Chicago Water Tower5.0

Lou Stejskal, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Landmark built to enclose the tall machinery of a powerful water pump in 1869, it became particularly well known when it survived the Great Chicago Fire of 1871

General Information

Hours:
Daily: 10am–6:30pm
Hours may vary for special exhibits and events
Fees:
General Admission: Free
Historic landmark and gallery access: Free
Pet Policy:
Pets are generally not permitted inside the historic tower or gallery spaces
Closest cities with hotels:
Chicago, IL
Seasons:
All year (Late spring through fall offers the most comfortable weather for exploring the Magnificent Mile and nearby attractions)
Location:
806 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611
Website:
choosechicago.com

From Chicago, IL: Travel north along Michigan Avenue through the Magnificent Mile to the Historic Chicago Water Tower at 806 N Michigan Ave, located at the intersection of Michigan Avenue and Chicago Avenue.

Overview

The Chicago Water Tower is a contributing property and landmark in the Old Chicago Water Tower District in Chicago that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Built to enclose the tall machinery of a powerful water pump in 1869, it became particularly well known when it survived the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, although the area around it was burnt to the ground.

The tower is located at 806 North Michigan Avenue along the Magnificent Mile shopping district in the Near North Side community area of Chicago in a small park, the Jane M. Byrne Plaza. The tower was constructed to house a large water pump, intended to draw water from Lake Michigan. Built in 1869, it is the second-oldest water tower in the United States, after the Louisville Water Tower in Louisville, Kentucky.

The Chicago Water Tower now serves as a Chicago Office of Tourism as a small art gallery known as the City Gallery in the Historic Water Tower. It features the work of local photographers and artists, and filmmakers.

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Chicago Water Tower", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0

edward stojakovic from Portland, OR, United States, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted
Raymond Tambunan, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted
Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted
Suvai Gunasekaran, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted