The Sparks Shot Tower is a historic shot tower

Shot tower

thumb|The Shot Tower, Bristol, EnglandA shot tower is a tower designed for the production of shot balls by freefall of molten lead, which is then caught in a water basin. The shot is used for projectiles in firearms.-Process:...

 located at 129-131 Carpenter Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

. Opened on July 4, 1808, it was one of the first shot towers in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, with the Jackson Ferry Shot Tower in Wythe County, Virginia

Wythe County, Virginia

As of the census of 2000, there were 27,599 people, 11,511 households, and 8,103 families residing in the county. The population density was 60 people per square mile . There were 12,744 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile...

 possibly predating it by a year or so. It was built along the Delaware River

Delaware River

The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...

 waterfront at Front and Carpenter Streets by plumber Thomas Sparks, John Bishop, and James Clement.

The 142 feet (43.3 m) tall brick tower is 30 feet (9.1 m) in diameter at its base, tapering to 15 feet (4.6 m) at the top. Originally used to produce shot

Lead shot

Lead shot is a collective term for small balls of lead. These were the original projectiles for muskets and early rifles, but today lead shot is fired primarily from shotguns. It is also used for a variety of other purposes...

 for hunters, the tower produced ammunition during the War of 1812

War of 1812

The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...

 and the Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

.

Four generations of the Sparks family kept the tower in operation until 1903. The City of Philadelphia bought the site in 1913. The tower, which is now managed by the Philadelphia Recreation Department, is now surrounded by a public playground and can be seen from I-95

Interstate 95 in Pennsylvania

Interstate 95 is an Interstate highway running from Miami, Florida north to Houlton, Maine. In the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the route is known by many as the Delaware Expressway, but is officially named The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway. and locally known as "95"...

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External links

• Listing and photographs at the Historic American Buildings Survey
  Historic American Buildings Survey
  The Historic American Buildings Survey , Historic American Engineering Record , and Historic American Landscapes Survey are programs of the National Park Service established for the purpose of documenting historic places. Records consists of measured drawings, archival photographs, and written...
  
  
• Shot Tower Playground
• Sparks Shot Tower at USHistory.org
• Waymark
• Listing and photograph at Philadelphia Buildings and Architects