Fargo Water Treatment Plant

In 1911-1912 the City of Fargo planned and built one of the nation's earliest municipal water softening and filtration plants to treat water pumped from the Red River of the North.  The plant was designed by Frank L. Anders, in collaboration with C. Arthur Brown and others.  The historical plant was on a tract bound by the Red River, Thirteenth Avenue South, Fifth Street South, and Fourteenth Avenue South-an area originally on the outskirts of Fargo.  The plant was a complex of buildings and structures, with the most prominent being the Filter House and the Pump House.  In 1972, the plant was modernized and was demolished in 1998 after a new water treatment plant was built.

The collection consists of log books, reports, and books detailing the daily operation of the water treatment plant.  Many of the records relate directly to the testing and purity of the water such as the Operator books, Daily Chemical Reports and the Bacteria Books.  The Log Books provide the best overall understanding of the day-to-day operation of the plant.  The collection also includes the architectural drawings.

Photograph Collection Finding Aid 

City of Fargo