Historic Tower Preservation
Preserving three, large, stone towers and one smaller tower is a goal of Modie Park Conservancy. The towers, circa 1909, are what remains of two grand entrances to Lewiston-Sweetwater Irrigation Company’s 9,000 acre, real estate development project, which became the Lewiston Orchards. Originally, each gateway consisted of two, twenty-foot tall, stone towers, one on each side of the road, connected to a smaller six-foot tower by a stone wall. Thousands drive past two towers daily at 1900 8th Street, near Osborn Vineyards. A single large tower and a small tower, remnants of a lesser-known gateway, are located at 10th Street and Gateway Drive.
The towers are laid almost entirely with Columbia River Basalt in the “uncoursed rubble” style. They are approximately 7 feet square at the base and twenty feet tall. The poured cement capstone is 5 foot square. In November, 1994, vandals loosened crumbling mortar and rolled rocks away from the tower at 10th Street and Gateway Drive creating large holes in the east and north sides. Modie Park Conservancy volunteers stabilized the tower. In 2008, the Lewiston Parks mason further stabilized the tower and closed a hole in the north side. To stop further deterioration, of these three monuments to Lewiston’s early days, the joints between the stones should be pointed up with new mortar. If you are interested in assisting with the restoration, either financially or as a volunteer, please email [email protected].
