The Story
Built in 1949 for $23,000 by the W.E. Caldwell Company for the G.S. Suppiger catsup bottling plant, this 170-foot water tower could hold 100,000 gallons of water - or 640,000 bottles of catsup if it were actually filled with ketchup (it never was).
When the plant closed in the 1960s, the tower faced demolition. A 14-member Catsup Bottle Preservation Group raised over $100,000 to restore it. The red, white, and blue landmark was unveiled in 1995 and added to the National Register in 2002.
Surprise Facts
→ Never actually held catsup - only water
→ Could theoretically hold 640,000 bottles of ketchup
→ Preservation group raised $100,000 to save it
→ Located 8 miles off Route 66 but considered a must-see
Visit Information
✓ Open to Visit
Address: 800 S Morrison Ave, Collinsville, IL 62234
Hours: 24/7 exterior viewing
Tip: Best photos from the parking lot across the street