Visitor Information Center (Pumping Station): Daily, 7:30am-7pm. City Gallery (Water Tower): Daily, 10am-6:30pm, Sun, 10am-5pm.
For a city constructed largely of wood, the Joliet limestone used to construct the Water Tower must have seemed a worthwhile investment on that October morning in 1871 following Great Chicago Fire. The Water Tower stood alone amid the wreckage, a North Side beacon that would soon be consecrated to the memory of those who lost their lives in the conflagration.
At an impressive 154 feet, the Water Tower was a marvel of engineering. But it's what you can't see that really constitutes a technical feat. A tunnel two miles long once thrust out into Lake Michigan from this location, drawing water for the growing city. The water supply for Chicago was originally a limited (and ultimately inadequate) private concern. City fathers elected to build the Water Tower with municipal money in the years after the Civil War.
Architect William W. Boyington designed the slim tower in 1867, and construction was completed in 1869. Its soft yellow stone, quarried southwest of Chicago, glowed then as it does now in the early winter twilight. A crenelated cap makes the tower resemble a traditional chess piece. Set in its own parklet among highrise hotels and chain stores, the Water Tower holds itself with dignity in a relentlessly commercial quarter of the city. It was designated a City of Chicago landmark in 1972. Don't miss the City Gallery at street level that shows top-notch work by Chicago photographers.
Outside, enjoy the swirling eddies of activity as shoppers on North Michigan Avenue's Magnificent Mile mix with office workers on their errands. The mall across the street, Water Tower Place, is a popular tourist stop. Street musicians of varying proficiency strum, pick, and tootle classics, including the ubiquitous seasonal carols.
In the historic Pumping Station across Michigan Avenue, you will find a tourist information office, toilets, an occasional art exhibit, the Lookingglass Theatre, and a café. A tour of the premises introduces you to individual pumps bearing charming names. These are treated with the affectionate care usually lavished on racehorses put out to pasture.
Greater
Miami is comprised of a diverse assortment of distinctive neighborhoods,
each with its own unique collection of attractions and hotels. Miami and the
Beaches offer an immense selection of distinctive lodging that can suit any
personality or budget. From the lavish hotels that line the streets of South
Beach ....more
Swissotel Chicago Hotel compares well with the 209 hotels in the city. An
excellent location. Delight in unrecorded piano Monday - Friday. In Chicago,
Overlooking Lake Michigan Swissotel Chicago can be found at 323 E. Wacker
Dr. Quaint and comfortable guestrooms .... more
