National and State Register
F.C. Austin Manufacturing Company Sprinkler Wagon
El Paso County
The circa 1900 sprinkler wagon was an important aspect of city road maintenance, utilized to keep the dust down on the unpaved streets of Colorado Springs.
Sprinkler wagons were the primary weapon in the war against dust, which was believed to transmit the deadly disease tuberculosis. Colorado Springs, a mecca for consumptives, could ill afford to have a reputation for dust. The wagon is a rare surviving example of this type of road maintenance vehicle and it is believed to be the only one in the state manufactured by the F.C. Austin Manufacturing Company.
State Register
Address
Rock Ledge Ranch, Colorado Springs
Site Number
5EP.3500