Barbed Wire Protects SC's Peachoid Water Tower
An iconic South Carolina water tower that recently underwent a peachy rehab now has a new feature: a barbed-wire fence meant to fend off vandals.
According to Gaffney Board of Public Works general manager Donnie Hardin, people were carving their initials into the base of the town's famous "Peachoid" water tower and spray painting it.
Protecting the Peach
According to The State, the barbed wire-topped chain-link fence surrounding the tower is roughly six feet tall and is about 150 feet away from the base of the structure. The fence itself is also dark, so as not to distract from the Peachoid itself.
Local officials say the wave of unwanted artwork was, well, the pits.
“It’s just sad that we had to do this because of vandalism,” Hardin told GoUpstate. He added that vandalism began escalating a year ago. “I told the board we had to do something. People were inscribing their names into the brown part of it. There’s been vandalism on and off ever since it was built.”
Gaffney Board of Public Works Chairman Roger Harris also noted that vandals had used a ladder to climb up the side of the structure to spraypaint.
Hardin said that it cost about $14,000 for the Gaffney Board of Public Works to construct the fence. Visitors will be able to park and walk through a gate to visit the Peachoid. The gate will be reportedly locked at night.
People’s Choice
The Peachoid water tower was named People’s Choice for Tnemec’s Tank of the Year 2017 competition. The tank, repainted in early 2017 to match its original hues, received more than 2,400 votes.
The tower was painted by Southern Corrosion along with original artist Peter Freudenberg.
Tnemec, which supplies coatings for steel, concrete and other substrates, has held the Tank of the Year competition annually for 12 years.
