FREEPORT, Minn. — Known as the city with a smile, the old Freeport water tower is a staple and if you’ve ever driven west on I-94 you’ve probably seen it
"Whenever I bring up Freeport they don’t necessarily know where it is but they always associate the tower with the smiley face on it," said Megan Klinkner who lives in Freeport.
Since the 1920’s this water tower known as the tin man has served as a landmark, engraved in the city’s seal, and depicted in every corner of the town.
"So the original Freeport water tower was a wooden bowl structure built and it burnt down July 31st 1920," said Mayor Mike Eveslage.
It’s now outlived it’s 50 year life expectancy after the line was cut off in 2012 and now faces the possibility of being torn down.
"There’s no way that the towns just going to let it go there’s just no way," said Klinkner.
In 2003 the city conducted a structural and coding analysis which revealed a number of environmental hazards including lead and chromium based paint, the analysis also revealed poor adhesion for the paint that was on it.
"It's not that we’ve forgot about the water tower or neglected it its more so in the fact that with a small city we have to be financially responsible with our budgets," said Mayor Eveslage.
Now, nearly 20 years the city is investing in a study which will soon be underway, in hopes of keeping the land mark in tact without having to tear it down for good.
"Its going to depend on what the study comes back with, if we have to do total sandblast and capture of the materials that are up there or if it can just be with modern paint technologies if we could just seal everything in," said Mayor Eveslage.
The city has designated $2,500 from its budget to invest in the study which is set to being in April.