Water Works

Water Works. . Water, a daily necessity for life, is seasonally limited in areas of Osceola County. Pioneers built water towers to store collected rainwater or pumped water from rivers, lakes, and streams. Some settlers used cisterns to store water, while others had access to artesian well water., Ranch Tank , The Bush family used this water tank at their Deer Park home in eastern Osceola County the center of their cattle operations. The construction of the water tank is similar to other late 19th and early 20th century tanks and may be a rare survivor of its kind. It was likely used as a domestic source of water for the home or to supply water to their livestock., Water Drives Business , Water was necessary for more than just survival. In the 1870s, steam power was the new technology driving the economy. Steamboats, locomotives, and steam-driven equipment such as band saws needed a sure supply of water. Hotels, hospitals, and other businesses required their own water supplies. During the dry months between December and May, farmers needed water for their homes and crops. Before electricity came to the area, these water tanks were often operated with a windmill or a hand pump., (captions) , Artesian Well, circa 1910 , Men gather around the head of well equipment at an orange grove in Kissimmee, Florida. These types of wells were rare in this area, but were reliable sources of water year-round. Courtesy Osceola County Historical Society, Tropical Hotel Water Tank, circa 1890 , Hotels such as the Tropical on Lake Tohopekaliga often had enormous water tanks despite their locations near freshwater. The railroad line ran by the hotel, and trains may have filled their boilers with water while at the local station. Courtesy Osceola County Historical Society