Working list: Tallest water tower in each state
Listed below are the tallest water tower in each state based on available information through the internet. As a result, it is a working list that is subject to updates since details on every water tower in the country are not put online, and water towers are constructed or torn down on a regular basis making the figures provided, pardon the pun…”fluid.” Please note the height criteria is for freestanding water towers, not those placed atop buildings.
Blue Origin Water Tower, FL – Source: orlando sentinel.com Wallops Flight Facility Water Tower, VA – Source: facebook.comWithin the list are new(er) towers, older ones, and a surprising number that no longer function as a holding tank for water due to age, condition, preservation, or repurposing. Interestingly, two of the towers – State University 0f New York (SUNY) at Albany and University of the Pacific/Burns Water Tower in Stockton were/are hidden by the exterior appearance of a bell tower.
Water tower at the SUNY-Albany campus in Albany, NY – Source: loc.gov Burns Water Tower – Stockton,CA – Source: commons.m.wikimedia.orgNo doubt the most imaginative adaptive reuse of a former water tower comes from Toa Baja, Puerto Rico where the Levittown Water Tower is now home to the Toa Baja Public Library!
Source: pinterest.com/F&N AirPhoto Source: adictosadescubrirpr.com/2017/08/06/78pueblos1bandera-ruta-norte/Water towers are often the tallest structure in suburban and rural communities. As a result, their appearance can be an important branding, advertising, or marketing tool for the community and surrounding area. This may include a local high school/college logo, town symbol/logo, something famous about the area, or a patriotic theme. Here are two fun examples (that are not the tallest in their state):
Cawker City, KS – Home of the World’s Largest Ball of Twine – Source: tnemec.com Bryan, OH – Home of Dum-Dum Pops – Source: kiro7.comFurthermore, instead of a bland structure or one covered with wireless communications antenna, many communities have painted/decorated their water towers to be a source of local pride. There’s even an annual national “Tank of the Year” competition sponsored by the Tnemec Company where since 2006, voters have selected the best Tnemec coated water tower in the country. Winners to date include water towers/tanks in:
- 2024 – College Station, Texas – local cityscape
- 2023 – Bryan, Ohio – Dum-Dum Pops (lollipops) – see photo above
- 2022 – Bossier City, Louisiana – patriotic
- 2021 – Moorhead, Minnesota – farm country scenery
- 2020 – Destin, Florida – sea turtle and dolphins
- 2019 – Wamego, Kansas – Wizard of Oz
- 2018 – Katy, Texas – murals
- 2017 – Destin, Florida – beach chairs
- 2016 – Ann Arbor, Michigan – Huron River Watershed wildlife
- 2015 – Cocoa, Florida – patriotic
- 2014 – Midland, Texas – local cityscape
- 2013 – Mt. Vernon, Illinois – creativity
- 2012 – Okaloosa Island, Florida – Emerald Coast
- 2011 – Hollywood, Florida – sea life
- 2010 – Newton, Kansas – sculpted blue sky and clouds
- 2009 – Dublin, Ohio – silhouettes of soccer, baseball, and hockey players
- 2008 – Lake Villa, Illinois – high school logo and mascot
- 2007 – Anderson, South Carolina – hot air balloons
- 2006 – Rosemont, Illinois – rose(s)
Enjoy the list of the tallest tank in each state and if you know of a water tower that exceeds the one provided for a given state, please pass along the data and it will be included. Peace to all!
240 foot tall Farmers Branch, TX Water Tower – Source: keranews.org*No longer an operating water tower.
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- Blue Origin Water Tower (1960s): Cape Canaveral Launch Facility #36, FL = 351 feet
2. Wallops Flight Facility Water Tower (ca 1960s), VA = 307 feet
3. Air Force Plant #81 Water Tower (1962): West Valley City, UT ~ 300 feet
4. State University of New York at Albany Water Tower (1965), NY = 248 feet
5. Farmers Branch Water Tower (2019), TX = 240 feet
6. Richfield Water Tower (ca 2019), OH = 233 feet
7. University of Alabama Water Tower (2022): Tuscaloosa, AL = 230 feet
8. Braman Water Spheroid (2010), OK = 220.6 feet
9-11. Lewis & Clark Water Tower (2022): Beresford, SD; Erwin Water Tower (2012), NC; and Federalsburg Water Tower (2017), MD = 220 feet
12-20. New Orleans Water Towers (2), LA; Albert Lea (New) Water Tower, MN; Lyon Township Water Tower (2019), MI; Hot Springs Water Tower (2021), AR; Emporia Water Tower (2019), KS; Nebraska Crossing Water Tower(?): Gretna, NE; and Wildcat Country Water Tower (2023): Lexington, SC; Central Water Tower (2023): Macon, GA; and Tower Park Water Tower (1968): Peoria Heights, IL = 200 feet
21. Bissell Street Water Tower* (1886): St. Louis, MO = 195 feet
22. Tie in the same state – Repurified Water Tower (2012): Murfreesboro, TN and Gibson County Industrial Park Water Tower (2020): Humboldt, TN = 190 feet
23-24. Library Water Tower (2024): Idaho Falls, ID and Louisville Water Tower *(1860), KY= 185 feet
25-26. New Haven Water Tank (1998), IN and Berkeley County Water Tower (2017): Martinsburg, WV = 179 feet
27. University of the Pacific/Burns (Water) Tower* (1963): Stockton, CA = 178 feet
28-32. Mesa del Sol Water Tower: Albuquerque, NM; and Kent Heights Water Tower (1997): East Providence, RI; and Weehawken Water Tower (1883), NJ; Dacona Water Tower, CO; and North Point Water Tower* (1874): Milwaukee, WI = 175 feet
33. Hickham “Freedom” Water Tower* (1928) AFB, HI = 171 feet
34-39. Bondurant Water Tower (2023), IA; North Kalispell Water Tower (2024), MT and New Town Water Tower (2023), ND; St. Elizabeth’s Water Tower (2018): Washington, DC; and Lovell Water Tower (2017), WY = 170 feet
40. Camden-Wyoming Water Tower (2016): Camden, DE = 162 feet
41-44. Salisbury Beach Water Tower (2012), MA; West Hill Water Tower (2022): Kent, WA; Columbus Water Tower (?), MS; and Veolia Water Tower (2023): Mechanicsburg, PA = 160 feet
45. Rochester Water Tower (2023), NH = 156 feet
46-47. Levittown Water Tower: Toa Baja* (1977), PR and Government Hill Water Tower: Anchorage, AK = 150 feet
48. Falcon Field Water Tower* (late 1950s): Mesa, AZ = 140 feet
49. Capital Hill Water Tower (2024): Medford, OR = 135 feet
50. South Burlington Water Tower (2024), VT = 127 feet
51-52. New Canaan Water Tower (2020), CT and People’s Perch Water Tower*: East Baldwin, ME = 120 feet
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North Point Water Tower in Milwaukee – Source: visitmilwaukee.com Chicago Water Tower – Source: britannica.comSOURCES:
- https://www.muni.org/Departments/parks/Documents/ParkProjects/GovernmentHill/GovernmentHill_ParksandTrailsPlan_PublicHearingDraft.pdf
- perplexity.ai
- gemini.google.ai
- https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=681676337333098&id=100064722124962&set=a.221832876650782
- https://www.13wmaz.com/article/news/local/macon-bibb-new-stabilizing-water-tower-2/93-999da496-eca9-4280-9bf5-9be7e359aab2
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Ana_Water_Tower
- https://www.pacific.edu/pacific-newsroom/reimagining-iconic-landmark
- https://www.penbaypilot.com/article/century-old-camden-water-tank-get-replaced-fall/16051
- https://peoplesperch.org/
- https://info.wesslerengineering.com/blog/tank-raising-project-in-new-haven-indiana
- https://www.cityofdacono.com/1021/Capital-Improvement-Projects
- https://www.ssr-inc.com/projects/murfreesboro-southwest-repurified-tank/
- https://www.soundseal.com/full-article/university-of-albany-water-tower-rehabilitation-project#:~:text=The%20University%20of%20Albany%20water%20tower%20project%2C%20located%20within%20the,and%20other%20buildings%20on%20campus.
- https://www.ncadvertiser.com/news/article/New-Canaan-Farewell-Waveny-Park-s-ugly-15747928.php
- https://www.montgomerytwp.org/egov/documents/1625835069_45617.pdf
- https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/mesa/2014/08/22/falcon-field-water-tower-in-mesa-getting-makeover/14413721/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levittown,_Puerto_Rico#:~:text=Levittown%20was%20developed%20by%20Levitt,football%20teams%20on%20the%20island.
- https://adictosadescubrirpr.com/2017/08/06/78pueblos1bandera-ruta-norte/
- https://www.newburyportnews.com/news/local_news/ceremony-celebrates-new-water-tower/article_f0ff63b0-be61-51e2-ba2a-9fc747991552.html#:~:text=SALISBURY%20%E2%80%94%20It%20took%20the%20effort%20of,Salisbury%20Beach%20water%20tower%20is%20finally%20ready.
- https://www.kentreporter.com/news/crews-building-16-story-8-4-million-water-tower-on-kents-west-hill/#:~:text=Construction%20continues%20this%20week%20on,COURTESY%20IMAGE%2C%20City%20of%20Kent
- https://www.cityofbondurant.com/home/news/bondurant%E2%80%99s-creative-water-tower-public-art-project
- https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/2016/11/18/east-providence-water-tower-to-get-new-look/24515049007/#:~:text=Fresh%20paint%2C%20however%2C%20may%20finally,%22but%20it’s%20not.%22
- https://www.loc.gov/resource/highsm.52781/
- https://www.floridatoday.com/story/tech/science/space/2020/02/07/cape-canaveral-blue-origin-water-tower-one-tallest-in-the-world/4667516002/
- https://www.nola.com/news/politics/twin-200-foot-towers-to-be-built-at-city-s-water-plant/article_d636eca8-b0c1-596d-b798-4cad80a7dff1.html
- https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/2016/11/18/east-providence-water-tower-to-get-new-look/24515049007/
- https://www.15wing.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/376286/freedom-tower-the-hickam-water-tower/
- https://www.keranews.org/texas-news/2019-10-29/farmers-branch-water-tower-gets-high-marks-in-tank-of-the-year-contest
- https://tnemec.com/about/tankoftheyear/
- https://www.abc27.com/local-news/cumberland-county-community-gets-new-water-tower/#:~:text=by:%20James%20Wesser,to%20get%20up%20and%20running.
#36 #81 #adaptiveReuse #branding #cities #design #engineering #geography #history #infrastructure #landUse #planning #preservation #skylines #spheroids #tanks #Tnemec #towers #travel #utilities #water #waterTowers
