MOORHEAD, MINN. (KFGO) – The Moorhead City Council unanimously approved a new design for the water tower along I-94, near 20th Street. The tower is set for rehabilitation and repainting next year. It’s visible to an estimated 40,000 drivers daily along the interstate and city leaders say the tower is a great “canvas” for public art.
It’s a wraparound design, featuring natural elements of Moorhead, the river, grasses, and Minnesota native trees, including the famous “crazy tree” located near the Concordia College campus and an outline of the state.
Michelle Churchill of Fargo came up with the design, based on input from about 300 city residents. She said they wanted the design to be more simple than the other water towers given its location. “We did not want drivers to be distracted,” said Churchill
The project will cost about $50,000. In the past three years, Moorhead has used original art on two other water towers that needed rehabilitation and a design is ready to install on a new water tower to be built near Southside Regional Park.