A community effort is now underway in Post Falls, Idaho, to preserve a landmark that has stood watch over the city for more than a century. The Post Falls Rotary Club has launched a formal fundraising campaign to restore and protect the historic water tower located on Spokane Street, rallying individual donors, businesses, and civic partners around a structure that once served as the backbone of the city’s water supply.
A Structure With Deep Roots in Post Falls History
Built in the early 1900s, the Post Falls water tower supplied the city’s water system for more than 70 years before eventually becoming obsolete as modern infrastructure took over. Despite sitting dormant for decades, the tower has remained a quiet fixture on the local skyline — and according to engineering evaluations, the structure is in sound condition given its age, making restoration a viable path forward.
The tower represents more than just aging metal and rivets. For many longtime Kootenai County residents, it is a tangible connection to the era when Post Falls was still establishing itself as a community along the Spokane River corridor. Now, local volunteers and civic leaders want to make sure it isn’t lost to demolition or decay.
“The Post Falls Water Tower tells the story of who we are and where we’ve come from,” said Kibbee Walton of the Post Falls Rotary Club.
City Council Seed Funding Jumpstarts the Campaign
The Post Falls City Council has already taken a meaningful step to support preservation efforts. Rather than spending money on tearing the structure down, the council redirected funds originally set aside for demolition costs, using that allocation as seed money for the restoration campaign. That early commitment from local government provided the Rotary Club with the foundation it needed to formally launch the fundraising drive.
The planned restoration work is comprehensive. Crews would remove vegetation that has accumulated around and on the structure, carry out necessary structural repairs, sandblast the exterior, and apply a protective coating to extend the tower’s lifespan. Once restored, the surrounding area could be transformed into a public gathering space featuring enhanced landscaping, seasonal lighting, historical interpretation displays, public art, and potentially even a viewing platform.
The vision is to turn a piece of industrial infrastructure into a community asset — a place where North Idaho families can gather, learn about the city’s past, and take pride in what Post Falls has built over the past hundred-plus years. Supporters say the project fits naturally into ongoing efforts across Kootenai County to balance growth with an appreciation for the region’s heritage.
Fundraising Strategy Targets Broad Community Participation
The Rotary Club is casting a wide net in its effort to raise the funds needed for full restoration. The campaign will pursue individual donations of all sizes, corporate sponsorships from area businesses, city partnerships, and grant opportunities from outside organizations. Rotary leaders emphasize that no contribution is too small to make a difference.
“Every gift, no matter the size, helps preserve a piece of Post Falls history,” said Rotary member Christi Fleischman.
Local businesses in Post Falls, Coeur d’Alene, and the broader Kootenai County business community are being encouraged to step forward as sponsors, attaching their names to a project with lasting civic significance. The campaign mirrors the kind of grassroots, community-driven preservation efforts that have succeeded elsewhere in North Idaho and the Panhandle region when residents rally around a shared cause.
For those interested in the city’s broader infrastructure decisions, the Coeur d’Alene City Council recently faced its own deliberations over well site purchases and a $185,000 land deal with a local school district — a reminder that water infrastructure decisions are a recurring theme across Kootenai County municipalities.
What Comes Next
Residents and businesses interested in supporting the Post Falls water tower preservation effort can learn more and donate at www.SaveTheWaterTower.com. Those with questions or who want to get more directly involved can reach the campaign team at [email protected].
With seed funding in place and the Rotary Club leading the charge, the campaign is now focused on building momentum in the weeks ahead. Organizers hope that broad community participation will demonstrate to grant-makers and potential corporate sponsors that Post Falls residents stand behind the effort to keep this century-old landmark standing for generations to come.