CF plans for upcoming Cogswell Tower restoration
CENTRAL FALLS – Wandering through Jenks Park and following the paths that wind around the historic Cogswell Tower, one might find themselves being pulled back in time.
With recent grant awards, Central Falls officials plan to restore this defining city symbol to its full glory. During her budget address on May 9, Mayor Maria Rivera announced the first two phases of work will begin on the city’s master plan. These phases include construction of a new playground with safe, modern equipment and the restoration of Cogswell Tower to make it safer for residents and visitors to enjoy.
The city was awarded $400,000 from the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management for development and renovation of recreation facilities which will be used for improvements to the Jenks Park Playground. The grants, which require a community match, are funded through 2021 Beach, Clean Water and Green Bond proceeds. Planning and Economic Development Director Thomas Deller said this money will be used to pay for purchase and installation of the playground equipment, park site furnishings, lighting, and landscaping.
“We hope to bid the project by middle to late June, award bid late July and break ground around Aug. 1,” said Deller.
Deller said the city had drawn up a refurbishment master plan for the restoration of the Cogswell Tower and the 4.5 acre Jenks Park a couple of years ago. The plan was divided into two phases, knowing it would be difficult to fund and complete all at once. According to Deller, the city estimates it will cost a little more $2.5 million to restore all elements of the park as they were in their “glory days.” In total, including the May grants, the city has acquired $1 million toward this goal.
“It’s a historic park, and we’ve got to respect that historic character, yet we have to bring it up to use for today,” Deller said.
According to the written history of the tower on the Central Falls city website, Jenks Park was built in 1890 by Albert Humes and was a gift to the city from Alvin Jenks, a descendent of early industrialist Captain Stephen Jenks. A bequest by Caroline Cogswell led to the construction in 1904 of the eponymously-named tower, whose four clock faces provide unparalleled views of the city in all four directions.
The picturesque Cogswell Tower, a defining symbol of the city of Central Falls, and other features take visitors back in time as they meander the walkways winding through the park. Standing almost 70 feet tall, the tower is supported by a brick barrel vault that rests atop the historic Dexter’s Ledge. The park and tower were both added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in September 1979.
Phase one of the city’s restoration plan would focus on Cogswell Tower itself. This includes renovating the roofing, restoring the clock, the lights, cleaning up the steelwork and replacing broken windows. Another element of the plan is creation of a deck space on the northeast side of the tower.
Phase two would focus on the Washington Street side of the park, cleaning up the area and creating new walking paths and a new play area. If the city is able to acquire enough money, they may also restore the lighting and repair other historic aspects of the park. One such desired feature would turn what Deller described as the “umbrella” structures into a possible amphitheater space.
“If you look at old postcards, you’ll also see the tower had an eagle on top with its wings flying,” Deller said. “We’re going to see if we can find a fiberglass eagle to stick back on top of the tower and replace that historic aspect.”
He also said there used to be a fountain in the park that is no longer accessible, as well as a small man-made pond that has since been filled in and is used by kids as a play area. While they enjoy the idea of the small pond, Deller said the city is more focused on keeping the play areas for kids.
“Parks have moved on from this sort of older idea of being a reflective place to more of an active, play area,” Deller said.
Hidden underneath the tower is a rarely seen grotto, or “mystery cave,” which includes a crystal-clear pool of water. Deller said the grotto is usually closed to the public because of liability and safety issues, but the city opens it up on occasion. In fact, one stipulation of a $150,000 historic grant received for the project, he said, will require the city to open the interior of the tower to the public about six times per year.
Rhode Island School of Design students envision an alternate Jenks Park future
This past semester, students from the Rhode Island School of Design were granted a special look at the Cogswell Tower and its historic features for a course assignment. Jonathan Bell, a critic in RISD’s department of interior architecture, said he was inspired by Central Fall’s plans for the tower and assigned students to envision their own renovation proposal as part of his studio class, “RECALL: Acting on Monuments, Memorials and Spaces of Commemoration,” which he said studies the issues surrounding longevity of memorials, and what happens to them over time.
Built during the peak of Rhode Island’s industrial wealth, Bell said the tower held a clock which could be seen across the city and signaled the end of shift for laborers. The project for RISD students focused on the symbolic value the tower holds today, and how it can represent Central Falls’ vision for the city. Bell said one student focused on the history of the park, and its value as a “public backyard.”
Some students used historic features as focal points in their projects, and others drew up museum-like stations or informational signage to educate visitors on the life of the tower, the park and Central Falls. One innovative idea, from student Yixiong (Eason) Bai, envisioned construction scaffolding wrapped around the entire exterior of the tower that visitors could walk up for a unique vantage point of the tower as workers conducted their restoration.
He said the tower serves as an anchor for the park and “has become an integral part of the identity and image of Central Falls.” Seeing the progression of the tower restoration, he said “gives people something to hope for and look up to, and [he] enjoyed making something that is not only functional, but also inspiring.
“Central Falls’ history is full of ups and downs, and has a reputation for picking itself back up after setbacks,” Bai said. “So I guess this restoration project can also serve as an example or an analogy for that.”