Moonlight tower
Encyclopedia
Moonlight towers are lighting structures designed to illuminate areas of a city at night.
The structures were popular in the late 19th century in cities across the United States and Europe; they were most common in the 1880s-1890s. In some places they were used when standard street-lighting systems
— using smaller, shorter, and more numerous lamps — were impractically expensive. Other times they were used in addition to existing gas street lighting. The towers were designed to illuminate areas often of several blocks at once. Arc lamp
s were the most common method of illumination, known for their exceptionally bright and harsh light.
As incandescent electric
street lighting became common, the prevalence of moonlight tower systems began to wane.
is the only city in the world known to still operate a system. The towers are 165 feet (50.3 m) tall and have a 15 feet (4.6 m) foundation. This type of tower was manufactured in Indiana by Fort Wayne Electric Company and assembled onsite. In 1894, the City of Austin purchased 31 used lighting towers from Detroit
. A single tower cast light from six carbon arc lamps, illuminating a 1500 feet (457.2 m) radius circle brightly enough to read a watch.
The Austin Moonlight Towers were erected, at least partially, in response to the actions of the Servant Girl Annihilator
.
When first installed, the towers were connected to their own electric generators at the Austin dam (on the site of present day Tom Miller Dam
). Over the years they were switched from their original carbon-arc lamps (which were exceedingly bright and time consuming to maintain) to incandescent lamps
in the 1920s, and mercury vapor lamps in the 1930s. Mercury vapor lighting allowed the installation of a switch at each tower's base. During World War II
, a central switch was installed, allowing citywide blackouts in case of air raids.
1970 saw the towers officially recognized as Texas State Landmarks. This was followed by the 17 remaining towers being listed in the National Register of Historic Places
on July 12, 1976. At this time, only 6 are in their original locations as established by the Board of Public Works and City Council in 1895.
Additional designation was given them as State Archeological Landmarks in 1986.
The City of Austin has ordinances
in place to protect the towers from demolition; however, since 2004 two of the remaining 17 towers have been taken down from their locations. The towers at 4th & Nueces and 1st & Trinity have been removed due to new construction. It is unclear whether the towers will be replaced, or erected elsewhere.
In 1993 the city of Austin dismantled the towers and restored every bolt, turnbuckle and guy-wire
as part of a $1.3 million project, the completion of which was celebrated in 1995 with a city-wide festival.
One of the towers was prominently featured in the 1993 film Dazed and Confused
as the site of a high-school keg party, in which the character played by Matthew McConaughey
exclaims, "Party at the moon tower."
.
Note: Two of the towers were taken down due to traffic accident and construction, with no announced plans to restore them to their previous locations
on July 12, 1976. 2010 based on physical visits
Two towers have been destroyed in traffic accidents, two have been blown down by cyclones, and six have been victims of rust and old age.
had a particularly extensive system of moonlight towers from the 1880s into the 1910s, with 122 towers illuminating 21 square miles (54.4 km²) of the city. http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2009/01/moonlight-towers-light-pollution-in-the-1800s.html
starting in the early 1880s. One set of towers illuminated a section of the Mississippi River
levee, aiding in loading and unloading ships at night in the busy port. A tower at the busy intersection of Canal Street
, Bourbon Street
, and Carondelet Street was a constructed with a set of 4 water pipes to aid in fire-fighting in the nearby multi-story buildings.
, making it the first city to be illuminated by an electric light west of the Rocky Mountains. The tower was at Santa Clara and Market Streets, and stood until it collapsed in a storm on Dec. 3, 1915.
It was James Jerome ("J.J.") Owens who came up with the idea for the tower. The New York native was a printer by trade. He eventually became publisher of the San Jose Mercury newspaper, and was a civic leader for years. He got the idea after he visited the first electrical lighting station in San Francisco in 1879.
In 1977, a nearly half-sized replica (shown in a photo on the right) was constructed at the San Jose Historical Museum, also known as History San José, located at 1650 Senter Road, San Jose. The replica tower is 115 feet (35.1 m) tall. It is located approximately 3.2 miles (5.1 km) from the original location, which is about an 8-minute drive from History San José. http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2009/01/moonlight-towers-light-pollution-in-the-1800s.html http://www.sanjose.com/underbelly/unbelly/Sanjose/Tower/tower1.html
The structures were popular in the late 19th century in cities across the United States and Europe; they were most common in the 1880s-1890s. In some places they were used when standard street-lighting systems
Street light
A street light, lamppost, street lamp, light standard, or lamp standard is a raised source of light on the edge of a road or walkway, which is turned on or lit at a certain time every night. Modern lamps may also have light-sensitive photocells to turn them on at dusk, off at dawn, or activate...
— using smaller, shorter, and more numerous lamps — were impractically expensive. Other times they were used in addition to existing gas street lighting. The towers were designed to illuminate areas often of several blocks at once. Arc lamp
Arc lamp
"Arc lamp" or "arc light" is the general term for a class of lamps that produce light by an electric arc . The lamp consists of two electrodes, first made from carbon but typically made today of tungsten, which are separated by a gas...
s were the most common method of illumination, known for their exceptionally bright and harsh light.
As incandescent electric
Incandescent light bulb
The incandescent light bulb, incandescent lamp or incandescent light globe makes light by heating a metal filament wire to a high temperature until it glows. The hot filament is protected from air by a glass bulb that is filled with inert gas or evacuated. In a halogen lamp, a chemical process...
street lighting became common, the prevalence of moonlight tower systems began to wane.
Moonlight towers in Austin, Texas
Austin, TexasAustin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
is the only city in the world known to still operate a system. The towers are 165 feet (50.3 m) tall and have a 15 feet (4.6 m) foundation. This type of tower was manufactured in Indiana by Fort Wayne Electric Company and assembled onsite. In 1894, the City of Austin purchased 31 used lighting towers from Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
. A single tower cast light from six carbon arc lamps, illuminating a 1500 feet (457.2 m) radius circle brightly enough to read a watch.
The Austin Moonlight Towers were erected, at least partially, in response to the actions of the Servant Girl Annihilator
Servant Girl Annihilator
An unknown serial killer, popularly known today as the Servant Girl Annihilator, preyed upon the city of Austin, Texas during the years 1884 and 1885...
.
Tom Miller Dam
Tom Miller Dam is a dam located at 30.2932, -97.7855 on the Colorado River within the city limits of Austin, Texas, USA. It is one of several dams constructed by the City of Austin for the purpose of flood control and for generating hydroelectric power...
). Over the years they were switched from their original carbon-arc lamps (which were exceedingly bright and time consuming to maintain) to incandescent lamps
Incandescent light bulb
The incandescent light bulb, incandescent lamp or incandescent light globe makes light by heating a metal filament wire to a high temperature until it glows. The hot filament is protected from air by a glass bulb that is filled with inert gas or evacuated. In a halogen lamp, a chemical process...
in the 1920s, and mercury vapor lamps in the 1930s. Mercury vapor lighting allowed the installation of a switch at each tower's base. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, a central switch was installed, allowing citywide blackouts in case of air raids.
1970 saw the towers officially recognized as Texas State Landmarks. This was followed by the 17 remaining towers being listed in 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...
on July 12, 1976. At this time, only 6 are in their original locations as established by the Board of Public Works and City Council in 1895.
Additional designation was given them as State Archeological Landmarks in 1986.
The City of Austin has ordinances
Local ordinance
A local ordinance is a law usually found in a municipal code.-United States:In the United States, these laws are enforced locally in addition to state law and federal law.-Japan:...
in place to protect the towers from demolition; however, since 2004 two of the remaining 17 towers have been taken down from their locations. The towers at 4th & Nueces and 1st & Trinity have been removed due to new construction. It is unclear whether the towers will be replaced, or erected elsewhere.
In 1993 the city of Austin dismantled the towers and restored every bolt, turnbuckle and guy-wire
Guy-wire
A guy-wire or guy-rope, also known as simply a guy, is a tensioned cable designed to add stability to structures . One end of the cable is attached to the structure, and the other is anchored to the ground at a distance from the structure's base...
as part of a $1.3 million project, the completion of which was celebrated in 1995 with a city-wide festival.
One of the towers was prominently featured in the 1993 film Dazed and Confused
Dazed and Confused
"Dazed and Confused" is a song by Jake Holmes, which was covered by The Yardbirds, and later reworked by Led Zeppelin who hold a separate copyright on the song.-Jake Holmes:...
as the site of a high-school keg party, in which the character played by Matthew McConaughey
Matthew McConaughey
Matthew David McConaughey is an American actor.After a series of minor roles in the early 1990s, McConaughey gained notice for his breakout role in Dazed and Confused . He then appeared in films such as A Time to Kill, Contact, U-571, Tiptoes, Sahara, and We Are Marshall...
exclaims, "Party at the moon tower."
Historical marker text
The following is text appears on the historical marker placed by the Texas Historical CommissionTexas Historical Commission
The Texas Historical Commission is an agency dedicated to historic preservation within the state of Texas. It administers the National Register of Historic Places for sites in Texas....
.
Note: Two of the towers were taken down due to traffic accident and construction, with no announced plans to restore them to their previous locations
Austin locations (active & retired)
1976 locations are based on 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...
on July 12, 1976. 2010 based on physical visits
| Number | 1976 | 2010 | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Active | Gone | West 4th and Nueces |
| 2 | Active | Active | Monroe St. and S. 1st St. |
| 3 | Active | Active | Leland St. and Eastside Dr. |
| 4 | Gone | Gone | East 1st St. and Waller St. |
| 5 | Active | Active | Canterbury St. and Lynn St. |
| 6 | Active | Gone | East 6th St. and Medina St. |
| 7 | Active | Active | E. 11th St. and Lydia St. |
| 8 | Active | Active | Pennsylvania Ave. and Leona St. |
| 9 | Active | Active | E. 13th St. and Coleto St. |
| 10 | Active | Active | MLK & Chicon |
| 11 | Gone | Gone | E. 14th St. and Sabine St. |
| 12 | Active | Active | W. 12th St. and Blanco St. |
| 13 | Active | Active | W. 12th St. and Rio Grande St. |
| 14 | Active | Active | W. 15th St. and San Antonio St. |
| 15 | Active | Damaged | W. 22nd St. and Nueces St. |
| 16 | Active | Active | W. 41st St. and Speedway St. |
| 17 | Active | Gone | E. 23rd St. and Red River St |
| 18 | Gone | Gone | E. 20th (or E. 21st) and Longfellow. |
| 19 | Gone | Gone | MLK (was 19th St.) and Lavaca St. |
| 20 | Active | Active | E. 11th St. and Trinity St. |
| 21 | Active | Active | W. 9th St. and Guadalupe St. |
| 22 | Gone | Gone | E. 16th St. and Brazos St. |
| 23 | Active | Gone | E. 2nd St. and Neches St. |
| 24 | Active | Gone | W. 6th St. and Westlynn St. |
| 25 | Active | Gone | City Park (Emma Long Metropolitan Park) |
| 26 | Active | Active | Zilker Park |
| 27 | Gone | Gone | Dean Keeton St. and Whitis Ave. |
| 28 | Gone | Gone | E. 5th St. and Brazos St. |
| 29 | Gone | Gone | 29th St. and Lamar Blvd. |
| 30 | Gone | Gone | W. 6th St. and Lamar Blvd |
| 31 | Gone | Gone | North end of Granite Dam |
| Transplant | Gone | Gone | E. Cesar Chavez and Trinity St* |
Two towers have been destroyed in traffic accidents, two have been blown down by cyclones, and six have been victims of rust and old age.
- Was transplanted there after 1976 and removed in 2009 for construction
Detroit
Detroit, MichiganDetroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
had a particularly extensive system of moonlight towers from the 1880s into the 1910s, with 122 towers illuminating 21 square miles (54.4 km²) of the city. http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2009/01/moonlight-towers-light-pollution-in-the-1800s.html
New Orleans
A series of moonlight towers were erected in New Orleans, LouisianaLouisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
starting in the early 1880s. One set of towers illuminated a section of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
levee, aiding in loading and unloading ships at night in the busy port. A tower at the busy intersection of Canal Street
Canal Street, New Orleans
Canal Street is a major thoroughfare in the city of New Orleans. Forming the upriver boundary of the city's oldest neighborhood, the French Quarter , it acted as the dividing line between the older French/Spanish Colonial-era city and the newer American Sector, today's Central Business District.The...
, Bourbon Street
Bourbon Street
Bourbon Street is a famous and historic street that spans the length of the French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana. When founded in 1718, the city was originally centered around the French Quarter...
, and Carondelet Street was a constructed with a set of 4 water pipes to aid in fire-fighting in the nearby multi-story buildings.
San Jose, California
In 1881, a 237 feet (72.2 m)-tall moonlight tower was erected in San Jose, CaliforniaSan Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
, making it the first city to be illuminated by an electric light west of the Rocky Mountains. The tower was at Santa Clara and Market Streets, and stood until it collapsed in a storm on Dec. 3, 1915.
It was James Jerome ("J.J.") Owens who came up with the idea for the tower. The New York native was a printer by trade. He eventually became publisher of the San Jose Mercury newspaper, and was a civic leader for years. He got the idea after he visited the first electrical lighting station in San Francisco in 1879.
In 1977, a nearly half-sized replica (shown in a photo on the right) was constructed at the San Jose Historical Museum, also known as History San José, located at 1650 Senter Road, San Jose. The replica tower is 115 feet (35.1 m) tall. It is located approximately 3.2 miles (5.1 km) from the original location, which is about an 8-minute drive from History San José. http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2009/01/moonlight-towers-light-pollution-in-the-1800s.html http://www.sanjose.com/underbelly/unbelly/Sanjose/Tower/tower1.html
External links
- Photos of Austin's Moonlight towers, Portal to Texas History
- San José's Electric Light Tower (1881), History of San Jose
- "The Servant Girl Annihilator", TruTV Crime Library, Unsolved Crimes
- "Moonlight Towers", photographs by Andy Mattern
- Brief History and Map of Moonlight Towers, Austin History Center