SH Archive c.1900 Water tower in Dwight, Illinois

[KD Archive]

The entire image of the Water tower in Dwight, Illinois can be seen here. I can recognize the weather vane. Any ideas what the purpose of those circular things could be?

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[Archive]

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Username: jd755
Date: 2019-12-07 08:37:44
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Any ideas what the purpose of those circular things could be?

Lights, springs to mind. But other than decoration or possibly a 'landmark' for the area visible for miles or simply a play on 'lighthouse' a whimsy as they used to say over here, there seems no point to the lights.
Obviously people went up there as evidenced by the ladder so another possibility is it was used as many tall things are for observational leisure. and the lights were part of that.

 

[JimDuyer]

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Username: Jim Duyer
Date: 2019-12-08 15:38:04
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Well, it is very convenient for sure - all of that metal ties in to the ladder, so you can get electrocuted in a lightning storm very easily when you climb up to the top for maintenance.

 

[Jd755]

I know Jim has left but my god. Its a water tank atop a brick base as is clearly seen in tbe image at the link in the op. Doing maintenance o the thing in a storm is indeed madness. Who would undertake such a foolhardy venture?

Don't know why I never clicked on the link before today but hey ho.

"Water tower in Dwight, Illinois." Unusual columnar design with a brick base, topped off by a weather vane and lights