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Chicago water tower. Sketches from nature

October 25th, 2013

The Chicago Water Tower is considered almost the only building in Chicago that survived the great fire of 1871. This, of course, is not entirely true: it is the only surviving public building and one of the few that have survived to this day. One way or another, but the Chicago water tower has become a symbol of old Chicago and the restoration of the city after the fire.

The Chicago Water Tower was built in 1869 in the then fashionable style of "European medieval castles in the American view."

Once the tower, reaching 47 meters in height, was the tallest building in the district.

Chicago Water Tower in 1886.

Today, against the backdrop of modern skyscrapers, it looks very small.

Photo taken by Dori ( [email protected])

The water tower is part of the complex, which also includes a pumping station.

Pumping station.

This station was built to provide the city with clean water. Prior to this, water came from the coastal waters of Lake Michigan, which were polluted by the Chicago River flowing into it (the sewage of numerous Chicago plants and factories was poured into this river).

Chicago River. 1905

Source: Archives of the Library of Congress.

Water was to be supplied to the pumping station from special reservoirs located in the lake at a distance from the shore.

View of Chicago from Lake Michigan.

This idea was not particularly successful - the tanks themselves quickly became contaminated. The problem was solved only by turning the flow of the Chicago River back (yes, long before Brezhnev, the idea of turning the rivers not only existed, but was even successfully implemented!).

Top 10 Chicago Attractions

1. Sears Tower (Willis Tower)

The tallest skyscraper in Chicago was built in 1970, its height is 450 meters, and if you take into account the antennas on the roof, then all 527 meters. The skyscraper contains 110 floors. The Sears Tower was, until recently, the tallest skyscraper in the United States. Unfortunately, it can be noted that the observation deck is not the best in the city, it is glazed, and the windows are not washed every day. The Sears Tower is one of Chicago's top attractions with over 1.5 million visitors a year.

2. Magnificent Mile

The Magnificent Mile is the part of Michigan Avenue that runs from Oak Street to the Chicago River. The Magnificent Mile is considered one of the best shopping streets in the world.The street was given its name by the area developer, Arthur Rubleff, in the 1940s. The Magnificent Mile is home to Chicago's most popular shopping malls, boutiques and restaurants. Most guided tours of Chicago depart from this street.

3. Harold Washington Library

Harold Washington Library- This book collection is one of the largest libraries in the world. The library was built relatively recently, in 1991, according to a unique architectural design, the library building resembles an ancient castle.

4. Flamingo (Flamingo)

The Flamingo Sculpture is another place not to be missed by a Chicago tour guide. The Flamingo is a unique example of Chicago street art, the sculpture depicts a pink flamingo bizarrely curved near the ground. Citizens call this monument "Taxpayer April 14" - the last day of paying taxes in the United States. The sculpture was created in 1974 by one of the most popular avant-garde sculptors of the 20th century, Calder Alexander. Flamingo is located at Federal Plaza.

5. Auditorium (Auditorium Theatre)

The Auditorium, as the building was called, is a very complex structure, which is crowned by a 17-story tower. The concert hall has 4,232 seats, 1,200 more seats than the Metropolitan Opera. The names of Bach, Beethoven and Vivaldi are inscribed on the columns near the theater stage, Maria Callas and Montserrat Caballe sang here, pop stars from Celina Dion to Madonna performed.

6. John Hancock Observatory

Skyscraper John Hancock Center is the tallest building in Chicago, the main attraction of this skyscraper, of course, Hancock Observatory with an observation deck that reveals all the beauty of Chicago to your eyes from a height of the 96th floor! The skyscraper was built for five years, copying the Eiffel Tower in Paris and opened in 1970.

7 Buckingham Fountain

Buckingham Fountain in Grand Park - copies one of the fountains of Versailles and is one of the largest in the world. The fountain consists of three levels of pools, with a total height of 7 meters, along the perimeter there are four pairs of bronze seahorses, each of which symbolizes the states standing on the shores of Lake Michigan. Please note that in winter the fountain does not work, and in summer the opening hours are from 8 am to 23.00 pm.

8Chicago Water Tower

Chicago Water Tower - built in 1869, it is a symbol of Chicago and one of the few buildings that survived the great fire that engulfed Chicago in the late 18th century. The 47-meter tower is located in the very center of the city.

9. Museum of Natural History (Museum of Natural History)

The Natural History Museum owes its existence to the World's Fair held in Chicago in 1893. Originally built to display exhibits from the fair, the museum has quickly evolved into a collection of natural history artifacts and exhibitions.The collection was moved to its current location in Grant Park in 1921 and is part of the Campus Museum.Exhibits from the taxidermy collection of large animals such as African elephants and an extensive collection of Native American artifacts,The 12-meter-high Tyrannosaurus skeleton is the most popular of the museum's millions of specimens.

The Magnificent Mile is one of the most famous shopping streets in the world, located on Michigan Avenue just north of the Chicago River. The Magnificent Mile is home to many shops, malls, restaurants, hotels and Chicago attractions. The street is surrounded by huge skyscrapers and remarkable buildings.

The areas around the Magnificent Mile are among the most expensive and prestigious in Chicago. The wide sidewalks are always crowded. Luxury shops, boutiques and restaurants cater primarily to the wealthy as well as tourists. All well-known brands are present on the Magnificent Mile.

The oldest building along the Magnificent Mile is the old Chicago Water Tower. The tower was built in 1869. The pumping station and the tower look a bit out of place among the many tall buildings. It is a highlight in the heart of downtown Chicago and a popular tourist attraction. The Water Tower is one of the few structures that survived Chicago after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. The building symbolizes Chicago's resilience. They tried to demolish the water tower several times: in 1906, 1918 and 1948, but each time the defenders were able to defend the symbol of Chicago.