Chicago Avenue Water Tower and Pumping Station
Also known as: Old Chicago Water Tower District
Why it's listed
Two rough-faced Joliet limestone buildings on North Michigan Avenue in Chicago, a water tower and a pumping station, were designed by William W. Boyington in the castellated Gothic style and built from 1866-67, with completion in 1869. The tower rises in five sections, from a 40-foot-square base to an octagonal shaft with turrets and battlements. It was built to house a standpipe that evened out pressure from the pumping engines. The station is the land end of a two-mile tunnel under Lake Michigan, designed under city engineer Ellis Chesbrough, which brought clean water to the city and drew worldwide attention. The exteriors survived the 1871 fire, though the station interior was gutted and water service stopped for eight days. They were the only structures in the central city to survive, and are valued as a link to pre-fire Chicago and as an example of 19th-century engineering. The station still serves a large part of the city.
Significance in brief: The tower and pumping station are described as the only structures in the central city to survive the 1871 fire, giving an architectural link to pre-fire Chicago. They are also the land terminus of the two-mile tunnel under Lake Michigan, a notable 19th-century engineering achievement that helped solve the city's water problems.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 75000644, listed April 23, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Both sides of N. Michigan Ave. between E. Chicago and E. Pearson Sts., Chicago |
|---|---|
| County | Cook County |
| Listed | April 23, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75000644 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (completed 1869) |
| Architect / builder | William W. Boyington (architect); Ellis Sylvester Chesbrough (engineer) |
| Architectural style | Castellated Gothic; Gothic Revival elements |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a pumping station serving the area from Madison Street north to Fullerton Avenue; condition listed as good, unaltered, original site. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 41.89712, -87.62408 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 75000644.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q938930
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.