I always think of DC Water’s pumping stations as being utilitarian looking, but we came across this beautiful old building dating to 1905 that serves as a pumping station for Northwest DC.

After the plant had begun operations, The Washington Post reported in 1908 that although the building was palatial, it was surrounded by run-down properties, as was the case with many buildings in Washington:

“One of the most striking of these contrasts is to be seen at the magnificent new Bryant street pumping station, not only one of the largest and most efficient, but also one of the handsomest buildings for such a purpose to be found in the United States. …

“On the west side of the building, however, only a few feet from its rear end, there stand on a high bank several old weather-beaten frame structures, which mar the exterior surroundings of the pumping station to such an extent that an effort was made recently by the officials of the water department to secure a reasonable purchase price offer on the property, so that the old buildings might be torn down. Failing in this … it has been decided to build a high board fence, over which during the summer vines will be trained, so as to shut off as much as possible of the objectionable view of the old buildings.”

Not a show-off for the camera, posted earlier