Lynnwood’s Heritage Park celebrated a milestone Thursday morning in its efforts to restore the Alderwood Manor water tower by installing a newly constructed water tank.

City leaders and staff joined members of the Lynnwood-Alderwood Manor Heritage Association (LAMHA) to watch as the new water tower was lifted onto the tower, located in Heritage Park at 19921 Poplar Way.

The water tower was built in 1917 along with the rest of the Alderwood Manor Demonstration Farm, where families looking to escape city life in Seattle could go to learn how to farm crops and raise chickens. Until the 1930s, the tower was used to provide water on the 30-acre farm that included a hatchery as well as demonstration gardens and orchards. The tower was relocated to the park in 2003; the park opened a year later.

The new tank is a replica of the old one and is made out of plywood with metal on the exterior. With 30 acres of farm to water, the old tank was described by local historians as larger than usual by the standards of the day. However, the new tank is mostly hollow but contains a smaller tank inside that can collect rainwater. The tank will also connect to the park’s plumbing and a water spigot on the side of the tower that will be used for interpretive demonstrations.

The installation is part of a $480,000 renovation project for the water tower aimed at making the structure sturdier. The project is funded by a combination of state and federal grants, city funding and a contribution from the Elizabeth Ruth Wallace Living Trust.

Born in Alderwood Manor in 1942, Elizabeth Ruth Wallace — better known as “Aunt Bette” — died in 2016 and her family established the trust in her name to give back to the community she loved and lived in. Through the trust, Wallace’s family has donated millions to non-profit groups, parks and other organizations. In 2018, Heritage Park was awarded $500,000 to build a playground and restore the water tower. Lynnwood Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Deputy Director Sarah Olson said the donation from Wallace’s family was the seed money that made the project possible.

“Without Aunt Bette’s contribution, we wouldn’t have been able to get the grants,” she said.

The restoration project includes construction of a new ADA-compliant path to the water tower. The tower is also being remodeled inside, and the heritage association intends to use the space for meetings and to rent out for small events, like weddings. The project is expected to be done later this year.

— Story and photos by Cody Sexton