City Gallery in the Historic Water Tower — Attraction in Chicago

The Historic Water Tower may not be an architectural masterpiece. Oscar Wilde once said it looked like "a castellated monstrosity with pepper boxes stuck all around it." Whatever that means. But it is the only public building in the burned zone to survive the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. And it is one of few of the surviving structures still standing. Built in 1869 by architect William W. Boyington from yellowing Lemont limestone, it is 182 feet tall. Located at 806 North Michigan Avenue, along the Magnificent Mile shopping district, in a small park, the Jane M. Byrne Plaza, it was constructed to house a large water pump, intended to draw water from Lake Michigan. Today, it is the second oldest water tower in the United States, after the Louisville Water Tower in Louisville, Kentucky. It serves as a Chicago Office of Tourism and art gallery, featuring the works of local photographers, artists and filmmakers. The Historic Water Tower was added to the National Register of Historic...

The Chicago Water Tower is a contributing property and landmark in the Old Chicago Water Tower District. It is located at 806 North Michigan Avenue along the Magnificent Mile shopping district in the Near North Side community area of Chicago, Illinois in a small park, the Jane M. Byrne Plaza. The tower was constructed to house a large water pump, intended to draw water from Lake Michigan. Built in 1869, it is the second-oldest water tower in the United States, after the Louisville Water Tower in Louisville, Kentucky. The Chicago Water Tower now serves as a Chicago Office of Tourism art gallery known as the City Gallery in the Historic Water Tower. It features the work of local photographers and artists, and...

I've been coming here for over thirty years. It's an integral part of the Chicago landscape. I consider it pretty, but, you know, even if you walk slowly around the whole block, It's only going to take a few minutes. Fortunately, there are a lot of things to do nearby, from shopping, to carriage rides, free and paid museums, and just walking around, looking at the cityscape as it changes minute by minute. There's free parking before eight AM and after midnight within a block on the street. Chicago has a...