Chicago Architecture

14. Chicago Water Tower

Chicago, IL

The Chicago Water Tower was built in 1869 by William W. Boyington, the same man who designed the Chicago Pumping Station and the original University of Chicago. The water tower, which stands over 150 feet tall with a 138 foot standpipe inside its yellowed limestone walls, overlooks Chicago's Pine Street. The tower's main source of water is Lake Michigan. Chicago Water Tower was one of few buildings to survive the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, standing as a symbol of old Chicago. It's architecture is akin to that of medieval castle towers. Boyington's iconic design became an inspiration for other Chicago buildings and the White Castle restaurant chain. In 1969, one hundred years after the Water Tower was first erected, the American Water Works Association designated the Chicago Water Tower as one of five inaugural American Water Landmarks.