The tower was built in 1871 by architect
George I. Barnett in the form of a
Corinthian order column with
brick, stone and
cast iron trim. Inclusive of its base, shaft and capital, it stands tall. Inside was a
standpipe with a diameter of five feet, designed to hold water. In addition to being used for
firefighting, the pressure in the pipe regulated water pressure in the area. In 1912, the water tower was decommissioned, and its standpipe and internal
spiral staircase were removed. The staircase was replaced by a vertical ladder, and the tower was modified to include an
aircraft warning light. The tower is the tallest free-standing Corinthian column in the world. At it is much taller than the free-standing Corinthian columns
Pompey's Pillar in
Alexandria () or the
Column of the Goths in
Istanbul (), or those in
colonnades at the Temple of
Jupiter at
Baalbek which are tall, the
Temple of Mars Ultor in
Rome at , and the
Olympieion in
Athens at . ==See also==