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Louisville Water Tower, Louisville, KY

Photo: w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

SightseeingHistory BuffLocal GemQuirky Fun

Louisville Water Tower

Tour the 1860 pumping station dressed as a Roman temple, step inside its 183-foot water tower and see the WaterWorks Museum on Louisville's riverfront.

3005 River Road, Louisville, KY 40207 · Louisville, KY

About Louisville Water Tower

Louisville Water Company started pumping from this hill above the Ohio River in 1860, and the architects disguised the works as a Roman temple, with a 183-foot Doric column rising from a Corinthian portico. It is called the oldest ornamental water tower in the world and is a National Historic Landmark along with its pumping station. The WaterWorks Museum fills the west wing of Pumping Station No. 1 with photographs, films and a large steam engine. Guided tours of 30 to 45 minutes cover the museum, the pumping station, the tower and the grounds. Tickets are $5 for ages 6 and up, card only, and adults need a photo ID.

  • #historic landmark
  • #water tower
  • #museum
  • #architecture
  • #guided tour

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