Western Springs Water Tower
Also known as: Water Tower
Why it's listed
Rising 112½ feet above a small triangular park called the Village Green, this circular tower was completed in 1892 as the water tank and pumping station for Western Springs' first village water system. Its lower walls are rusticated local Lemont stone, gently tapered, with round-headed windows. Above a corbelled band, red brick walls with a blind arcade of twelve arches lead up to a wooden bracketed cornice and a conical roof. Benezette Williams, a resident civil engineer who laid out the village streets and designed its water and sewer systems, designed and built it. For 70 years the tower held village offices, the police department and the court. In 1968 the lower floors became a historical society museum. The tower still serves as an auxiliary water supply and carries the village's civil defense radio on its roof. It appears on village stationery and vehicle stickers as the community's symbol.
Significance in brief: The tower has been the local landmark and symbol of Western Springs since 1892. It was built as the pumping station and water tank of the first village water system and still serves as an auxiliary supply. It is also regarded as an outstanding example of the work of Benezette Williams, a distinguished civil engineer.
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 81000219, listed June 4, 1981. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 914 Hillgrove Ave., Western Springs |
|---|---|
| County | Cook County |
| Listed | June 4, 1981 |
| Reference number | 81000219 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Benezette Williams, Civil Engineer |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In excellent condition; still used as an auxiliary water supply and as the Western Springs Historical Society Museum. The interior was altered in 1968 and the grounds were redesigned that year. |
| Coordinates | 41.80985, -87.90091 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
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 81000219.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7988324
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.