The Historic Water Tower has been the city's most cherished landmark for over a century. This structure was designed in 1867 by architect William W. Boyington. It stands today as a memorial to the victims of the Great Chicago Fire.

The structure was erected in 1869 to house a 138-foot-tall standpipe, three feet in diameter. This standpipe served to equalize pressure and to minimize the pulsations of the water flowing in the mains. The tower was constructed of Joliet limestone blocks quarried in Illinois, a foresight which proved invaluable two years after the completion of construction when, on the morning of October 9, 1871, flames engulfed Chicago and leveled nearly every building except for the Water Tower.

On the day following the fire, the Water Tower served as a guidepost by which citizens hunted through the ruins for what had once been their homes. It became a monument to the efforts of Chicago's water works engineers; it became and has remained a symbol of Chicago's indomitable "I Will" spirit.