12/04-Driving from Columbia, MO to Raleigh, NC I noticed water towers in the distance, some from miles away. Most often they showed the town's name so you would know where you were without the map. I wish I started to take pictures on that trip, but the idea of logging H2O towers was only in its infancy. This blog came almost a year later when I realized I really enjoy taking the back road to find what neat H2O towers exist. Feel free to post a link or story about your town's local H2O tower.
This location was my first and second work trip of 2009. I got to stay home all of January!
First I went to Charlotte to help with the recycling program at the Charlotte Bobcats Stadium. See pics here.
The following week I went to UNC Charlotte's campus. I have passed this water tower many times because there is a state vehicle fueling station near by. I couldn't take the time to get a picture until last week. It is an interesting tower by some railroad tracks, power lines and a subdivision. The tower has 1/2 of a rose on it and some weird thing on top.
I went all over NC in November and December for some regional recycling networking meetings. Unfortunately I only got one new water tower picture from Wilson. The tower says Rose Garden and was in the office complex where we met. It was an icky rainy day and I got soaked handing out promo items.
- November 17 - Wilmington - Here is a link to some older Wilmington water tower posts.
- December 3 - Statesville - December 4 - Waynesville
Artist Robyn Love creates a water tower cozy out of yarn to promote educational charity, D&AD's pencil award. Robyn and six volunteers used Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick to create this giant cozy in the shape of a pencil.
I got a comment from Dining Room Seamstress telling me about the Checotah, OK water tower. This is evidently where Carrie Underwood (of American Idol fame) is from. Thanks for the comment!
My buddy Ryan, in NE, sent me this article about water tower preservation in Mississippi. I have only been to MS once but here is a link to the water tower pictures I got.
HERNANDO, Miss. - There are water towers painted to look like ears of corn, shaped like ketchup bottles, clad in Gothic stonework or advertised as - the world’s tallest Corinthian column.
But most water towers are more like the one in this town just over the state line from Memphis: a common steel structure in which form does not stray from function. Hernando’s water tower, its kettle bottom and funnel-shaped lid vaguely suggestive of the Tin Man, does not even flaunt the colors of the Hernando High School Tigers. It just holds water and, in the time-honored tradition of small-town water towers, tells the wayfarer that he has arrived. Hernando, it says in black block letters.
Yet the people of Hernando are fond of their water tower. So fond that in recent days, at the request of the Hernando Preservation Commission, the town aldermen voted to seek Mississippi landmark status for it, a designation that would help protect and maintain the tower.
My mom has been traveling across the southeast a lot lately and got me this great picture. I actually think I have seen this water tower before on a similar trip. It might have actually been the tower that gave me the idea for this blog.
RoadsideAmerica.com - Metropolis is the the self-proclaimed "Hometown of Superman," celebrating its local hero every possible way it can. The local bank is "home of super financial services." The town newspaper calls itself The Planet. A sign in the grocery store informs customers: "Just as Superman stands for truth, justice and the American Way, Food World stands for quality, convenience and friendly service."
According to Wikipedia - On January 21, 1972 DC Comics declared Metropolis "Hometown of Superman". On June 9, 1972 the Illinois State Legislature passed Resolution 572 that declared Metropolis the "Hometown of Superman," the comic book superhero who is based in the fictional city of Metropolis.
Norlina. NC. I had never been on the back roads of Warren County before but got invited to go to Emily's lake house on Lake Gaston so off I went. Of course the GPS recommended I go through Norlina.
On the return trip I went to I-85 and got this great picture of the Warren County water tower. They really did it up well. I wish more communities painted them this much. Just think of them as large billboards.
Charlotte. NC. 
