Chicago Water Tower, Chicago

The intersection of Michigan Avenue and Pearson Street in Chicago serves as a fascinating meeting point between the city's historical legacy and its contemporary identity. Here, the towering Water Tower Place, long considered the pinnacle of Chicago shopping, stands in contrast to one of the few remaining remnants of Old Chicago: the historic Water Tower. This unique limestone structure, adorned with peculiar turrets that Oscar Wilde humorously described as resembling "a castellated monstrosity with pepper boxes stuck all over it," was constructed in 1869 to accommodate a standpipe, regulating water pressure from the nearby Pumping Station.

Both of these edifices played pivotal roles in the city's ambitious endeavor to provide safe drinking water to its burgeoning population. It wasn't until 1900, when the city reversed the flow of the Chicago River to redirect its waste southward toward St. Louis, that this goal was truly achieved. Remarkably, these buildings withstood the devastating Great Fire of 1871 that consumed much of downtown Chicago, becoming enduring symbols of the city's resilience and remaining among its most iconic landmarks.

Today, the interior of the Water Tower has been repurposed to host temporary photo exhibitions centered around Chicago themes, while the Pumping Station houses the Chicago Water Works Visitor Center, where visitors can obtain a wealth of maps, brochures, and information about the latest cultural events happening throughout the city. Notably, a recent addition to the Pumping Station is a 270-seat theater that showcases productions by the Lookingglass Theatre Company.