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Chicago's old water tower... Survived the Great Chicago Fire...
Chicago's old water tower... Survived the Great Chicago Fire...
Item # 566995
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May 07, 1881
SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, New York, May 7, 1881
* Chicago's old water tower
* Survived the Great Chicago Fire
Almost the entire front page is taken up with 2 prints captioned: "North Side Waterworks, Chicago" and an inset showing the "Pumping Engine Room".
There is a related article on the front page as well, continuing on an inside page.
This now-famous Water Tower is a landmark in downtown Chicago today. Built in 1869 in the Gothic style, it looks more like a 13th century European castle than a water tower. This was one of few buildings to survive the great Chicago fire of 1871.
This issue is complete in 16 pages, little browning and minor wear at the margins, otherwise in good condition.
wikipedia notes: The Chicago Water Tower is a contributing property in the Old Chicago Water Tower District landmark district. It is located at 806 North Michigan Avenue along the Magnificent Mile shopping district in the Near North Side community area of Chicago, Illinois. Located adjacent to Loyola University Chicago's downtown campus, the Water Tower serves as one of the Chicago Office of Tourism's Official Visitor's Centers. The Chicago Water Tower is the second-oldest water tower in the world, after the Louisville Water Tower in Louisville, Kentucky.
The tower seen from the Park Tower
The tower, built in 1869 by architect William W. Boyington from yellowing Joliet limestone, is 154 feet (47 m) tall. Inside was a 138 foot (42 m) high standpipe to hold water. In addition to being used for firefighting, the pressure in the pipe could be regulated to control water surges in the area.[2]
The tower gained prominence after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. While some incorrectly believe that the tower was the only building to survive the fire, a few other buildings in the burned district survived along with the tower.[3] But the water tower was the only public building in the burned zone to survive, and is the only one of the surviving structures still standing. In the years since the fire, the tower has become a symbol of old Chicago and of the city's recovery from the fire.
Oscar Wilde stated the Water Tower looked like "a castellated monstrosity with pepper boxes stuck all over it."[4]
In 1918, when Pine Street was widened, the plans were altered in order to give the Water Tower a featured location.[2] The Tower was named an American Water Landmark in 1969.
In 2004, the tower was featured in the finale of The Amazing Race 6.
Category: Post-Civil War
No Longer Available
