Fascinating! I really admire how everything - even the most mundane and utilitarian of buildings - was constructed to be beautiful as well as functional. That’s something that is truly lacking today and mostly altogether post WWII. I love that they were also so well constructed that they continue to be in use! Thanks, Ken!
They sure don't build 'em like they used to! I hope that aesthetically pleasing utilitarian buildings will come back into style someday, really helps to increase the beauty of the area. -Ken
In 1962 I crossed that bridge with my mother when we drove from Chicago to Los Angeles using Route 66. My mom made a big deal over the river, the biggest river in the US, and taught me how to spell Mississippi. For some reason that memory always stuck with me.
I'm an STL native, and I learned a little about those water intakes during a grade-school field trip to the water treatment plant. This video confirmed what I remembered about the towers, then provided me with more information than I remembered from that field trip - which I took over 50 years ago. Thanks for that!
I took a similar field trip, maybe a few years earlier. It was the most fascinating field trip I ever went on as a kid. I thought the process of turning the muddy Mississippi River water into something one could drink was just amazing. Years later I moved to South Florida, where they pump the water out of clean aquafers and send it virtually untreated to consumers, but charged 4 times more than the city of St. Louis per gallon. The water from the city of St. Louis is still some of the cheapest I have ever encountered, despite the lengthy process needed in cleaning it up. I still do not understand the economics of municipal water supplies.
They don't teach us the truth in school. These water towers, train stations ,churches and historical government buildings had other purposes wake up sleepers
I was hollow after this video ended. I wanted a deeper dive, see the interior and such. 3 minute videos are for short attention span people. Not much is explained, 0 details, very little history.
St. Louis is my hometown, as a kid I was told that these towers housed the fairies that kept the river clean and fed the fish that lived there. I know it isn't true, but it made crossing that bridge very magical! So now when I visit my hometown my kids ask to see the fairy houses. Let's hope they don't see this video!
I remember thinking they were tiny. Seeing them as we drove across the bridge as a kid. I thought they were houses for mice 😂 I also was 100% sure they moved and floated around as I thought they were in different places on different days
You have to hand it to the engineers that designed these towers and those who built them in the early 20th century out in the middle of one of the biggest, most powerful rivers in the country, with them still standing strong against that river a century later.
@@suckit9593 search mud flood reset and Tartaria... also the world's fair shows the truth.. everything we know is a lie.. we are a reset civilization.. all the buildings already here buried in mud.. the new people just dug them out... Erie Canal was also dugout not built.. like the pyramids
I've passed those things for years and always wondered. As a kid, I thought they were lighthouses or castles, but I would never have guess that they'd still be in use today.
St Louis has an amazing history. It’s founders and subsequent builders up through the 1950’s truly made it something special. Sadly it’s decline has been only second to cities like Detroit and other once powerful industrial centers.
All of the US had the same architecture so I have wondered the same thing if the US actually was Atlantis and the parasites in control have been destroying all evidence of it for over 200 years. Look at the White Cities in numerous states across the US that were featured in World Fairs and Expositions. All of our history is a lie.
@@charlesdarwin7253 yes exactly! It seems to me Atlantis could be right here in the US. San Francisco and Omaha had White Cities, as did Buffalo so I tend to believe they were likely all over the country.
@@skyelyte1699 You still didn't explain what you meant by "white cities." Do you mean a city with a majority white population? Because obviously St Louis, Chicago, and Atlanta aren't that.
@@charlesdarwin7253 oh my gosh, with all due respect it is positively absurd to believe I was referring to race. Cities are made of buildings and white cities have white buildings. There were extremely advanced white cities (with free wireless energy drawn from the Aether) in Chicago, St. Louis, Atlanta, Omaha, Buffalo, Memphis, San Franciso, Seattle (to name a few) and you can find them if you research the World Fairs and Expositions from the late 1800s to the early 1900s. They had the fairs to create a fake false history and in this way the fairs served as a Hollywood type method of mass indoctrination. In fact they issued diplomas to people who attended them. After these fairs the parasite predator psychopaths in control blew them all up and they continue to blow up the buildings that are the evidence from the former extremely advanced civilization that existed in our recent past to this day.
I (along with many other folks) wonder what these buildings look like inside... Is it possible to gain access (or even to fly a drone close to the windows?) :D
I'd look forward to watching that walkthrough. I know that it's not likely to be made known (to avoid squatters or internal vandalism) but just how much accomodation we provided in Tower 2 for how many workers? How long was a 'tour of duty'? And how did they access it?
My wife and I have ridden our bicycles across the Chain of Rocks Bridge and seen these structures many times. On the Missouri side of the river there's a bike trail that goes down to the Gateway Arch. You can then continue on bike lanes to Anheuser Busch to do the brewery tour. An interesting fact about the Chain of Rocks Bridge is that it was used in the movie Escape from New York.
This House what ever happened to the old chain of rocks amusement park that sat high on a bluff overlooking the river . Remember going there when i was a child and riding the scariest ferris wheel and a roller coaster called the rat made you feel like you’d ran off the track before it turned . Good Stuff
My Family actually traveled across that Bridge a few times during my childhood! (50-60s) We always traveled from AZ on Rt 66 to visit relatives in KS, MO & IL! But you explained that the "Castles" were for water works! I'm not sure if I was ever told that! I thot they were for River Navigation Control kind of like an Airport Control Tower! Thanks for the Nostalgia!b😊
@@tmayorca8770 not if those locations are rock outcroppings that are usually partly submerged and therefore nearly invisible. I could see them building structures way back (they look over 100 years old) as some kind of markers for ships to avoid, possibly manned lighthouses if the area is known for fog. Or even a pair of beacons to sail between if it's a shallow rapid and that's the path that was dredged out for travel. That's what I had thought back in the day, anyway. Their true purpose is somehow both more interesting, and more mundane :P
My dad told me straight up when I was a kid and asked, "Whoa! What're those??" "water towers." didn't even touch on the brakes. That man had no magic in his heart lol This was a nice video. :) St. Louis is my hometown as well, and there's a lot of iconic 'mystery structures' around.
This was great! Thank you. I lived in St. Louis for 14 years and always admired those well constructed and beautiful landmarks when I would cross over into Illinois. They were also markers for me as the river would rise and fall pending the rainfall along river and upper tributaries.
I run the bridge frequently. It's an awesome view of the river and has gorgeous sunsets over st. Louis. The evening really is the best time to go and its rarely crowded.
I’m glad someone had the foresight to save the bridge. Just because it has a flaw for cars today (then) doesn’t mean it couldn’t be used for those who rode/ride bikes or walk.
As a child in the 60s, my family would travel across that bridge to go to the Fun Fair park on the Missouri side for a weekend of fun. Many fun and fond memories.
St. Louis . Seems to me to be on my bucket list of places . I’m from Edinburgh the capital city of Scotland 🏴 Both places have beautiful Victorian houses and buildings.
What I like about your channel is that you provide informative information while at the same time not profiting from other peoples' misfortunes which unfortunately has become the norm for other youtubers.
Who else remembers the first time they crossed the Mississippi? My first time was @ St. Louis and, as a Westerner, where a 7-year old can throw a rock to the other side of our "mightiest" rivers, the Mississippi BLEW MY LITTLE MIND!
Short, sweet and to the point, no long drawn out ads and babble before getting to the point of the video, excellent. And amusing, things you didnt think you wanted to learn about show up in your youtube feed...
I love that st.Loo has kept there amazing works/architecture as landmarks and still use today. Amazing stuff. Keep it coming America, keep it coming!!!!
The days when craftsmen built things not only to last, but to be visually admired. These days, construction is done based on cost, and is as inspiring as a paper bag.
This is amazing! I grew up in a small town called Festus, MO about 30 mins outside of St. Louis before moving to New England in middle school. I remember the big flood we had and our towns McDonalds sign being completely underwater.
I used to live in the St.Louis/St.Charles area.Where my mom worked,(Bussman Fuse),they always had their picnic at the Chain of Rocks,amusement park.You could see those,when you got on a high up ride. I never asked anyone why they were there,or what they were.That was over 55 years ago.To me,it was better than Disneyland.
What a surprise to discover that those quaint old towers are still functional. They have stood up to the river's flow, including, I'm sure, fierce floods, very well.
As a Waste Water & Water Works Operator myself, it's pleasing to see these two structures still in use. Granted they may be outdated when compared to most facilities of today, these buildings and the inner workerings of the water intake towers are likely something to behold!
When I was a kind, my family used to drive up to the bridge to walk and/or bike across the bridge and back. Fond memories of it and the view of those towers!
Years ago my wife and I saw similar looking structures on the Rhine and the Danube; they were instead essentially customs stations mid-river, charging taxes and goods moving up and down the rivers. But hundreds of years ago. They’re still there!
Super cool stuff. If you are doing audio consider "softening" the sound with soft stuff. Put towels, heavy jackets, rugs or even couches and beds against the walls/hard wood floors. The lack of echo will allow you to speak more robustly creating a more engaging environment.
Very interesting. The civic pride is evident in their construction. They remind me of the Philadelphia Schuylkill River waterworks right near the Art Museum in Fairmount Park. It looks like the Acropolis from the other bank. I think we lost something when we relied upon the lowest bid to complete these sorts of projects. We're stuck with square brick block buildings that look like they'll withstand an A-bomb blast, but an eyesore to live with.
It's called "Class & Elegance of Design"! Anything they used to put their Name on would be Lasting & would have a Continuation of Function far into the Future! It was the kind of World we all grew up in! But no more! They're trying to take ALL of that Away From Us! They don't want us to have that kind of Pride in our Work & certainly not leave any kind of a Legacy! VERY, VERY SAD!
@@messyi506 Not all old buildings were constructed that way. Many were built by cheap immigrant labor. It depends which building and state you're referring to. My grandfather worked in the quarries shaping blocks that would build the Brownstone buildings of Brooklyn NY. Now there is an appreciation for the work, though he and many like him were living hand-to-mouth, even being dismembered or dying in work accidents. The history books only record the names of the Architects.
@@ThisHouse You're very welcome! I'm in Albany, Georgia. We have some very interesting historic homes around here. There are a lot of old plantation homes around Albany and a lot of beautiful old historic homes in the city limits. If you get a chance look up Byron Plantation Road homes in Albany, Georgia. in the early 90s a bunch of people bought old plantation homes that were in danger of being torn down. About 10 or 15 or dismantled and moved to that road and restored. They are absolutely beautiful. I think you would find them very interesting. One house in particular was dismantled in the 70s and stored in a building for about 25 years. When it was purchased no one thought to number the parts of the building or to drive a plan on how to put it back together! It took the new owners a couple of years but they were able to fit the house completely back together like a giant jigsaw puzzle!
@@TheLuckyjoenga That is so incredibly fascinating! We plan to hit the road this summer to explore some other regions and this just went into my top 5 destinations. I'll see if I can find the owner's information and contact them. Thank you so much for sharing this with us!
@@ThisHouse Definitely look up Hope Campbell here. Not only is she the biggest interior decorator in the area decorating all the historic homes but she actually is one of the first people to move an antebellum home on Byron plantation Road and it is spectacular! She definitely has the "in" With historic home owners not just here in Albany but in places like Thomasville, Georgia And all of Southwest Georgia. she could definitely introduce you to a lot of people with a lot of beautiful homes. Her firm is H. Campbell & Associates. She's a hoot!
I love how nice they look! It feels like a magical little home. I wonder if they'd allow civilians to move in. I think there's a similar structure in VA or MD like this, though I think it was an old light house in the middle of a river. I believe it's occupied by a family now
Wonderful account of history I bet few knew; I for one did not. Thanks Ken for another great video. With your wonderful sense of research and History, it is for sure we have many more looks into the past and lovely buildings of which St. Louis has more than its share. As for now here's wishing you and all your fans, a Merry Christmas and the best of the best Happy New Year.
My grandfather's grandfather was an office and field engineer on construction of intake No. 2. Before that he was engineer in charge of construction on the Municipal (later MacArthur) Bridge that carried 66 before it was realigned to cross at Chain of Rocks.
I always admire when the city and architects go out of their way to build something like this, even if they only have utilitarian purposes. I think building beauty into structures like this promotes a more healthful and interesting living experience for those who live around or pass by them, similar to parks. Sometimes I get very tired of the boring and sterile giant blocks of concrete they use for many things these days.
This was really neat and I appreciate that it wasn't drawn out to an ungodly length. The video was long enough for some good visuals and some fascinating information. Great stuff!
Since that second tower have living quarters in it, it would be neat if it could somehow be converted into a unique type of lodging experience that the city could use for fundraising and historic awareness.
@Smurfette Did It bro it's just an idea that they probably came up with on the fly it's not like they're trying to implement it, maybe you should have used your brain
@Smurfette Did It Okay kiddo, you do know that in the adult world we have this thing called a liability waiver. I've been to a few places that have tried using your argument to get out of letting me do what I wanted to do only to get countered by a simple liability waiver from their insurance company and legal representation recognizes. Them: "Sorry Sir, we can't let you in and do XYZ due to our liability coverage only being $1 million dollars." Me: "No problem, here's my insurance companies liability waiver form your legal people will recognize that says I am insured for more than your whole operation is worth. Have a nice day. I'ma go play now."
This is an ancient advanced architecture before the 1800's. As a matter of fact, old maps as far back as the 1300's you can see these beautiful architectural beauties built by the ancient civilizations. Please don't believe the current narrative.
@@ycarips9137 They were remember Earth's cyclical Cataclysmic events occur every 200, 400, 600, etc...years. They'd like ppl to think that our his-story started in the early 1800's. That's laughable now that we SEE the same beautiful architecture built all over the world. Hence all the pyramids were the same all over the world, plus planes, laptops, cell phones, etc...are on ancient heirogliphs. Their narrative is falling apart at the roots. Oh you should research the "supposed" Annie Oakley pics of her standing in front of one of these beauties, it makes one wonder if the cowboy days was all Hollywood, if you know what I mean.😉
I've seen them up close multiple times when I worked the upper mississippi on towboats. Cool as hell. Been over that scary bridge as well when I was around 3 years old traveling with my parents.
I am from saint Louis mo and used to walk the chain of rocks bridge frequently with my friend. We always wondered it was and what the inside looked like. Thank you for covering this
None that we are aware of. We submitted a filming inquiry to the city. Hopefully they will approve it and we will be able to create a video tour of them. Stay tuned!
I lived within shouting distance of these, for the past 2 years the river has been so shallow that a pleasure boat got stuck on the chain of rocks rapids for weeks. Also the bridge is used for old car shows every fall now! The reason it was closed to vehicle traffic was that a teenager was murdered...
@@alison5009 yeah, I also don't remember if it was closed beforehand or not, but I'm pretty sure that was the reason they won't allow car traffic to this day (other than structural concerns - though people are able to cross it in cars during the car show!) There is a plaque dedicated to the incident somewhere along the bridge.
The Chain of Rocks Chamber of Commerce has a car show on the old bridge every year. I took my '67 Mustang there in 2019. Because it is a two lane bridge you had to drive to the Illinois side, turn around and drive back and park your car facing west. I've been to lots of car shows but to be at a show 70 feet over the mighty Mississippi was pretty cool.
Excellent video. Love the aerial footage. Your narration is spot on. Appreciate this for sure, and will be recommending your videos for the sheer excellence of the imagery alone. Thank you 🙏
I've been to St. Louis quite a few times, and wondered what those towers were. Thought it'd be interesting if I could actually go out and explore them. I had no idea they were still in use. Wonder what the quarters were like on Tower #2. Great information. Thanks!
I grew up in this area. As teenagers in the late 1980s we would walk out on the old Chain of Rocks bridge and admire the view. I returned there last year and was very pleased to see that it had been converted into a park and now I could walk out there legally and leisurely enjoy the view which is stunning. Always curious about the towers.
This is a little piece of history I never knew. St louis(mainly saint louis county) is my hometown and where i still live, so thank you for letting me know.
I've been traveling down that way for work and play for 20 years now, and never knew what those buildings were. I've often wondered what they could be, thanks for sharing and checking off an item of my list of things to know. Those structures are beautiful too, I'm glad the city/state has decided to keep them, same with the Chain of Rocks bridge. Didn't know you could traverse it via bike or walking. I've taken the Amtrak from Springfield to Union Station and riding a train across the RR bridge was a treat too.
I drive a truck and regularly travel that route over the bridge. I have always wondered what those structures were for...thanks to you I now know. Thanks.
I'm not buying this explanation. Clearly these structures are much older than what we are being led to believe. Also, modern Americans do not build anything in the " Roman-esque style". In fact, there is no style at all.
“THANK YOU ALL FOT WATCHING I REALLY HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS VIDEO” I did, I really enjoyed it. Super quick and to the point, didn’t drag it out for views.
Fascinating! I really admire how everything - even the most mundane and utilitarian of buildings - was constructed to be beautiful as well as functional. That’s something that is truly lacking today and mostly altogether post WWII. I love that they were also so well constructed that they continue to be in use! Thanks, Ken!
They sure don't build 'em like they used to! I hope that aesthetically pleasing utilitarian buildings will come back into style someday, really helps to increase the beauty of the area.
-Ken
The Builders of the Past did every structure with Class, didn't they?
Modernism sadly has made almost all new architecture ugly.
@@fernando5silva it's not just that, it's them trying to cut costs so much that they couldn't do a good job even if they wanted to...
Noup. That's survivor bias.
I kayaked the entire Mississippi in 2019. I was so excited to paddle by these towers and get footage of them in person. They are very cool structures!
Wow!!
How did you get over the dam?
@@michaelgarrity6090 portage
@@michaelgarrity6090 get out of the river and go around it duh
You should post your video
In 1962 I crossed that bridge with my mother when we drove from Chicago to Los Angeles using Route 66. My mom made a big deal over the river, the biggest river in the US, and taught me how to spell Mississippi. For some reason that memory always stuck with me.
Whenever you cross it, you have to say "the mighty Mississip' " in an impressed tone. You just...do.
M-i-s-s-i-s-s-i-p-p-i.
Crooked letter crooked letter
Great memory! Thanks for sharing it!
@@Toybinger Burning. :(
I'm an STL native, and I learned a little about those water intakes during a grade-school field trip to the water treatment plant. This video confirmed what I remembered about the towers, then provided me with more information than I remembered from that field trip - which I took over 50 years ago. Thanks for that!
@Repent to Jesus Christ! 🕊️❤️🕊️...
IL side and far from home but I remembered those towers the instant I saw them
thats what you call a double blast from the past
I took a similar field trip, maybe a few years earlier. It was the most fascinating field trip I ever went on as a kid. I thought the process of turning the muddy Mississippi River water into something one could drink was just amazing. Years later I moved to South Florida, where they pump the water out of clean aquafers and send it virtually untreated to consumers, but charged 4 times more than the city of St. Louis per gallon. The water from the city of St. Louis is still some of the cheapest I have ever encountered, despite the lengthy process needed in cleaning it up. I still do not understand the economics of municipal water supplies.
They don't teach us the truth in school. These water towers, train stations ,churches and historical government buildings had other purposes wake up sleepers
Now this is rare-- a video that actually tells you what something is without taking half an hour, and isn't frickin' boring. 😀
Thanks for the compliment! Glad you enjoyed it!
If you like this, you might also enjoy Tom Scott
I was hollow after this video ended. I wanted a deeper dive, see the interior and such. 3 minute videos are for short attention span people. Not much is explained, 0 details, very little history.
@@marsovac I don't see anyone else complaining...
St. Louis is my hometown, as a kid I was told that these towers housed the fairies that kept the river clean and fed the fish that lived there.
I know it isn't true, but it made crossing that bridge very magical! So now when I visit my hometown my kids ask to see the fairy houses. Let's hope they don't see this video!
Towers in the middle of a river, inhabited by fairies who keep the river clean and feed the fish.
OK, let's make a fantasy movie out of it!
I like that explanation best!
I remember thinking they were tiny. Seeing them as we drove across the bridge as a kid. I thought they were houses for mice 😂 I also was 100% sure they moved and floated around as I thought they were in different places on different days
You can't make a movie out new, creative ideas..haven't you heard? Only remakes are allowed today, and recycled old ideas.
Research Tartaria. These buildings are ancient Tartarian. They ARE very magical.
You have to hand it to the engineers that designed these towers and those who built them in the early 20th century out in the middle of one of the biggest, most powerful rivers in the country, with them still standing strong against that river a century later.
Truly an engineering marvel!
Our his-story is a lie the buildings are far older.
And that's only the outside, I just can imagine all the beautiful details inside and down deep in the foundation and all
@@HighDollarHobo wtf are you talking about dude
@@suckit9593 search mud flood reset and Tartaria... also the world's fair shows the truth.. everything we know is a lie.. we are a reset civilization.. all the buildings already here buried in mud.. the new people just dug them out... Erie Canal was also dugout not built.. like the pyramids
I've passed those things for years and always wondered. As a kid, I thought they were lighthouses or castles, but I would never have guess that they'd still be in use today.
St Louis has an amazing history. It’s founders and subsequent builders up through the 1950’s truly made it something special. Sadly it’s decline has been only second to cities like Detroit and other once powerful industrial centers.
19th and early 20th century St Louis is like the mythological city of Atlantis. Such an impressive city lost to time.
All of the US had the same architecture so I have wondered the same thing if the US actually was Atlantis and the parasites in control have been destroying all evidence of it for over 200 years. Look at the White Cities in numerous states across the US that were featured in World Fairs and Expositions. All of our history is a lie.
@@skyelyte1699 "White Cities?" What is that? You mean like Chicago, St Louis, and the aptly named Atlanta?
@@charlesdarwin7253 yes exactly! It seems to me Atlantis could be right here in the US. San Francisco and Omaha had White Cities, as did Buffalo so I tend to believe they were likely all over the country.
@@skyelyte1699 You still didn't explain what you meant by "white cities." Do you mean a city with a majority white population? Because obviously St Louis, Chicago, and Atlanta aren't that.
@@charlesdarwin7253 oh my gosh, with all due respect it is positively absurd to believe I was referring to race. Cities are made of buildings and white cities have white buildings. There were extremely advanced white cities (with free wireless energy drawn from the Aether) in Chicago, St. Louis, Atlanta, Omaha, Buffalo, Memphis, San Franciso, Seattle (to name a few) and you can find them if you research the World Fairs and Expositions from the late 1800s to the early 1900s. They had the fairs to create a fake false history and in this way the fairs served as a Hollywood type method of mass indoctrination. In fact they issued diplomas to people who attended them. After these fairs the parasite predator psychopaths in control blew them all up and they continue to blow up the buildings that are the evidence from the former extremely advanced civilization that existed in our recent past to this day.
I (along with many other folks) wonder what these buildings look like inside... Is it possible to gain access (or even to fly a drone close to the windows?) :D
We are asking the city for permission to tour them, stay tuned!
I'd look forward to watching that walkthrough. I know that it's not likely to be made known (to avoid squatters or internal vandalism) but just how much accomodation we provided in Tower 2 for how many workers? How long was a 'tour of duty'? And how did they access it?
Good survival home for a Zombie Apocalypse (shrug)
I’d love to live in one!
@@ThisHouse
Yes please!
Would be greatly appreciated!
My wife and I have ridden our bicycles across the Chain of Rocks Bridge and seen these structures many times. On the Missouri side of the river there's a bike trail that goes down to the Gateway Arch. You can then continue on bike lanes to Anheuser Busch to do the brewery tour.
An interesting fact about the Chain of Rocks Bridge is that it was used in the movie Escape from New York.
Very interesting, thanks for sharing!
Yes I'm from that area your right it was used in the movie. It was used in the ending seen. Snake was the best hero of any movie.
I remember reading in Starlog magazine when I was a kid that most of that great movie was filmed in St. Louis.
This House what ever happened to the old chain of rocks amusement park that sat high on a bluff overlooking the river . Remember going there when i was a child and riding the scariest ferris wheel and a roller coaster called the rat made you feel like you’d ran off the track before it turned . Good Stuff
@@cabinbills6743 that shut down long time ago
My Family actually traveled across that Bridge a few times during my childhood! (50-60s) We always traveled from AZ on Rt 66 to visit relatives in KS, MO & IL! But you explained that the "Castles" were for water works! I'm not sure if I was ever told that! I thot they were for River Navigation Control kind of like an Airport Control Tower!
Thanks for the Nostalgia!b😊
Glad you enjoyed it!
Did u know that bridge was used in Kurt Russell movie escape from New York the ending seen.
Then it be put on side of river. Middle of river is boat hazard.
@@tmayorca8770 not if those locations are rock outcroppings that are usually partly submerged and therefore nearly invisible. I could see them building structures way back (they look over 100 years old) as some kind of markers for ships to avoid, possibly manned lighthouses if the area is known for fog. Or even a pair of beacons to sail between if it's a shallow rapid and that's the path that was dredged out for travel.
That's what I had thought back in the day, anyway. Their true purpose is somehow both more interesting, and more mundane :P
My dad told me straight up when I was a kid and asked, "Whoa! What're those??"
"water towers." didn't even touch on the brakes. That man had no magic in his heart lol
This was a nice video. :) St. Louis is my hometown as well, and there's a lot of iconic 'mystery structures' around.
This was great! Thank you. I lived in St. Louis for 14 years and always admired those well constructed and beautiful landmarks when I would cross over into Illinois. They were also markers for me as the river would rise and fall pending the rainfall along river and upper tributaries.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I run the bridge frequently. It's an awesome view of the river and has gorgeous sunsets over st. Louis. The evening really is the best time to go and its rarely crowded.
I’m glad someone had the foresight to save the bridge. Just because it has a flaw for cars today (then) doesn’t mean it couldn’t be used for those who rode/ride bikes or walk.
Personally I'm glad they made those towers in to landmarks and made that bridge in to a pedestrian bridge!!
I grew up in the Midwest and it is refreshing to see some history from this part of the country. Thank you.
Same here, Chicago gal.
It’s the dungeon where they locked up the guy who invented St. Louis pizza
As a child in the 60s, my family would travel across that bridge to go to the Fun Fair park on the Missouri side for a weekend of fun. Many fun and fond memories.
That's wonderful!
Always loved school picnics at Chain of Rocks and the romantic little castle and palace. It was scary to meet another car on the bridge.
It almost seems like the bridge is too tight to fit 2 cars, I hope people drove slow!
-Ken
@@ThisHouse Well I did and on the old St.Charles bridge too.
I too had grade school picnics at Chain of Rocks
Oh! That must have been fun!
Interesting water history. That’s great that the Route 66 bridge was saved!
Hopefully, now that all of it is on the historic register, it will be around for future generations to enjoy 😊
As long as proper maintenance is observed.
I lived in St Charles Missouri for six years and drove by and wondered about those little structures for the whole time…thank you for the explanation!
St. Louis . Seems to me to be on my bucket list of places . I’m from Edinburgh the capital city of Scotland 🏴 Both places have beautiful Victorian houses and buildings.
We highly recommend a trip here! Thanks for watching!
Do yourself a favor and don't
I love those towers! They are a works of art. Thanks so much for this.
Glad you like them!
Something I knew nothing about but found fascinating. I can only imagine the views from that bridge, I'm glad it was saved.
Glad you enjoyed it!
What I like about your channel is that you provide informative information while at the same time not profiting from other peoples' misfortunes which unfortunately has become the norm for other youtubers.
Who else remembers the first time they crossed the Mississippi? My first time was @ St. Louis and, as a Westerner, where a 7-year old can throw a rock to the other side of our "mightiest" rivers, the Mississippi BLEW MY LITTLE MIND!
Short, sweet and to the point, no long drawn out ads and babble before getting to the point of the video, excellent. And amusing, things you didnt think you wanted to learn about show up in your youtube feed...
I love that st.Loo has kept there amazing works/architecture as landmarks and still use today. Amazing stuff. Keep it coming America, keep it coming!!!!
Thank you, cheers!
Love learning things about ordinary places. So much more to things and the places they are located. Everything has a story to tell.
Glad you find these things interesting!
Yes! We pass by so much history every day without a thought of the wonder that it still exists! We take so much for granted, don’t we?
I lived in St. Louis for more than 1/2 of my life and never knew there existed. Facinating! Thanks for bringing them to my attention.
The days when craftsmen built things not only to last, but to be visually admired. These days, construction is done based on cost, and is as inspiring as a paper bag.
This is amazing! I grew up in a small town called Festus, MO about 30 mins outside of St. Louis before moving to New England in middle school. I remember the big flood we had and our towns McDonalds sign being completely underwater.
Was that the Great Flood of '93?
Festus isn't 30 min from St Louis
I used to live in the St.Louis/St.Charles area.Where my mom worked,(Bussman Fuse),they always had their picnic at the Chain of Rocks,amusement park.You could see those,when you got on a high up ride.
I never asked anyone why they were there,or what they were.That was over 55 years ago.To me,it was better than Disneyland.
That's wonderful!
What a surprise to discover that those quaint old towers are still functional. They have stood up to the river's flow, including, I'm sure, fierce floods, very well.
And fires! Wait a minute....
They would've been completely submerged in 1993.
As a Waste Water & Water Works Operator myself, it's pleasing to see these two structures still in use.
Granted they may be outdated when compared to most facilities of today, these buildings and the inner workerings of the water intake towers are likely something to behold!
Thank you for such a fast informative video. No click bait, no unnecessarily long intro, no 'build up'. Just straight to the facts and quick!
When I was a kind, my family used to drive up to the bridge to walk and/or bike across the bridge and back. Fond memories of it and the view of those towers!
I remember well crossing that bridge by car! And yeah, that bend was scary!
We're happy we only had to cross by foot!
Years ago my wife and I saw similar looking structures on the Rhine and the Danube; they were instead essentially customs stations mid-river, charging taxes and goods moving up and down the rivers. But hundreds of years ago. They’re still there!
That's really interesting!
That was actually much more interesting than I thought it would be. Well presented, thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Super cool stuff. If you are doing audio consider "softening" the sound with soft stuff. Put towels, heavy jackets, rugs or even couches and beds against the walls/hard wood floors. The lack of echo will allow you to speak more robustly creating a more engaging environment.
Thank you for your feedback
Wow! Great seeing Chain of Rocks bridge again. We drove across that bridge every time we went to my grandparents house.
Very interesting. The civic pride is evident in their construction. They remind me of the Philadelphia Schuylkill River waterworks right near the Art Museum in Fairmount Park. It looks like the Acropolis from the other bank. I think we lost something when we relied upon the lowest bid to complete these sorts of projects. We're stuck with square brick block buildings that look like they'll withstand an A-bomb blast, but an eyesore to live with.
We completely agree!
It's called "Class & Elegance of Design"! Anything they used to put their Name on would be Lasting & would have a Continuation of Function far into the Future! It was the kind of World we all grew up in! But no more! They're trying to take ALL of that Away From Us! They don't want us to have that kind of Pride in our Work & certainly not leave any kind of a Legacy! VERY, VERY SAD!
European History is The Best History.
All old buildings were built by slaves, there is no pride in that.
@@messyi506 Not all old buildings were constructed that way. Many were built by cheap immigrant labor. It depends which building and state you're referring to. My grandfather worked in the quarries shaping blocks that would build the Brownstone buildings of Brooklyn NY. Now there is an appreciation for the work, though he and many like him were living hand-to-mouth, even being dismembered or dying in work accidents. The history books only record the names of the Architects.
Glad I discoved these little gems in the Mississippi river! Thank you for this video and I hope you can show us the interior sometime!
Hopefully the city will approve our filming request so we can tour the towers. Stay tuned!
Both towers are beautiful, hope the people keep up with maintenance so they last for a long time.
The hole in the roof don’t seem good. I can’t imagine working on them. Call one of them sketchy storm roofing companies for a estimate lol.
How mesmerizing! Imagine writing a book about when people lived there!
I'm in Georgia and I've been an architectural fan almost all my life. This is now my favorite channel!
We're so glad you are enjoying our videos! Thanks!
@@ThisHouse You're very welcome! I'm in Albany, Georgia. We have some very interesting historic homes around here. There are a lot of old plantation homes around Albany and a lot of beautiful old historic homes in the city limits.
If you get a chance look up Byron Plantation Road homes in Albany, Georgia. in the early 90s a bunch of people bought old plantation homes that were in danger of being torn down. About 10 or 15 or dismantled and moved to that road and restored. They are absolutely beautiful. I think you would find them very interesting. One house in particular was dismantled in the 70s and stored in a building for about 25 years. When it was purchased no one thought to number the parts of the building or to drive a plan on how to put it back together! It took the new owners a couple of years but they were able to fit the house completely back together like a giant jigsaw puzzle!
@@TheLuckyjoenga That is so incredibly fascinating! We plan to hit the road this summer to explore some other regions and this just went into my top 5 destinations. I'll see if I can find the owner's information and contact them. Thank you so much for sharing this with us!
@@ThisHouse Definitely look up Hope Campbell here. Not only is she the biggest interior decorator in the area decorating all the historic homes but she actually is one of the first people to move an antebellum home on Byron plantation Road and it is spectacular! She definitely has the "in" With historic home owners not just here in Albany but in places like Thomasville, Georgia And all of Southwest Georgia. she could definitely introduce you to a lot of people with a lot of beautiful homes. Her firm is H. Campbell & Associates. She's a hoot!
@@TheLuckyjoenga Thank you so much! I'll reach out to her, cheers!
I love how nice they look! It feels like a magical little home. I wonder if they'd allow civilians to move in. I think there's a similar structure in VA or MD like this, though I think it was an old light house in the middle of a river. I believe it's occupied by a family now
Wonderful account of history I bet few knew; I for one did not. Thanks Ken for another great video. With your wonderful sense of research and History, it is for sure we have many more looks into the past and lovely buildings of which St. Louis has more than its share. As for now here's wishing you and all your fans, a Merry Christmas and the best of the best Happy New Year.
The same to you Cate, from The Millers
Thanks so much, glad you enjoyed it!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you!
-Ken
My grandfather's grandfather was an office and field engineer on construction of intake No. 2. Before that he was engineer in charge of construction on the Municipal (later MacArthur) Bridge that carried 66 before it was realigned to cross at Chain of Rocks.
Wow! I bet you have some crazy stories that he passed down to you!
I hope they clean them up. It's pretty cool to see such antiques being used for their original purpose.
I always admire when the city and architects go out of their way to build something like this, even if they only have utilitarian purposes. I think building beauty into structures like this promotes a more healthful and interesting living experience for those who live around or pass by them, similar to parks. Sometimes I get very tired of the boring and sterile giant blocks of concrete they use for many things these days.
OK, now get the city to show you the inside!!! Great video and information - thanks!
Hopefully the city approves our filming inquiry to visit the interior. Stay tuned!
That is quite interesting. Would be interesting to see how the pipes for the intake were put in.
Hopefully the city will approve our filming inquiry so that we can tour the interior. Stay Tuned!
This was really neat and I appreciate that it wasn't drawn out to an ungodly length. The video was long enough for some good visuals and some fascinating information. Great stuff!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you for sharing. I’m really happy they didn’t destroy any of these accomplishments. It would’ve been a shame.
It’s really nice that, not only they have saved and preserved those beautiful towers but, also that they repurposed the bridge.
Since that second tower have living quarters in it, it would be neat if it could somehow be converted into a unique type of lodging experience that the city could use for fundraising and historic awareness.
Check out the Frying Pan Tower Hotel in the Atlantic ocean
@Smurfette Did It bro it's just an idea that they probably came up with on the fly it's not like they're trying to implement it, maybe you should have used your brain
@Smurfette Did It We understand your point which is valid, but did you have to be so rude about it? F*ckn grinch 👺
@Smurfette Did It have many friends?
@Smurfette Did It Okay kiddo, you do know that in the adult world we have this thing called a liability waiver.
I've been to a few places that have tried using your argument to get out of letting me do what I wanted to do only to get countered by a simple liability waiver from their insurance company and legal representation recognizes.
Them: "Sorry Sir, we can't let you in and do XYZ due to our liability coverage only being $1 million dollars."
Me: "No problem, here's my insurance companies liability waiver form your legal people will recognize that says I am insured for more than your whole operation is worth. Have a nice day. I'ma go play now."
This is an ancient advanced architecture before the 1800's. As a matter of fact, old maps as far back as the 1300's you can see these beautiful architectural beauties built by the ancient civilizations. Please don't believe the current narrative.
@@ycarips9137 They were remember Earth's cyclical Cataclysmic events occur every 200, 400, 600, etc...years. They'd like ppl to think that our his-story started in the early 1800's. That's laughable now that we SEE the same beautiful architecture built all over the world. Hence all the pyramids were the same all over the world, plus planes, laptops, cell phones, etc...are on ancient heirogliphs. Their narrative is falling apart at the roots. Oh you should research the "supposed" Annie Oakley pics of her standing in front of one of these beauties, it makes one wonder if the cowboy days was all Hollywood, if you know what I mean.😉
I've seen them up close multiple times when I worked the upper mississippi on towboats. Cool as hell. Been over that scary bridge as well when I was around 3 years old traveling with my parents.
A lot of things in the world look scary at 3 yrs old
*"What is this in the Mississippi River?"*
Beautiful buildings we can't build anymore.
This was really special. I got to learn a little history and take a scenic trip without ever having to leave home.
I am from saint Louis mo and used to walk the chain of rocks bridge frequently with my friend. We always wondered it was and what the inside looked like. Thank you for covering this
Glad you enjoyed it!
There are pics online of the inside of the large towers, and a video by a news company. You have to search for it but its out there.
Thank you for your hard work, Ken! Another great video!
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
-Ken
Very interesting, and nice to see a river that's not frozen in December . It's amazing that people had such bad water back in the day .
It gets semi frozen in January and February. December isn't normally too cold here in stl
Thank you. I lived near St. Louis for decades and never heard of these marvels.
I do enjoy learning things about my hometown.
Are there any photos or videos of the interiors of the towers?
None that we are aware of. We submitted a filming inquiry to the city. Hopefully they will approve it and we will be able to create a video tour of them. Stay tuned!
I lived within shouting distance of these, for the past 2 years the river has been so shallow that a pleasure boat got stuck on the chain of rocks rapids for weeks. Also the bridge is used for old car shows every fall now! The reason it was closed to vehicle traffic was that a teenager was murdered...
@@alison5009 yeah, I also don't remember if it was closed beforehand or not, but I'm pretty sure that was the reason they won't allow car traffic to this day (other than structural concerns - though people are able to cross it in cars during the car show!) There is a plaque dedicated to the incident somewhere along the bridge.
Great report. Thanks for sharing
Glad you enjoyed it!
So happy the choice was made to preserve the bridge. Very interesting info on the water intake housing. Thank you for sharing.❤❤❤
Glad you enjoyed it
I enjoy your videos. Not too long, beautiful videos, and very informative!
This was great, there are a few ( smaller) buildings like this along the Sacramento river and I always wondered what they were.
Keep up all the great St. Louis content and ill keep liking and sharing
Thanks! Will do!
Great towers
Hopefully the city will allow us to film inside, stay tuned!
The Chain of Rocks Chamber of Commerce has a car show on the old bridge every year. I took my '67 Mustang there in 2019. Because it is a two lane bridge you had to drive to the Illinois side, turn around and drive back and park your car facing west. I've been to lots of car shows but to be at a show 70 feet over the mighty Mississippi was pretty cool.
Interesting video. Thanks for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed it!
That was quite interesting.
So very fascinating, thank you .
Glad you enjoyed it!
I grew up farther north on the Mississippi River and never knew these existed. It would be nice to see them in person some day.
Excellent video. Love the aerial footage. Your narration is spot on. Appreciate this for sure, and will be recommending your videos for the sheer excellence of the imagery alone. Thank you 🙏
Thank you so much!
I've been to St. Louis quite a few times, and wondered what those towers were. Thought it'd be interesting if I could actually go out and explore them. I had no idea they were still in use. Wonder what the quarters were like on Tower #2. Great information. Thanks!
Glad you enjoyed the video! Hopefully the city will approve our filming inquiry to tour the interiors, stay tuned!
Super interesting.
Can you go inside the second one with the living quarters? Would love to see inside.
We are hoping that the city approves our filming request to tour the towers. Stay tuned!
@@ThisHouse That would be unbelievable! A dream come true
No you can't.. and if you don you would be in big trouble. A news company was granted access and they took pictures and video of it.
I grew up in this area. As teenagers in the late 1980s we would walk out on the old Chain of Rocks bridge and admire the view. I returned there last year and was very pleased to see that it had been converted into a park and now I could walk out there legally and leisurely enjoy the view which is stunning. Always curious about the towers.
This is a little piece of history I never knew. St louis(mainly saint louis county) is my hometown and where i still live, so thank you for letting me know.
Staffing that place 24-7 would have been a cool job to bad the automated it.
I've been traveling down that way for work and play for 20 years now, and never knew what those buildings were. I've often wondered what they could be, thanks for sharing and checking off an item of my list of things to know.
Those structures are beautiful too, I'm glad the city/state has decided to keep them, same with the Chain of Rocks bridge. Didn't know you could traverse it via bike or walking. I've taken the Amtrak from Springfield to Union Station and riding a train across the RR bridge was a treat too.
That was neat
Glad you enjoyed it!
I drive a truck and regularly travel that route over the bridge. I have always wondered what those structures were for...thanks to you I now know. Thanks.
3 minutes. Solid information. Nice pictures.
Good Job!
Glad you liked it!
Right... Explain to me how these towers were made before power tools 🤣
Very carefully, hopefully..
Ask the same thing about any of these old buildings. Something doesn't add up. Research "mudfloods".
@@offhandacoustic and also, research Tartaria ;)
@@kingka0312 Been down that rabbit hole for a while now. We are 100% being lied to about our past. His story is not our history.
My wife says these bldgs are where the Tooth Fairy lives. She's been telling children this for some years. Kinda cute.
That's fun!
I believe her! 🧚♀️
I'm not buying this explanation. Clearly these structures are much older than what we are being led to believe. Also, modern Americans do not build anything in the " Roman-esque style". In fact, there is no style at all.
no style at all kinda like you
“THANK YOU ALL FOT WATCHING I REALLY HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS VIDEO” I did, I really enjoyed it. Super quick and to the point, didn’t drag it out for views.
Oh boy - that tower with accomodation would make an awesome AirBNB!
Live in STL and this is a cool place to visit and the pumping stations are beautiful. Thank you.