echo.cx/img62/2114/dscf17744kq.jpg
a closer look at the delaware memorial bridge, the world's longest twin suspension bridge.
http://img62.echo.cx/img62/204/dscf17758gz.jpg
the dupont experimental station. this is dupont's industrial headquarters. (as a side note, my dad worked at the experimental station for 20 years. i have been inside the station countless times, and many of our family friends worked or work there.) dupont's old gunpowder facilities are located at the bottom of far side of the hill, at what is now the hagley museum.
http://img62.echo.cx/img62/8189/dscf17760ax.jpg
the rollins building, located on concord pike, sticks out from behind the trees. the tower that sits on e.i. dupont's grave also sticks out. e.i. dupont's gardens and lawns aren't visible, however.
http://img62.echo.cx/img62/7857/dscf17777am.jpg
iron hill, just south of newark, is on the horizon. for any of you that have travelled through delaware on i-95, you have driven past iron hill as you drove past newark.
http://img62.echo.cx/img62/751/dscf17788du.jpg
another picture of downtown. i submitted a cropped copy of this picture to be used as the skyscrapercity page header, and it was used a couple weeks ago.
http://img62.echo.cx/img62/2038/dscf17792ub.jpg
looking across the delaware river to new jersey. some of dupont's paint plants are seen on the delaware side of the river.
http://img62.echo.cx/img62/7015/dscf17808ev.jpg
looking at the hilltop neighborhood and little italy neighborhood of wilmington. st. anthony of padua church in to the left of center, and st. francis of asissi hospital is to the right of center.
http://img62.echo.cx/img62/9770/dscf17810ix.jpg
rockford tower, as seen from its base.
http://img62.echo.cx/img62/6/dscf17825ha.jpg
now some random downtown pictures:
looking up 10th street towards rodney square.
http://img62.echo.cx/img62/2364/dscf17682au.jpg
one of ing direct's buildings that they have in wilmington. this building is next to i-95. on the left side of this view, just out of the picture, is where the new wsfs building will be built.
http://img62.echo.cx/img62/9287/dscf17694gj.jpg
part of rodney square, with the wilmington trust building behind it.
http://img288.echo.cx/img288/8679/dscf18539bk.jpg
some history about rockford park:
the tower is approximately 115 ft tall, and the observation deck floor is 75 ft up from the ground. the tower is still a functioning water-holding facility, and a 60 ft high by 40 ft diameter steel tank stores water for the city of wilmington. the tower stands on the highest point in the city of wilmington, mt. salem hill, which is 332 feet above sea level.
the water tower came about in the early 20th century. after the civil war, wilmington rapidly expanded. many resources were needed, with water among those resources. as the city began to move towards the area that was known as "the highlands", the idea of a water tower in that area was brought up. officials decided to build the new water tower on the ghiest point for two reasons: because water flows downhill, and because an observation deck could be put at the top to take advantage of the view. the tower was finished in 1903, and was purposefully built in a more antique fashion in order for it to blend in with its surroundings and to give the area a more "historical" look. upon completion, the issue of the tower's proximity to the dupont facilities (dupont made dynamite, gunpowder, and other explosives at that time) came into play, and the observation deck was closed to the public. to this day, the observation deck is only open for special occasions.
and now back to pictures.
the flower market, a festival that is run in early may or so. it was started in the 1930's i believe, and has been held in rockford park since 1953. i took all of these next pictures from the observation deck at the top of rockford tower, which was open for the festival.
http://img62.echo.cx/img62/4426/dscf17704pb.jpg
another picture of the flower market.
http://img62.echo.cx/img62/7923/dscf17716qn.jpg
the wilmington skyline, as seen from the observation deck.
http://img62.echo.cx/img62/2623/dscf17729cp.jpg
a close-up of downtown.
http://img62.echo.cx/img62/4328/dscf17738xg.jpg
a zoom-out, with some of the flower market in the picture.
http://img62.echo.cx/img62/2114/dscf17744kq.jpg
a closer look at the delaware memorial bridge, the world's longest twin suspension bridge.
http://img62.echo.cx/img62/204/dscf17758gz.jpg
the dupont experimental station. this is dupont's industrial headquarters. (as a side note, my dad worked at the experimental station for 20 years. i have been inside the station countless times, and many of our family friends worked or work there.) dupont's old gunpowder facilities are located at the bottom of far side of the hill, at what is now the hagley museum.
http://img62.echo.cx/img62/8189/dscf17760ax.jpg
the rollins building, located on concord pike, sticks out from behind the trees. the tower that sits on e.i. dupont's grave also sticks out. e.i. dupont's gardens and lawns aren't visible, however.
http://img62.echo.cx/img62/7857/dscf17777am.jpg
iron hill, just south of newark, is on the horizon. for any of you that have travelled through delaware on i-95, you have driven past iron hill as you drove past newark.
http://img62.echo.cx/img62/751/dscf17788du.jpg
another picture of downtown. i submitted a cropped copy of this picture to be used as the skyscrapercity page header, and it was used a couple weeks ago.
http://img62.echo.cx/img62/2038/dscf17792ub.jpg
looking across the delaware river to new jersey. some of dupont's paint plants are seen on the delaware side of the river.
http://img62.echo.cx/img62/7015/dscf17808ev.jpg
looking at the hilltop neighborhood and little italy neighborhood of wilmington. st. anthony of padua church in to the left of center, and st. francis of asissi hospital is to the right of center.
http://img62.echo.cx/img62/9770/dscf17810ix.jpg
rockford tower, as seen from its base.
http://img62.echo.cx/img62/6/dscf17825ha.jpg
now some random downtown pictures:
looking up 10th street towards rodney square.
http://img62.echo.cx/img62/2364/dscf17682au.jpg
one of ing direct's buildings that they have in wilmington. this building is next to i-95. on the left side of this view, just out of the picture, is where the new wsfs building will be built.
http://img62.echo.cx/img62/9287/dscf17694gj.jpg
part of rodney square, with the wilmington trust building behind it.
http://img288.echo.cx/img288/8679/dscf18539bk.jpg