Water Storage Tank 188 (Historical Marker)
GPS Coordinates: 38.6928902, -77.1410285
Here follows the inscription written on this roadside historical marker:
Water Storage Tank 188
Water storage tank 188, constructed in 1918, was the first permanent water storage facility for Camp A.A. Humphreys, home of the Army Engineer School and the World War I-era predecessor to Fort Belvoir. WST188 topped 118 feet making it the oldest and tallest structure within the Fort Belvoir Historic District (National Register of Historic Places, DHR No. 029-0209).
The 300,000 gallon reservoir tank was supported by six cast-iron legs and cross-braces connected to the tank’s riveted steel-plate outer walls, a unique design feature of early 20th Century water towers. A metal scaling ladder led to a catwalk encircling the tank at 90 feet hight. A central metal pipe connected the reservoir to a pump station at ground level. Historic WST 188 remained in service until 2014 when it was replaced to meet increased water capacity at Fort Belvoir.
Erected by Fort Belvoir Historic District.