Moontowers

Hiding in plain sight around the downtown Austin area, these 165-foot industrial artifacts could be considered a marvel. Even an outdoor museum. They are collectively listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Today, in all of the United States, only Austin has surviving examples of this type of lighting system that was once popular in many American cities during the late 1800s. Only seventeen of the original towers are scattered around "old" Austin - with the greatest concentration being around the Capitol. Surprisingly, only two have been lost to automobile mishaps.
The pictures below were taken at 12th and Rio Grande. 

photo by Kevin Surbaugh

Inscription:
This is one of 17 that remain out of 31 towers erected 1894-95 and in continuous use since. Their carbon arc lights then illuminated the entire city. Now mercury vapor lamps provide beacons for many miles on roads and airway, from dusk to dawn. Austin is said to be unique in this dramatic method of lighting.



Erected:
??   by Austin Landmarks

Handicapped Accessibility:

photo by Kevin Surbaugh

Location(s):

	In 1976	as of 2010	Location
1	Active	Active	Zilker Park
2	Active	Active	Monroe and S. 1st
3	Active	Active	Leland St. and Eastside Dr.
4	Active	Active	Canterbury and Lynn
6	Active	Active	W. 9th and Guadalupe
7	Active	Active	E. 11th and Lydia
8	Active	Active	Pennsylvania Ave. and Leona St.
9	Active	Active	E. 13th and Coleto
10	Active	Active	MLK and Chicon
11	Active	Active	W. 12th and Blanco
12	Active	Active	W. 12th and Rio Grande
13	Active	Active	W. 15th and San Antonio
14	Active	Active	W. 22nd and Nueces
15	Active	Active	W. 41st and Speedway
16	Active	Active	West 4th and Nueces
17	Active	Active	E. 11th and Trinity
18	Active	Gone	East 6th and Medina
19	Active	Gone	E. 23rd and Red River
20	Active	Gone	E. 2nd and Neches
21	Active	Gone	W. 6th and Westlynn
22	Active	Gone	City Park (Emma Long Metropolitan Park)
23	Gone	Gone	E. 16th and Brazos
24	Gone	Gone	E. 20th (or E. 21st) and Longfellow
25	Gone	Gone	MLK (was 19th) and Lavaca
26	Gone	Gone	E. 14th and Sabine
27	Gone	Gone	Dean Keeton St. and Whitis Ave.
28	Gone	Gone	E. 5th and Brazos
29	Gone	Gone	29th St. and Lamar Blvd.
30	Gone	Gone	W. 6th St. and Lamar Blvd
31	Gone	Gone	North end of Granite Dam
32	Gone	Gone	East 1st and Waller
33	Gone	Gone	E. Cesar Chavez and Trinity

According to Wikipedia there has been two (2) towers that have been destroyed in traffic accidents, two (2) that have been blown down by tornadoes, and six that have been victims of rust and old age.


What do you think about this attraction?