This Week: The Magnificent Mile

The Water Tower was one of the few structures that survived the Great Chicago Fire and the only one still standing today.  It was built in 1869 by architect William W. Boyington.  It is made from Lemont limestone and stands 154 feet tall.  It is used as a Visitors Center and has a space inside for a photography gallery.  When I was there the photographs being displayed were taken days after the Great Chicago Fire.  It was the perfect exhibit for that structure and I'm so glad I got to see them.  The destruction was incredible and it was a neat experience to be looking at these photos from over 100 years ago and be standing in one of the few structures that was still standing.  Here is the Water Tower at night.