The Cagayan
de Oro City Museum is an odd-looking white cylindrical structure that is
located along Fernandez Street in Barangay 1, which is just a few steps from
Gaston Park and Saint Augustine Cathedral. This structure is an old water tower
built during the American era in 1919 and completed in 1922. Its surface has three
red stripes from the top to the base. The actual long unused water tank is on
the highest level which is marked with thick red stripes on the top and a thin
red stripe on the bottom. Right under that marker is a window. Further below are
three enclosed levels which also serve as the support of the water tank. These
levels have spaces that can be used as an office or a repository of things. On
the side are vertical steps that go all the way to the tank. On the base is a door and above it are Roman
numerals A. D. MCMXXII which is A. D. 1922 in the Arabic numbers.
When it was
in operation the water tank used to provide water to an estimated 3,000
residents in the heart of Cagayan de Misamis. Its water was sourced with the
use of steel pipes from Mahuganaw spring in Malasag, Baranggay Cugman. The
Second World War caused massive damage to the infrastructures of Cagayan.
Fortunately, the water tower survived the bombings and remained active until the
early 70’s. Over the years, with the city’s growth in population and economy, the
facility could no longer meet the water demand of the populace. Eventually, the
water tank had to be closed, but the whole structure was not abandoned. The
lower levels were still used for office work or other activities.
The old structure
is not aesthetically pleasing. Its levels inside are not an ideal design for
modern-day offices either because of their circular areas. However, the
structure is the oldest in the city. Keeping it holds relevance to the city’s
history. In 2008, Mayor Constantino Jaraula and the city council approved a
resolution to convert it into a museum, and it became operational in 2010.
Inside the
museum are mementoes, memorabilia and other objects that are relevant to the
city’s history and culture. They include framed written accounts of the city’s
history, pictures or portraits of past city mayors, weapons and uniforms,
fragments of old China wares, fossils, gold nuggets, indigenous persons’
heritage items, and other things of historic values.
Today, the city museum is available for free to visitors from 9:30 am to 5 pm. It is open from Monday to Friday, and close on Saturday and Sunday including public holidays. Visitors can get inside by first registering at the museum admin office building which is just adjacent to the old water tower.
The Saint Augustine Metropolitan Cathedral of Cagayan de Oro
Vicente de
Lara Park
