Water Tower / Michigan Avenue

In the mid-1800s, Chicago's water system was in need of replacement. The city solved the problem by reaching out two miles into Lake Michigan with a five-foot wide tunnel. The Water Tower was built in 1869 to house a 138-foot standpipe that stabilized the pressure of the water distribution from an adjacent pumping station. The new water system was a success and the Water Tower became a symbol of Chicago's inventiveness and energy. This iconic building was one of the few to survive the great Chicago Fire of 1871, thus continuing the vitality and perseverance symbolic of the city.