The address listed above is for a moonlight tower at w 9th street and guadalupe street. The moonlight towers were officially recognized as state archeological landmarks in 1970 and six years later they were listed on the national register of historic places. The towers were popular in the late 19th century in cities across the united states and europe. Posted in austin september 12, 2016 by elisa regulski the moonlight towers in austin have a dark and evil history that will never be forgotten anyone whos watched dazed and confused knows about austin s moonlight towers. In 1970 the towers were recognized as texas state landmarks, followed by the 15 remaining towers being listed in the national register of historic places on july 12, 1976. The moonlight towers in austin have a dark and evil history that will never be forgotten. Austin, texas austin, texas, is the only city in the world known to still have moonlight towers. The historic moonlight towers in austin ezinearticles. Austin, texas theres something special about austin s moonlight towers. They are 165 feet tall with foundations 15 feet wide. In this episode of discover austin, i shed light on austins first source of light after dark, the moonlight towers. Lundberg bakery, old travis county courthouse, governors mansion, old land office, moonlight towers, custer house, university of texas tower, pemberton heights, texas state hospital, barton springs, and circuit of the americas. Austins moonlight towers austin historical marker project. To read a well written history of the austin towers you can visit this site.
Austins tower lights are the sole survivor of this oncepopular ingenious lighting system. A moon tower in austin, texas, 1890s via not even past but the towers, it turned out, were neither entirely brilliant nor. Austins moon towers, beyond dazed and confused the. Austin statesman, christmas 1885 in the wake of a series of horrific murders, the city of austin purchased 31 enormous towers to light the city streets from on high. First installed in 1894 to provide austin with its first urban lighting system, the moonlight towers have become synonymous with austin energys almost 120year history of providing public power to the community.
Instead of opting for hundreds and hundreds of street lights, austin erected 31 of these towers around the city. Shining a steady light on austins moonlight towers news. They were erected in the 1890s as part of austins first public streetlighting system. Their intricate blueprints are now available as stunning pieces of art. Austin is the only city in the united states that continues to maintain and use moonlight towers. The moonlight towers in austin, texas, are the only known surviving moonlight towers in the world. Austin real estate, architecture, and city life austin city life since 2007. Austin is now the only city in the world where you can find moonlight towers, even though they were once ubiquitous across america and europe. The citys public utility is developing a request for proposals for someone to restore all 17 of the citys moonlight towers, or moontowers, as theyre often called. We cant just put modern day parts on these historic towers, austin energy spokesman carlos cordova said. Each tower illuminated a circle of 3000 feet using 6 carbon arc lamps now mercury vapor. The moonlight towers, he declared, were a most brilliant success.
Austin public library is made up of the central library, 20 branches, the recycled reads bookstore and the austin history center. Instead, austin bought secondhand moonlight towers from detroit, 150 feet tall, ringed by carbon arc lamps so bright that citizens. Anyone whos watched dazed and confused knows about austins moonlight towers. We work hard to celebrate local culture and engage you in learning and growing together free and open to all. Austin, texas is the only city in the world with moonlight towers. Turning night into day in victorianera austin to thwart a serial killer. A reader was very upset that i referred to them as moontowers, says jeff kerr, a. Thirtyone of these metal giants were erected in 1895 using electricity from austins first power plant on the colorado river.
Austins tower lights are the sole survivors of this once popular ingenious lighting system. Tonight, the austin history center hosts a special screening of a new documentary film, last of the moonlight towers by ray spivey and jeff kerr, which tells the story of the celebrated landmarks as well as investigating the mythology that came. In 1894, the city of austin purchased 31 of detroits used lighting towers. This guide explains their history, explores some of the mysteries and rumors surrounding them, and reveals where you can find the ones that are left. From the producers of radiolab, a new selfguided walking tour takes listeners back to austin, recounting the. Austins moonlight towers has never been a band that challenged listeners, and that only gets you about as far as one album. The towers were 165 feet tall and cast light in a 1500 foot radius so that you could read the time on your watch with the light from the carbon arc lamps. Editorial analysis, building profiles, with uptodate property listings. That austin is, of course, mostly gone, replaced in part by the new austin.
Hannig row, austin history center, ney museum and austins moonlight towers. Moonlight towers are streetlights which were commonplace in american cities during the late 1800s. Though austins fifteen surviving towers are now the last of their kind, this form of street lighting was once common across the united states. Nowadays, these monolithic lamps are super impractical, but in 1895 they were a revelation. Moonlight towers, also referred to as moon towers, liberated citizens from the constraints of nighttime and heralded austin as the coming great manufacturer of the south. Only 17 of austins original 31 moonlight towers remain and are the only working moonlight towers in the world. The murder mystery legend behind austins iconic moonlight. A brief history of the ingenious system that illuminated the nights of the capital of texas in the early days of electricity. A single tower cast light from six carbon arc lamps, illuminating a 1,500footradius 460 m circle brightly enough to read a watch. But that was in 1894, and individual lights on single poles werent yet practical.
Austins original entertainment district has one wild history. In other places they were used in addition to gas street lighting. Austin moonlight towers austin blueprint art party at. This is one of 31 original moonlight towers installed in austin in 1895.
Today, the only moontowers still in use are those found in austin, texas. Austin moonlight towers austin, texas atlas obscura. They are 165 feet tall and have a 15foot foundation. The zilker holiday tree, which is actually one of austins iconic moonlight towers draped in lights, first lit up the park in 1967. The article looks at the history of the moonlight towers that have been around austin for the last 100 years. The moonlight towers in austin, texas are the only known surviving light towers in the world. Austin moon light towers, jack the ripper, servant girl annihilator, late 1800s history feb. A moonlight tower or moontower is a lighting structure designed to illuminate areas of a town or city at night the towers were popular in the late 19th century in cities across the united states and europe.
Moonlight towers austin all you need to know before. Architectural archives oral history project austin. Six lamps at the top of each tower create the famous moonlight glow. In 1894, as a way to provide light to austin at night, 31 moonlight towers were erected. The movies iconic scene at the moon tower had everyone at the theater wishing they were at that party. If you prefer to read about our moonlight towers, the video transcript can be found below the video. Our visit in 2004 showed the restoration to holding up well. They are the 165foottall towers that support outdoor lighting for parts of austin. One of the myths about the moonlight towers is that they were installed to try. Erected in the 1890s, austins moonlight towers are an ingenious system that illuminated the nights of the texas capital in the early days of electricity. Austin moon light towers, jack the ripper, servant girl annihilator, late 1800s history. The socalled moonlight or moon towers in austin are the only surviving examples of the tower lighting systems that were common in american cities in the late 1800s.
This short video from our friendsinhistory ray spivey and jeff kerr last of the moonlight towers leaves the question open. Photos courtesy of austin history center, austin americanstatesman, the city of. Kim has a passion for the citys cemeterys and their rich history, and is the steward for the cemetery master plan with the assistance of citizens in the save our cemeteries group and consultants. So the next time youre in austin, take a second to look upward to catch a glimpse of one of these rare and longstanding relics that helped to build the city we know and love. The moonlight towers in austin have a dark and evil history. Hoffman is the author of the book, moonlight becomes her. A single tower cast light from six carbon arc lamps, illuminating a 1,500footradius circle brightly enough to read a watch.
The story of austins 19 th century electric light towers. This timeline of austins moonlight towers gives you their history at a glance. A moonlight tower or moontower is a lighting structure designed to illuminate areas of a town or city at night. This is one of the original 31 moonlight towers installed in austin in 1895. Its a 165foottall tower, says jeff kerr, who coproduced the film with ray spivey. Austins moonlight towers have long been a distinctive part of the citys landscape, their lights casting a gentle glow on the streets 150 feet below. The film tells the story of one of austins most celebrated landmarks and how austin came to be the only city with these towers today. In 1993 the city of austin dismantled the towers and restored them down to every bolt, turnbuckle and guy wire. Dj inspiration neon palm trees flanking the turntables. Austin moonlight towers have illuminated our city since 1894.
Austin moon blueprint art boogie woogie dazed and confused taekook moonlight book art towers history. A new documentary illuminates the history of austins. We are an art and design studio specialising in the old school medium of neon as well as the modern version, led neon flex. In 1894, austin bought moonlight in the form of towers. The austin history center invites you to a special screening of the new documentary film, last of the moonlight towers, by ray spivey and jeff kerr. Each tower illuminated a circle of 3000 feet using 6 carbon arc lamps, now mercury vapor. Youll also find a list of locations where you can find the 15 remaining moonlight towers. The murder mystery legend behind austins iconic moonlight towers. They still bathe austin in artificial moonlight from dusk till dawn. Hoffman currently lives in a restored 1872 house on a ranch in the hill country west of austin. Have you ever driven by one of the 17 or so remaining moon light towers around town.