Greenville in Greenville County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
Getting Water from Here to There
To secure a safe and reliable water source, Greenville needed a reservoir. City leaders hired American Pipe Company, which, under the name Paris Mountain Water Company, bought Mountain Creek's forested watershed and built this dam around 1890.
From this altitude, gravity carried the water into town with no need for a pump. However, a valve was needed to control the flow out of the lake. This stone structure was built to house the necessary mechanism.
The valve inside, similar to that which now controls the outflow of Lake Placid, is merely a combination of simply machines. Nevertheless, time has left it inoperable.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Man-Made Features • Natural Resources • Notable Places. A significant historical year for this entry is 1890.
Location. 34° 56.167′ N, 82° 23.417′ W. Marker is in Greenville, South Carolina, in Greenville County. Marker can be reached from State Park Road. Marker is on the grounds of Paris Mountain State Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2401 State Park Road, Greenville SC 29609, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 10 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Bull's Eye! (approx. 0.2 miles away); The "Pearis" of "Paris" Mountain (approx. 0.3 miles away); The Original Water Filter (approx. 0.4 miles away); Sulphur Spring (approx. half a mile away); Barracks in the Woods (approx. 0.6 miles away); Open to the Sky (approx. 1.2 miles away); "Mom, Can I Have a Nickel?" (approx. 1.3 miles away); Come On In, the Water's Fine! (approx. 1.3 miles away); New Life for Old Bathhouse (approx. 1.4 miles away); Welcome to Paris Mountain State Park (approx. 1.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Greenville.
More about this marker. It is the 11th marker in the park's Wayside Marker's Trail.
Also see . . .
1. Paris Mountain State Park. Paris Mountain State Park is a park located north of Greenville, South Carolina. (Submitted on June 27, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.)
2. Paris Mountain State Park Historic District. Paris Mountain is significant for its association with the establishment and development of a system of state parks in South Carolina. (Submitted on June 27, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.)
Credits. This page was last revised on November 16, 2020. It was originally submitted on June 27, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 1,347 times since then and 102 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on June 27, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.