The Old Water Tower is the building that refused to burn. When the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 destroyed 17,500 buildings and left 100,000 people homeless, this 154-foot limestone tower — built just two years earlier to disguise a standpipe for the city's water system — was one of the only public buildings left standing. It has been a symbol of Chicago's resilience ever since, the physical proof that the city could survive its worst day and rebuild.
The tower was designed by William W. Boyington in a castellated Gothic style that Oscar Wilde, visiting Chicago in 1882, described as a 'monstrosity' with 'pepper boxes stuck all over it.' Wilde's architectural criticism didn't age well — the tower is now a beloved landmark on the Magnificent Mile, dwarfed by the surrounding skyscrapers but impossible to overlook. Its survival was partly luck (the surrounding streets were wide enough to create firebreaks) and partly the fact that limestone, while it can crack and blacken, doesn't burn.
The tower now houses a small City Gallery showcasing work by Chicago-based photographers, which is free to enter and changes regularly. The pumping station across the street — which also survived the fire — contains the Lookingglass Theatre. The tower's real function today is symbolic: it stands at the heart of Chicago's most commercial street as a reminder that the entire city around it was rebuilt from ashes in a single generation.
Verified Facts
The Water Tower survived the Great Chicago Fire of 1871
It was built in 1869, designed by William W. Boyington
Oscar Wilde called it a 'monstrosity' during his 1882 visit
The Great Fire destroyed approximately 17,500 buildings
Get walking directions
806 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611
