Brooks Catsup Bottle Water Tower
Encyclopedia
The Brooks Catsup Bottle Water Tower is a water tower
south of Collinsville, Illinois
. It is claimed to be the largest catsup
bottle in the world. As a prime example of mid-20th-century novelty architecture
, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
. Presently, the tower is most notable in its capacity as a regional landmark
and as a roadside attraction
.
. The tower was built to supply water to the nearby Brooks catsup plant owned by the G.S. Suppiger Company. The president of the company, Gerhart S. Suppiger, is credited with the suggestion that the water tower be designed to resemble one of the company's catsup bottles.
in August 2002.
of WQED
.
Water tower
A water tower or elevated water tower is a large elevated drinking water storage container constructed to hold a water supply at a height sufficient to pressurize a water distribution system....
south of Collinsville, Illinois
Collinsville, Illinois
Collinsville is a city located mainly in Madison County, and partially in St. Clair County, both in Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 26,016. Collinsville is approximately 12 miles from St. Louis, Missouri and is considered part of that city's Metro-East area...
. It is claimed to be the largest catsup
Ketchup
Ketchup is a sweet-and-tangy condiment typically made from tomatoes, vinegar, sugar or high-fructose corn syrup and an assortment of...
bottle in the world. As a prime example of mid-20th-century novelty architecture
Novelty architecture
Novelty architecture is a type of architecture in which buildings and other structures are given unusual shapes as a novelty, such as advertising, notoriety as a landmark, or simple eccentricity of the owner or architect. Many examples of novelty architecture take the form of buildings that...
, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. Presently, the tower is most notable in its capacity as a regional landmark
Landmark
This is a list of landmarks around the world.Landmarks may be split into two categories - natural phenomena and man-made features, like buildings, bridges, statues, public squares and so forth...
and as a roadside attraction
Roadside attraction
A roadside attraction is a feature along the side of a road, that is frequently advertised with billboards to attract tourists. In general, these are places one might stop on the way to somewhere else, rather than being a final or primary destination in and of themselves. The modern...
.
Construction
The water tower was constructed in 1949 by the W.E. Caldwell CompanyCaldwell Tanks
Caldwell Tanks is a large privately held company that designs, fabricates, and builds tanks for the water, wastewater, grain, coal and energy industries. Caldwell is the largest elevated tank company in the world. Caldwell has approximately 500 total employees with 206 employees in Louisville at...
. The tower was built to supply water to the nearby Brooks catsup plant owned by the G.S. Suppiger Company. The president of the company, Gerhart S. Suppiger, is credited with the suggestion that the water tower be designed to resemble one of the company's catsup bottles.
Restoration
In 1993, the owners of the Brooks plant, Curtice-Burns, Inc., prepared to sell the property. It offered the water tower to the nearby city of Collinsville, but the city declined to purchase it due to the high projected cost of repairs and restoration. Over the course of two years, volunteers raised $80,000 to "repair, strip, and paint" the aging structure. The project was completed in June 1995, and the structure was added to the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in August 2002.
In popular culture
The tower was featured in A Program About Unusual Buildings & Other Roadside Stuff, a 2004 PBS documentary by Rick SebakRick Sebak
Richard "Rick" Sebak is an American film director and producer who lives and works in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the United States.Sebak is the creator of the "scrapbook documentary" genre, many of which he has created for WQED and PBS...
of WQED
WQED
WQED may refer to:*WQED , a television station licensed to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States*WQED-FM, a radio station licensed to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States...
.