Grand Forks, North Dakota: Smiley Face Water Tower
The smiley face water tower is the friendly mascot of this town. A long-lived Smiley, demolished in 2010, is remembered with a two-side smiling water tower, one face slyly winking.
- Address:
- 901-999 5th Ave S, Grand Forks, ND
- Directions:
- I-29 exit 140 east. Corner of S Washington and Demers, just south of 5th Avenue S.
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Smiley Face Water Tower: For years the city council in Grand Forks, North Dakota, has talked of tearing down "Smiley," the city's beloved baby blue water tower with dual-sided grins (and bow ties). [09/09/2008] Complete Story...
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This water tower has a winking smile on one side and a two-eyed smile on the other side. The wide-eyed side is visible from Independence Park, which is near Fifth Avenue South and S. 9th St. The winking side can be seen from near the football field of the high school.
[Sumoflam, 05/22/2014]
The 77 year old Smiley tower has now been taken down. The newer water tower a few blocks away has been painted with smileys.
[Elliott Olson, 10/19/2009]
Mr. Smiley is standing up and overlooking the city, greeting people coming and going with two different faces.
[diane, 03/30/2007]
Mr. Smiley, a Smiley Face Water Tower, is the heart of Grand Forks, greeting visitors to our town every day. At risk for demolition, Mr. Smiley still bravely stands every day doing his job, while a large group of us do everything we can to stop this from happening.
[Kelsey Jacobson, 12/03/2006]December 2006: In November the Grand Forks City Council considered the $50,000 demolition cost vs. the $190,000 sandblasting of lead-based toxics and repainting estimate. You can guess which won.
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August 2011: Photo added.