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World's Largest Catsup Bottle, Collinsville, IL

Photo: Schwerdf, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

SightseeingQuirky FunFreeLocal Gem

World's Largest Catsup Bottle

Next to Route 159, just south of downtown Collinsville · Collinsville, IL

Why you should go…

This 170-foot water tower was built in 1949 by the W.E. Caldwell Company for the G.S. Suppiger plant that bottled Brooks catsup. Volunteers saved it from demolition and restored it in 1995, and it joined the National Register of Historic Places in 2002 as a prime example of mid-20th-century novelty architecture. You see it beside Route 159 just south of downtown Collinsville, and each June the town holds a festival in its honor.

  • #roadside attraction
  • #water tower
  • #photo stop
  • #novelty architecture

Good to know

General sightseeing guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • The forecast is part of the ticket

    Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.

  • Golden hour sells out first

    Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.

  • Dress a layer warmer

    It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.

  • Timed entry is common

    Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.

What's around here?

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